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woman, Sherri, lives there with her 14 year old daughter and husband, a local lobster fisherman. They
live very simply. I had a good time practicing my Spanish and playing “Carl Safina” (author of Song for a
Blue Ocean), as I asked the local fishermen about any changes in the catches they have been getting
through the years. My contacts were lobster fisherman who also work as shark fisherman when it is off
season. They have caught 100 sharks in one day—imagine that many sharks in a panga! The only
changes they have seen are that the sea lion population is skyrocketing and thy haven’t seen pods of
killer whales in awhile. The sea lions are a nuisance to them. They take the bait out of the lobster
traps. The sea lions don’t have any natural predators around (sharks or killer whales), so they have
taken matters into their own hands.
We’ve been fishing when underway, using a great rod and reel that Jim Dietz gave us. Other than a
small blue shark, all we’ve caught is bonito and skipjack, which we’re throwing back because we’ve tired
of their gamey taste. We’re hoping to get dorado soon. Lou’s been scuba diving, and finds the lobsters
in Mexico much easier to catch than those in Southern California. Catch yes, but keep and eat—
wouldn't think of it!!!
Sherri and her family took us to a fossil grounds—a desolate, but beautiful place. It’s several miles
inshore, but obviously used to be the bottom of the sea. The kids found a backbone from a marine
mammal. I enjoyed just being out in this wild place. There are so many places like this in the world. My
thoughts were on Iraq and Afghanistan.
The edge has gone off all of us. We all enjoyed Bahia Asunción. Emily and Martin spoke Spanish to the
other children and had a great time. I’m finding my own. I do miss my friends and just having somebody
(besides my immediate family) just know me without too much explanation. Emily misses her friends
also. Martin misses La Costeña—and burritos made by Flor. He ate lots of homemade tortillas in Bahia
Asunción. Lou is truly in his element. He misses parts of our life in the Bay Area. And I think he likes it
better when I have other friends to banter with.
We’ve enjoyed buddyboating with Sea Kardinal and Annabelle both from Sausalito. We’ve traveled with
them since San Diego. Emily and Martin love Noreen (a 4th grade teacher on sabbatical) and John of
Annabelle. John is teaching Emily to juggle. Today, we said goodbye to them as we head for Mazatlán
and hope to see what Emily and Martin might be able to do in Mazatlán’s “Nutcracker”.
Coronados islands, just across the
Mexican border, sailing in company with
2 other boats enroute to Bahia Tortugas.
Juan Arce, who is married to a Canadian
woman, Sherry Bondy, who is a whale
researcher.
big fossilized marine mammal bones in an
ancient seabed a few miles inland from the
Pacific near Bahia Asuncion
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