On some roads behind our house, Isabela and I take off for a morning walk. This time we are avoiding the beach because yesterday afternoon she had her flea and tick medicine applied. This means she can’t get wet for at least 24 hours.

As it turns out, a walk in the hills is just what we needed. Isabela loves to chase rabbits (conejos), and nothing I say can change her mind. What great control I have, huh? We encounter several of them this morning, and my pup is getting in lots of running.

 

 

The clouds are beautiful and the farmer’s fields are lush and green.

We encountered only one other person–a woman and her tiny dog–and all we heard was a little construction and lots of singing birds. Nice way to start the day for sure. We made a big loop and I got to see our house from on high.

 

 

We are truly blessed and enjoying our retirement. I’m lost in the fantasy of what I imagined it would be. Life is good.

Our captain, Israel, can maneuver without hands apparently!

March 11, 2015

Our excursion on this wonderful day was my husband’s idea. He knows how much I love to do things like this (even if I am a little bit of a chicken). I’m ecstatic when he suggests it and we went on a hunt for two more passengers for the boat. We settled on two of our adorable friends who have never met one another–Katie, a local surfer girl, and Blaze, our next door neighbor–both of whom are single. It wasn’t a set-up though, honest.

Greg, Blaze (on the bow), me & Katie

Our guide was Paula, from the Todos Santos Surf Shop. She and Carlos own the store, are both surfers, and we know them to be super good people. Carlos had to work at the shop, but we are in good hands with Paula, who has a degree in marine biology, and has taken lots of people on this trip. See them at: https://www.facebook.com/explorabaja?fref=ts

Paula, who is originally from Uruguay

Say adios to La Paz, we’re heading for the whale sharks.

The cormorants know the way as well.

Both of these photos are from online, because I don’t have mine yet.

Our guide, Paula, took some with a go-pro, but she hasn’t sent them to me yet.

First things first: I was a little nervous about getting in the water with these behemoths. I always experience a bit of anxiety the first five minutes I’m out snorkeling. I don’t have mucho experience, and it is a wee bit of a stretch for me. Throw in a GIGANTIC fish, and my adrenaline reaches its peak.

I am intellectually aware of the facts: these creatures are filter feeders. But the me, whose stomach is churning, is a little afraid of swimming with an animal that can reach 40 ft. in length and weigh up 20+ tons. Might they just like a retired teacher for breakfast? It doesn’t seem to matter to me that I am not plankton, which is this fish’s diet.

Soon I settle down, and though the visibility isn’t all that great, I can see them. And they can see me.

Can I just say, “Oh my God! What a thrill.”

Here are some facts from See the Wild Wildlife Conservation Travel. You can find them at http://www.seethewild.org/shark-facts

Whale sharks are the largest fish on the planet. These gentle giants are filter-feeders and are harmless to humans. The enormous whale shark, which can reach lengths of 40 feet or more, feeds on the tiniest of ocean organisms, plankton. 

Whale sharks are striking in their appearance not only for their size but also for their unique pattern of spots and bars covering its gray body.

More facts found at http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/fish/whale-shark/

The whale shark’s flattened head sports a blunt snout above its mouth with short barbels protruding from its nostrils. Its back and sides are gray to brown with white spots among pale vertical and horizontal stripes, and its belly is white. Its two dorsal fins are set rearward on its body, which ends in a large dual-lobbed caudal fin (or tail).

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That was exhilarating, but we have other places to go. Off to a sweet, almost secluded spot to have lunch. But first, we swim with sea lions about 20 minutes from where we swam with the whale sharks. Now I honestly think I have died and gone to heaven. This is beyond a wonderful experience. I have been around sea lions my entire life, living in San Diego, CA and then in Western Washington, but I have never been in the water with them. These particular sea lions don’t mind people at all, which is not the case in the other places where I have encountered them, so I’ve never been swimming with them before.

I couldn’t get over how effortlessly they moved through the water, like a ballet. You can’t tell me they weren’t having fun while they are swimming with us. Maybe it’s just me projecting my own understanding of what it’s like, but I swear they were having fun, all the while showing off their water ballet skills. Fascinating to observe.

 

 These guys were taking a nap.

The sea lions share this spot with lots of birds.

After a satisfying swim with these guys, we headed to an almost deserted beach for a lunch.

Put out the anchor, we’re going ashore!

There we are, all set up on the whitest beach I’ve ever seen.

Oh, not just any lunch. No. This was gourmet!

Ceviche and delicious burritos:

some with beans and cheese and some with beef, beans, and cheese.

I’ve had a lot of ceviche, but this was the best I’ve ever had. I think it was the mango and pineapple addition to the raw fish, chopped tomatoes, onions, and cilantro.

What would you like to drink?

Complete with tablecloth!

We spent about an hour wandering around on shore before packing everything back into the boat and heading back to the marina.

Blaze, me, and Greg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I can mark this off my bucket list. I swam with the whale sharks and enjoyed a beautiful day with all sorts of creatures and some of my favorite people. What could be better?

El Pescadero as seen from the highway

Our little piece of paradise where we live is all we need on most days. Pescadero is a fishing and farming community with lots of ex-pats of the American and Canadian persuasion.

Most of us foreigners live closer to the beach, but the Mexicans have the right idea. They live inland where the pueblo action is, and they can walk to just about anywhere they need or want to go. We, on the other hand, have great views and proximity to the ocean, but the salt air is eating our house.

Who knew it would be so rusty around here. (Apparently I’m not the only thing that is getting rusty.) Daily I probably sweep more sand out of my house and from our cement walkways than most people see in a year. Okay, that’s hyperbole, but we do more cleaning and maintenance here than we ever did on Whidbey Island. Whew!  Retirement is not supposed to include so much manual labor, is it? But for the most part, it’s worth it.

We get most of our produce from Fidel, who has a roadside stand in Pescadero. He’s the one in the sunglasses and stripped shirt. Fidel is a very cool guy and he knows his produce. I can pick out a cantaloupe and he will tell me when it will be ripe. He’s always right.

Our pup, Isabela, loves the sweet potatoes.

The farmers grow a lot of chili peppers and onions, but it is the basil that graces us with its heavenly scent. Hmmm. I’m walking on the beach in the morning and it wafts in from the nearby fields.

Can you smell it too?

This is Danito, one of our neighborhood farmers. His cherry tomatoes are to die for. He lets us have them for free. We get our eggs from his sister Bianca’s chickens.

Another one of our friends, Pepe, brought me a basil start about 6 weeks ago. I had to harvest my plant this morning. It did so well I made enough pesto to last us two years.

I used almonds instead of pine nuts, as I don’t have any pine nuts. I added lots of garlic and parmesan cheese to the blender with the basil, olive oil and almonds–presto pesto!

Here’s a dollop!

I cut a large roll in half lengthwise and slathered a heap of pesto onto it. Then I added tomato slices, avocado slices, and crowned all of that with cheese. Then I put the creation into the oven at 425 degrees F for 12 minutes. Oh my! So tasty. You ought to try it.

I would suggest some toasted sunflower seeds after the pesto, but I didn’t have any, so we had to do without. I know how good it is with them though, as my son and his wife made me this sandwich with sunflower seeds when I was visiting them in San Diego recently.

Stay tuned. I’ll have more pictures around El Pescadero soon. Thanks for stopping by.