We’re sitting here at anchor watching a warm, beautiful sunrise. Got in at sunset last night (10-31) and anchored in 17 feet off the cliffs. The beach party is this afternoon, so we’re getting the dinghy ready to go have some time hiking around before the party.

Yesterday was more blue-water sailing. A little slow, we were doing 3 knots for much of the day, but nice nonetheless.

Almost saw some exciting fishing yesterday. I saw almost because we lost both fish. The first one hit on our pole. I was unfortunately in the head in mid-stream and although I could hear the line zinging out and much screaming from the cockpit, I was incapacitated and unable to immediately participate. After what seemed like 10 minutes (and was actually probably 15 seconds) I was ready for action. Pants hanging halfway off, I dashed out of the head to the cockpit. Confusing reigned. Everyone was yelling, the line was zinging and we were still doing 6 knots. The wind had come up by this time of the day, so we were doing 6 knots with a huge Tuna on the line (Ann saw it jump). The line was fast disappearing. By the time I got to the pole, the line was down past the 150 yards of monofilament and on the last hundred yards or so of spectra. We only had a few seconds to get things in order before losing all the line off the reel. I told Elan to make a hard turn upwind to slow the boat (which he tried to do earlier, but couldn’t as the line was threatening to cut the wind vane in two). Once I got the vane off, he was able to make the turn, but in the overall confusion and struggle, the turn and fact that I wasn’t completely ready to reel the slack in the line from the turn, left some slack and the Tuna took advantage and shook the hook. I felt it let go. Disappointment. Overall lesson on this one: when the line’s in the water, everyone needs to be rehearsed on how to slow down fast so we can get the fish in. Having been able to hold the pole for a bit, I know it was the biggest Tuna I’ve felt on the line and am not completely disappointed in not having to wrestle that guy up on to the boat. I think subduing him would have been akin to hand to hand combat.

A little later we also got a huge hit on the hand line. So big it broke the lure, so one more miss and a lost lure. Hopefully we’ll have some more action on the next and last leg down to Cabo tomorrow.

OK, so we’re heading in to shore for some hiking now. See y’all later.

P.S. Happy birthday to Lisa Miller, today, November 1st!