ON THE BAJA
“WHAT A LONG STRANGE TRIP IT’S BEEN” –ROBERT
HUNTER
PERHAPS IT’S MY INEVITABLY ADVANCING YEARS OR MAYBE IT’S
TOO MANY 3 AMs BUT I’VE BEEN RUMINATING ON OUR TIME DOWN HERE,
AND I’M THINKING OF WRITING DOWN SOME FEELINGS AND MEMORIES. WHEN
JANE SAID, “ARE YOU SURE THAT YOU DON’T WANT TO BUY THAT
BUSINESS AND MOVE DOWN THERE?” IT TRIGGERED A CHAIN OF EVENTS
AND ENCOUNTERS THAT IN RETROSPECT HAVE BEEN UTTERLY AMAZING, OF COURSE
NOT ALWAYS PLEASANT, BUT VIVIDLY MEMORABLE. OUR THOUGHTS AT THE TIME
WERE BASICALLY THAT IF WE COULD BE CERTAIN THAT THE KIDS WOULD NOT BE
SHORT CHANGED BY THE EXPERIENCE THAT WE SHOULD DO IT, LEST WE SIT IN
THE BAY AREA, GROW OLD, AND REPEAT TO OURSELVES THAT WE “SHOULDA
DONE THAT.” AFTER VERIFYING THAT THE KIDS COULD INDEED RECEIVE
A VERY GOOD EDUCATION IN LA PAZ WE WHISPERED “GERONIMO!”,
AND STEPPED OUT THE DOOR OF OUR ONGOING EXISTENCE IN THE BAY AREA.
ALL OF THE THOUGHTS THAT FAMILY AND FRIENDS EXPRESSED TO US, FROM “WOW
WHAT A GREAT ADVENTURE!” TO “WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?”
OCCURRED TO US AS WELL, AND STILL DO. PATHS TAKEN STIR AS MANY DOUBTS
AND SECOND GUESSINGS AS THOSE NOT, BUT THOSE TAKEN ARE REAL AND HAVE
LEAD TO MANY REVELATIONS, REEVALUTIONS, AND A FAIR AMOUNT OF STILL UNANSWERED
QUESTIONS. THE MEMORIES THAT STICK SEEM TO RESIDE IN TWO DIFFERENT FOLDERS.
THERE ARE THE PHYSICAL VIGNETTES INVOLVING FISHING, BATAAN MARCH LIKE
TRIPS NORTH AND SOUTH, AND COUNTLESS SUNSETS EACH MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN
THE LAST. IN THE OTHER LARGER FOLDER ARE THE PEOPLE. THE PEOPLE THAT
WE HAVE MET AND INTERACTED WITH HAVE BEEN THE REST STOPS, POT HOLES,
WASHOUTS, AND FAVORITE STRETCHES OF THE ROAD WE CONTINUE TO TRAVERSE.
FOLDER #1
ENCOUNTERING SEA MONSTERS WITH ART SIMPSON, BLUE WHALES THAT MAKE OTHER
WHALES LOOK SMALL, THE DOG SNAPPERS’ MAGICAL ABILITY TO EXERT WHAT
SEEMS LIKE HUNDREDS OF POUNDS OF THRUST IN WATER WITH JUST A TAIL , DORADO
JUMPING 3 FEET IN THE AIR TO TAKE A SARDINE DANGLED THERE, A HUGE MARLIN
TRYING TO STEAL A 100LB. TUNA THAT I WAS TRYING TO GAFF, CAPTAINS WHO
STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF WHAT APPEARS TO BE NOWHERE AND THE FISH THAT INSTANTLY
BITE THERE, THE RELIGIOUS NATURE OF SKIMMING ACROSS A LIQUID MIRROR INTO
THE SUNRISE, BEING IN THE MIDDLE OF A BAIT BALL THAT IS BEING FED UPON
BY MARLIN, TUNA, DORADO, AND WAHOO AT THE SAME TIME, 18 INCHES OF RAIN
IN 22 HOURS, HOOKING A SAILFISH 2 FEET FROM THE BOAT AND HAVING PEPE YELL
AT ME WHILE HE FRANTICALLY TRIED TO ESCAPE THE CRUISE MISSLE THAT OUR
FORMER PREY HAD BECOME, 90 DEGREE DAWNS, THE MOMENTARY BUT TIME STOPPING
PANIC OF HAVING A FULL GROWN HOLSTEIN PROPELLED BY AN APPROACHING SEMI
DOING AN IMITATION OF A HOCKEY PUCK WHILE MY SUBURBAN WAS TRANSFORMED
INTO THE GOAL, STILL LOOKING FOR THE GREEN FLASH THAT I NOW ACKNOWLEDGE
EXISTS, SEEING FISH AS BIG AS HORSES 10 FEET ABOVE THE WATER, D-REX READY
TO GIVE HIS ALL WHETHER YOU WANT IT OR NOT, ACRES OF DOLPHIN VOLUNTEERING
TO PLAY, OLLIES’ SHIRT, THAT FATMANBELLYFLOP NOISE THAT A BIG DORADO
MAKES COMIN’ DOWN FROM THE SKY, THE ANNOYING BUT GRUDGINGLY ADMIRABLE
PERSISTANCE OF NEEDLEFISH, HOW CLOSE TO SHORE GIANT ROOSTERFISH ARE WILLING
TO COME, THE “WHAT ME WORRY” ATTITUDE OF PELICANS, GUYS WHO
CAN THROW A 60 POUND PERFECT CIRCLE AND BRING IT BACK SHIMMERING WITH
LIFE, CATCHING LADYFISH WITH A SINKER AND HOOK, WAHOO BECOMING AIRBORNE
AND TAKING SPREADERBARS ON THE WAY DOWN, THE PATIENT STUBBORNESS OF BILLFISH
OR TUNA WHEN THEY ARE WITHIN SIGHT OF THE BOAT AND SHOULD SURRENDER BUT
DON’T, PARGO LISO EATING 99 OF THE 100 DEAD SARDINES WITH THAT 1
HAVING YOUR HOOK IN IT, 100’S OF TUNA ERUPTING WHEN AT THE END OF
A SUCCESSFUL DAY LALO POURED 5 GALLONS OF LIVE SARDINES OVER THE SIDE
AND THE SAME WITH DORADO WHEN ENRIQUE DID THE SAME ON A RARE JANUARY SCHOOL
OF DORADO, THE 7 FOOT HAMMERHEAD TOWING A BUOY LINE WITH MORRISON, JORGE,
AND I WONDERING AT THE VELOCITY OF THE “CURRENT”, THE QUIET
ON THE WATER THAT REALLY ONLY BECOMES LOUD AT NIGHT, AND THAT’S
THE ONES THAT COME TO MIND THIS EARLY ON A NEW DAY.
FOLDER #2
THE EVER PRESENT BUT NEVER LIT CIGAR IN JIM DWIGHTS’ MOUTH, THE
INCREDIBLE FORCE OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT AS EXEMPLIFIED BY SO MANY PEOPLE
THAT PERSIST AND ADAPT EVEN THOUGH ANY REAL HOPE FOR A SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER
FUTURE IS CRUSHINGLY DIM, MISSIN’ BETTY, THE READY SMILE AND OPTIMISTIC
ATTITUDE DISPLAYED BY REALLY GOOD FISHERMEN FROM ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD,
THE STRONG AND RESOURCEFUL PEOPLE HERE WHO ONCE YOU EARN THEIR LOYALTY
WILL STEP FORWARD EVEN WHEN YOU ARE DANGLING OVER THE FIRES OF MORDOR
AND TO DO SO MAY DRAW UNWANTED ATTENTION TO THEMSELVES, MARK HENNESSEES’
FRIGGIN’ STORIES, WAYNE FLANSBERG RIPPING THROUGH LIFE WITH THROTTLE
WIDE OPEN AFTER 70+ YEARS, A 10 YEAR OLDS’ LOOK OF SURPRISE WHEN
THEY HEAR DAD USE LANGUAGE AT BREAKFAST THAT WOULD ONLY BE HEARD AT HOME
WHEN WORKING ON THE CAR, VERN AITON GRACIOUSLY ATTEMPTING TO HERD THOSE
CATS BUT THEN VERN DOES EVERYTHING WITH ADMIRABLE GRACE AND APLOMB, THOSE
OF SUCH MORAL WEAKNESS THAT THEY COMFORTABLY AND WITHOUT PAUSE TAKE ADVANTAGE
OF EXISTING STRUCTURES AND SITUATIONS TO ENDANGER THE LIVES AND LIVELYHOODS
OF OTHERS FOR NOTHING MORE THAN MONEY OR SPITE AND THEN ARE MAD WHEN YOU
LATER DON’T SHOW THEM “RESPECT”, SMALL KIDS HOLDING
UP SMALL FISH WITH PRIDE BEAMING AND LARGER KIDS POSING WITH LARGER FISH
WHOSE FACES CLEARLY SHOW THAT THEY HAVE JUST PASSED A SELF IMPOSED RIGHT
OF PASSAGE, CAPTAINS DOING THEIR BEST TO HELP CUSTOMERS WHO ARE BENT ON
STOPPING THEM FROM DOING SO, RICHARD ZIMMERS’ ASSUREDNESS, GRINGOS
WHO SHOW SUCH GENEROSITY AND KINDNESS TO PEOPLE THAT THEY DON’T
REALLY EVEN KNOW, MY DAUGHTER ASKING ME “WHAT DO YOU REALLY MEAN
BY THAT?” WHEN I TOLD HER TO “BE CAREFUL” UPON HER EVENING
EXIT FROM THE HOUSE, CORNELL CONFRONTING ANY AND ALL, DAVID GOODES’
EAGLE EYE, THE BROAD LINES THAT WE SO NARROWLY DRAW BETWEEN OURSELVES
AND OTHERS, CAPT. FRED ARCHER STORMING INTO OUR LIVES AND MAKING THEM
BETTER AND MORE ENTERTAINING, THE SATISFIED LOOK THAT 12 YEAR OLD BOYS
HAVE WHEN AN ADULT ASKS FOR THEIR OPINION AND THEN LISTENS, KEN ALLENS’
CONCRETE FRIENDSHIP, THE SUPPORT OF LOVED ONES EVEN THOUGH THEY’RE
PRETTY SURE THAT YOU’VE FINALLY LOST IT, HENDRIX WIGGLING HIS DIGITS
TO CALL THE FISH, THE FELIX UNGERS AND OSCAR MADISONS AMONG YOU, THE TREMBLING
WEBLEY IN HIS SUMO HEADBAND, REAL AND REEL FRIENDS, THE DUTCHMAN LIVING
LIFE ON HIS OWN TERMS AND REMAINING A GENTLEMAN, GEORGE FRENDSHUH’S
HAT, MY WIFES’ TENACIOUS SUPPORT WHEN THINGS SEEMED BLINDINGLY DARK,
FAST EDDIE’S UBIQUITOUS “CAN DO” SUPPORT, OUR KIDS EXCELLING
IN SCHOOL WITHOUT A “SSL” PROGRAM, THE RELAXED EASE WITH WHICH
BIRGER GNEUSS TRAVELS, PEOPLE WHO STOP TO OFFER AND THEN HELP YOU ALONG
THE WAY EVEN THOUGH YOU’VE NEVER MET THEM, JOHN CANNFIELD SAYING
“IT’S ALL GOOD”, FLY FISHERMEN IN FULL REGALIA, CHILDREN
FOLLOWING THE BREAD CRUMBS TO ADULTHOOD AND BECOMING YOUR FRIENDS AS WELL
AS OBLIGATORY GENETIC SUBORDINATES, RANDALL HOUSTON CASE AND HIS EVER
PRESENT RANDYNESS, THE CONTAGIOUS NATURE OF KINDNESS, THE TRUCK DRIVER
HELPING ME TO CHANGE MY TIRE LOOKING UNDER THE CAR AND JUST STARTING TO
GIGGLE WHEN HE SAW MY VACA UPHOLSTERED OILPAN, ENRIQUE’S SHOULD
BE FAMOUS QUOTE “MI CORAZON ESTA A FUERA”, THE LOOK ON EVEN
THE MOST EXPERIENCED FISHERMENS’ FACE WHEN HIS PANGA HITS THE BEACH
AT 20 MPH, THE GUYS THAT CATCH “THE LARGEST FISH OF MY LIFE”
ON EACH OF THREE CONSECUTIVE DAYS, RANDY “ROBIN HOOD” ODEN
ON PIG PATROL, FOLKS DEBATING AD INFINITUM WHETHER THEY WANT 12 OR 13
BEERS IN THEIR ICE CHESTS,THE PRIDE THAT FATHERS BROADCAST WHEN SONS OR
DAUGHTERS COMPLETE A SUCCESSFUL FISHING TRIP, HOWARDS’ DIBILITATINGLY
TERRIBLE JOKES, TEENAGERS AND PARENTS PUTTING ASIDE THE AGE OLD STRUGGLE
OF GROWING UP TO GO FISHING TOGETHER, BILLY MC CANN RECANTING THE ONGOING
SOAP OPERA AT THE REDWOOD ROOM, THE ANTICIPATION ON THE FACES OF FISHERMEN
AS WHATEVER IT IS RISES OUT OF THE DEPTHS, RAMON WANDERING AROUND IN AN
OPERA INDUCED FOG (I’M NOT SURE WHERE PENZANCE IS BUT HE’S
THE PIRATE), YOUR KIDS DOING SOMETHING THAT TELLS YOU THAT THEY REALLY
WERE LISTENING, JANES’ SUCCESSFUL STRUGGLE TO FIND HER ROUTE, JAMIE
LAWSON A NEW AGE RENAISSANCE NERD OF THE FIRST WATER, THE AGELESS JOY
ON GENE DAHMS’ 85 YEAR OLD FACE AS HE CRANKS HIS ALL ON A YELLOWTAIL,
FIGURING OUT WHAT THE HELL JORGE IS TALKING ABOUT AND WORRYING BECAUSE
IT’S KINDA STARTING TO MAKE SENSE SORTA, THE OLD SCHOOL CHARM THAT
RED DAVIS HAS BY THE TON, KIDS OR ADULTS WHEN THEY DISCOVER OR REMEMBER
THAT YOU CAN HAVE A GREAT TIME WITHOUT CELL PHONES/LAP TOPS/FACEBOOK/IPODS
OR ANYTHING ELSE WITH A CORD, BATTERY, OR HEADPHONES, MIKE JAMES PRACTICING
HIS UNIQUE VERSION OF VERY PLEASANT AND SUCCESSFUL DISORIENTATION, THE
BEMUSED CONFUSION THAT THE CAPTAINS HAD WHEN A VERY OUT OF THE CLOSET
LESBIAN TRAVEL GROUP WENT FISHING, ROOSTER BILL RESPONDING “RIGHTEEO”
TO BOTH WORDS OF CAUTION AND ENCOURAGEMENT, DAYS WHEN CUSTOMERS SAY “THE
FISHING WASN’T GREAT, BUT BOY DID OUR CAPTAIN WORK HARD”,
THE WASTE OF NOT SQUEEZING ALL FROM EVERY MOMENT, THE FOLLY OF TAKING
YOURSELF TOO SERIOUSLY,
AND A LIST OF MENTAL MUTTERINGS THAT COULD, SHOULD, AND HOPEFULLY WILL
CONTINUE GROWING FOR A LONG TIME.
THANKS TO ALL,
DAVID
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