Nine days in Baja, a great trip until it wasn't.

 it was somewhat auspicious starting out in snow & flooding.

 But when we got to the ocean, it was alllll good…….

 The Golfo de California has the best sunrises!

 Stunning.

 A pack of six……

 Perfect conditions - let's get out there!

 A baby sea lion, we saw him both days same spot.

 Never caught a starfish on rod & reel before.

 Much better!
Orangemouth Corvina.

 So many cool birds

 A good bass - tasty!

 Real nice trigger fish, real great table fare.

 Above, sea lion, below, nesting ospreys.

Mexican Hogfish - *really* a pissy fish, long lavender fins, but best pic I could get as it wanted to bite me real, real bad.

 Clouds over the mountains = time to leave.

 The final vestiges of dirt highway 5

 The lupines were going off, it smelled like lavender!

 WOW

 Soon to be paved, I will miss it dearly, I rode it on my bicycle many times back when it was pure hell.

 We met Mark in camp and paddled & fished with him, but his car got taken out by a rock to the oil pan.
We shall paddle again, friend!

 Quick re-fill on everything.

 And then out into the middle of nowhere - this place is so disorientating.

 Trash in nests makes me bummed.

 New home!

 Going out to see live ones!!!

 "Cloud i the sky & a hand reaching down to me"

 Out to see whales with caption Leo.

 Whales!
We didn't get to touch them this trip, but they were there in the thousands - sounding & diving seemed to be the current lessons.

 Mothers & Babies

 look at all the scars from Orca attacks!

 Really something to experience.

 Thar she blows!
First time for these folks, they were STOKED.

 Sleepers.

 Woo-Hooo!

 Off to the land of the Boojum.

 New friends!
Now I have an architect and a lawyer in Mexico.

 Oh, no……

 And then 17 Italians show up, and Santana gets cranked to 11…….

 And they you got a party on your hands - quite the way to end a fine day!

 Trying to explain this to an Italian with two Mexicans was pretty pinche funny, you bet!

 We got up to glass on the south bay

 It's so good.

 Picked up a nice Cortez Halibut for the pan.

 You can just take your fish to the restaurant & they cook it up for you with all the trimmings for about $5 a person, and we met up with our friend Sheila Moon - cool to hang in Mex!

 Wind day

 Still fun to be had

 The light was amazing

 Shelter up.

 Osa, Luna, Sheila.

 Oh, our beautiful Chevy……..

 These clouds rocked all day

 Whoa……..

 And then, wow……….
One amazing sunset.

 Well will you look at that…….everyone running around looking up in amazement……..

 It kept up it metamorphosis until dark, just a fantastic palette.

 And then the next day we went fishing with our friend Marco.

 One excited little dog - fish on!

 Yellowtail!

 Around 20 kilo apiece

 Biggest fish I ever caught, I think - just got some new gear just for this, and it was excellent.

 Fish on, Sheila!

 Nice fish, Denise!

 And another

 Super stoked little dog!

 Guard 'em good…….

 Ha-ha…..

 Gotta clean 'em up - heavy fish, hard work.

 That's as good as it gets.

 Processing - bloody decks!

 More weather, the fishermen call this "The place where the wind is born"

 And we're off.

 Brittle brush & Cardon

 I'll miss old 5.

 Happy critter digging her Chevy

 Damn, this was SO good, so good…….Camarones Diabla.

 And then this happened, 40mi from our house.
  Fuck.
Our beautiful Chevy, we are so sad, but we are OK, I took a good hit keeping the dog from flying through the windshield and damn am I sore.

Hell of a way to end a trip - can't believe that was all in 11 days total.

Back to work tomorrow.
 - Steve.