April 21, 2008 -- El Cardoncito -- Isla Pardita -- Layover day

We enjoyed this place so much yesterday that we decided to layover here today. Before breakfast I went out fishing. I tried jigging out near the reef but had no luck. I put a diving bass plug on my light rod and trolled my way back toward the boat. About half way there I got a hit. I reeled the fish in. It was a triggerfish, with long spines on its back and funny looking buck teeth in its mouth. Despite its non-table fish looks, I'd heard that they make excellent eating, and so kept the fish. Back at the boat I took the fillet knife and a plastic bag to shore and filleted the fish out. I got 2 nice sized slabs of meat which will make a nice meal.

By the time I got back on board, Sandy had a pancake breakfast ready to roll. She put dried huckleberries that we'd picked up on Stevens Pass last August into the batter. It was an excellent and filling breakfast. Following cleanup, we went ashore, burned trash, and then hiked up the dry streambed which courses down the floor of the canyon. We came across a rock and masonry structure, which looked like a cistern or dug well. I wanted to look inside, however, a large number of bees were milling around the opening, and so I opted to flip a stone into it from a safe distance. I was disappointed to not hear a splash as the rock struck bottom. We continued up the narrow gorge, admiring the strange rock formations. We saw 2 types of lizards and some small ground squirrels, as well as a hummingbird, some woodpeckers, and maybe a kinglet. It was the middle of the day, so we were quite warm by the time we'd retraced our steps and returned to the beach, so we slipped into the water for a cooling soak. Swim suits are not necessary in this very private place.

Mid afternoon was passed napping and reading. Around 3:30 I went out for a snorkel around the bay. I saw many of the same kinds of fish we spotted yesterday. In shallow water near the beach I floated over a sizeable shellfish. I plucked it up with my pole spear. It was a live sea pen, a large bivalve about 7 or 8 inches long. We've been seeing lots of opened and cleaned out shells on various beaches we've visited, so I was eager to try it out as food. When I got back to the dinghy I pulled out my oyster knife and opened it. It has a large adductor muscle, obviously the edible part. Interestingly, it was identical to the "scallops" we'd purchased at Marina de La Paz, and which we planned on eating for dinner this evening. I'm certain that the shellfish we bought are in fact sea pens. They are very firm, large and tasty. My shellfish guidebook says that the Mexican variety are commonly used for food, and sold as scallops.

I went out fishing again this evening, and tried the guts of the sea pen for bait. All I succeeded in doing was feed some small fish. They quickly stripped my hook of bait. I trolled my way back to the boat, using the same ball lure I'd had luck with this morning. Once again I got a strike. This time I pulled in a pretty orange colored fish with a black spot on its back. It was shaped somewhat like a large mouth bass, and looked like an excellent table fish. I called Sandy on the handheld radio and asked her to have the fillet knife, a plastic bag, and my headlamp ready. I grabbed these items and went to shore to fillet the fish. We now have two fish dinners in the refrigerator. I may have to resort to catch and release for a while, now that my luck has improved.