Friday, May 24

North 26° 40.232'
West 111° 34.052'
Distance: 22.1 miles

I paddled 22.1 miles today. This was a great day in pretty much every way. I got up and had a nice breakfast of two eggs and a banana. These are the best hard boiled eggs I have made - they really taste great. I got packed and on the water at 8:21. By 8:45 realized I had not put the plug back from last night. OK, there was a good beach right next to me. I drained the boat and was paddling again in a few minutes. At 12:00 pm I pulled over for a break. Another banana and an egg. Then a little tanning. I burned my butt a little, though. Then a little snorkeling. It was a perfect place for it. Lots of fish and warm, clear water. I got a shot at a trigger fish but I missed. It was a good thing I had the spear because I needed it to clear the sting rays from the sand on the way back in. Then back in the boat for a little longer. I wanted to make up for the short day yesterday and I was having a great time paddling. Each punta had something new to see. I saw a couple turtles today. Just for a moment - they are very shy. Just before I landed I saw a rock holding lots of fish. I put a line out and hooked a big trigger fish. He immediately went to the rocks and snagged me. I worked it loose in about 10 minutes and them pulled him up. He was a big one and was still full of fight, so I let him out a few feet and started paddling with him on the line for a while. He planed pretty well. I told him I was going to bring him to shore and feed him to a coyote for snagging my line and for fighting me after I got him up. I headed for a beach a mile or so away, but on the way I found a perfect cove. I pulled in and threw Mr. Trigger up on the rocks. Then I pulled the boat up and got the pliers out to get him off my hook. After I got him disconnected with no real damage to my lure, I took pity on him and threw him back into the water. The cove is a gravel beach with walls on both sides jutting out into the water. Rocks outside make a nice place for snorkeling and for fish. There is a twisty little canyon leading back away from it. There are a bunch of boats to the south a couple miles. There might be a town over there, too. I may stop over there tomorrow for more water. Dinner was a treat. Avocados, tomato, lime, cheese in tortillas with habanero sauce. Washed it down with good water. I do miss Jay's wine, but I feel that by myself I am better off without alcohol. The sun is going down behind the mountain and it is cooling off now. Time left to set up bed, clean up, read a little, then sleep. I am pretty tired after the long paddle, but I do feel much stronger than a month ago. Twenty mile days just aren't that hard anymore. Today I had the wind against me much of the day. Not too hard - just a little. The sea has calmed down nicely. I hope it stays that way for a few days. There was a little cooling cloud cover today, too.