Mexico non report

Back in the beginning of the year a buddy from San Diego called and invited me on a trip to spearfish at the famous Gordo banks in Cabo.  He has a boat and a truck at his dad's house down there, so the trip would be very affordable in that we only needed to pay for gas and some food.  Because the hook and line guys in Cabo aren't very friendly towards spearos our plan was to leave at a gentlemanly hour and go explore the reefs.  After a leisurely lunch we would then motor out to the banks where the bluewater species frequented.  So leading up to the trip, the usual over thinking of gear occurs and we both end up packing way more than we need.  Add to that angst I was in the middle of moving during this trip.  A few weeks before the trip and the reports are showing that the bait fish are in shallow with all the reef species blowing up on them.  Records are being set for the hook and line guys.  The water is a spectacular blue at a toasty 82 degrees with 200lb tuna being caught almost daily and even bigger size fish being lost.  We were barely able to contain our giddiness. 

One week before the trip and there is news of a hurricane just south of Puerto Vallarta that is pushing some weather up to Baja, but that hurricane turns out to the Pacific and vaporizes.  The fishing is mixed but still respectable.  A few days later and the fishing returns to "epic".  The night before I leave I read that there is another hurricane forming near Puerto Vallarta...SHIT! 

I land and my friend is there to pick me up.  Our new plan is to drive up to La Paz and dive with another buddy of ours who also happens to have a boat there as well.  The three hour drive had us rolling into La Paz at 9:30pm.  We walk to the Malecon from his house and get a bite to eat and formulate our offensive against the fishies of the Sea of Cortez.  Being that I've only dove about 5 times in the last year, we opted to make day 1 as a warm up dive day and hit the shallow reefs. 

The ride to Espiritu Santo was nice.  The warm air blowing at my face on the oily slick still blue-ish water as we cross the channel.  As we get closer to the "warm up" spot, the water turns an unwelcoming shade of green.   The meter is reading 40' of water and we can't see the bottom (not a good sign).  We get closer and at about 25' of water we see the white shades of room sized boulders under which where many of the reef fish like to hide.  It's not going to be very clear, but I'm still excited because it's alot of fun diving in that structure...and the water is 78 degrees.  My enthusiasm quickly dissipates as I'm dropping on my shake out drop.  The vis is a horrid 15'.  There is also a mean thermocline.  The water is so cold below that I quickly start to get the shakes as I'm moving slowly at depth.  So not only do I not see any nice fish, I'm starting to shiver too.  I forgot to mention that I'm the dumbass that only brought a borrowed 2.5mm top and a rashguard bottom.  I figure I was gonna be diving shallow reef (warm) and bluewater (also usually warm).  AND I dive "warm".  In past years I've done fine with just a rash guard top and bottom in 75 degree water...all day for 5 days... but I'm a changed man, and now I was shivering and feeling my sinuses get irritated.  That sometimes happens when I get cold or when I'm about to catch a cold.  Another few dives and my left ear is not clearing after about 35'.  Just wonderful.

to be continued...

waits...

You didn't forget to bring along a camera for this awesome trip, did you?    Thanks for the warm water report and looking forward to see more...

but I'm a changed man, and now I was shivering and feeling my sinuses get irritated.  That sometimes happens when I get cold or when I'm about to catch a cold. 

bc you dropped all that weight!  you need to put back on some insulation 

Quit holding out......Fuzz showed us the pics you sent him!!!

Nate broke the century mark on a YFT, there's pics....it did happen.......SPILL IT!!!!

While I did shoot a couple a little under 200# last year, I didn't do nearly as well this year. 

I hesitate to continue on my tale of woe

More please.......

I'm getting desperate to shoot something in the next two dives because I know I won't be able to clear that ear soon.  But I'm not seeing anything shoot worthy.  My buddy witnesses an amazing sight though.  On the water he tells me that he sees one of the big reef fishes facing a crack in a wall seemingly mesmerized.  He drops down to get a closer look and says at first he sees a fish with it's head and pectoral fins partially sticking out of the crack.  As his eyes focus on the fish in the crack he realizes that it's a big octopus that's mimicking a fish trying to lure the real fish to get closer.  He's a lucky SOB to get to see that.  The horrid vis. prevented us finding that spot again. 

Back to my desperation in shooting something, anything before I had to head back to the boat.  I really wanted a cabrilla for dinner, but there weren't any to be found.  The next choice was pargo amarillo (yellowtail snapper) but those were deep and kinda small.  Just as I'm thinking those pretty angel fish looking mofos gotta taste good, a fetus sized cabrilla swims around a rock to check me out.  Sucker had no chance.  And with that, my warm up dive day was over.  No pictures were taken of my fish, mainly because I wouldn't allow any to be taken, but I say it was around 22-23", while my friends say 14".  We agreed to disagree ending the argument with:

"You're a baby killing fat liar..."

and me responding with:

"You guys are insensitive assholes and you better not tell..."


A snot rocket is when you close off one nostril then forcefully exhale through the remaining open nostril.  After sitting on the boat and launching a few dozen rockets I can feel my sinuses relaxing a bit so I might be able to dive the next day. 

Wishful thinking. 

The next day we wake up to mas viento.  So it was decided we go grab some food at the local open air market and wait to see if the wind lets up in the afternoon.  Our host buddy sits down at a counter right in front of a super cute waitress who looks like she's smuggling melons in her tight low V neck shirt.  I started referring to her as "doe eyes" as she had these big beautiful come hither doe eyes.  I had an empanada for brunch and I tell you whuat...empanadas taste so much better when served by a hot chick with tig ol' bitties.  As I'm sitting at the counter, I realized that the napkins and the to-go foam trays were stored directly on the other side of me by the floor.  So every time someone bought take out she had to bend down in front of me to get it.  It was like I won the melon lottery.  "Senorita, quiero una mas panales..."  Yes, I asked for it one at a time.

I take my to go order of Empanadas and we start out for the famous Star Wars bar.  I had high hopes of seeing a Mexican Star Wars themed bar, but when I get there, I was a little confused.  I asked my buddy where the Star wars stuff is and he tells me that it's usually the other patrons.  It's called the Star Wars bar because like that bar Luke and Obi-wan goes to looking for a pilot where all the patrons are weird in some messed up way.  Kinda like many of the patrons at the bar.  "G'Dammit, I left doe eyes for this??"

more woe later...maybe

you guys have been warned.  This is a non report.  It's me bitching about my trip.

keep it coming...good read