Time arrived. Trip done. 37 nautical miles in two days from Eden in Tuxpan to the paradisiacal Island of Birds with 12 inch body giant shrimp, 6 inch crabs, 16 -20 inch trouts, robalo, catfish, etc. Several firsts. First ecological trip Tuxpan-Tamiahua, as called by Josi. First time to do 37 nautical miles for Jose Rivera and myself. Location. Tamiahua Lagoon. Veracruz State North of Tuxpan and South of Tampico Gulf of Mexico. Statistics: First day 19.92 nmiles. 6:05 hours. 3.6 knots moving average. 3.3 total average. Second day 16.74 nmiles. 5:43 hours. 3.1 knots moving average, 2.9 knots average. Wind, waves and currents affected performance on second day. Pictures at http://community.webshots.com/user/cayucochief FIRST DAY.- Tuxpan, Sat 24, Start 7:15 AM parting from (small world) same place where Arthur Hebert and Larry Koenig the Gulf of Mexico circumnavigators slept last year. I just found out that the owner of the place, and host of the adventurers Fidel Rivera is Jose^Rs uncle, and I just met Jose 4 months ago. Launch is in channel going North to Tampamachoco Lagoon, where we found no wind and favorable current. Were making 4.5 to 5 knots in first hour. Great beginning. Passed by Thermoelectrical plant and went on through shrimp traps, spread all over. This is a shrimp industry, just like the wind mills in the New Mixico Desert. These traps are open V made with branches or bamboo and the vertex is where shrimp concentrates and is caught. Some are oriented up current and some down, since it changes direction with tides, and shrimp follow the current. We pass in between gaps in branches. Ending the lagoon (4 nm) there is a channel 6nm long, with marshes on the sides, small red crabs all over, and slight current against us. Shallow water, quiet paddle, few motor boats. Fishermen surprised of our starting point and planned destiny. Every now and then there is a sand bar and sea water current going in or out depending on tide. Jose knows the route. I have compass, GPS and chart where I wrote down magnetic bearing, distance and reference points. Jose felt tired. Lack of sleep started affecting him. Heat was strong. Long right curve and then left and a small right detour. I passed it. My GPS advised against, and Jose told me to take it. My GPS was pleased. If I had been alone would have lost precious time. The channel broadens, fish and shrimp jump all over, we keep going. Suddenly a motor boat comes behind with laughs and shouts. It brings our families and gear. 4 hours have passed. We talk, receive a sardine sandwich and they joyfully part. We still have about 6nm to go. Jose kept wanting to rest more often. His speed was lower. He had cramps in his arms. He held the paddle too tight. I advised to loosen his hand and he felt improvements. I rolled once to refresh myself. He stopped and walked into the water. We had drunk two quarters of Gatorade each, almost half a gallon of water, and had eaten energy food, dry fruits, almonds, nuts and raisins in small amounts, every now and then. Finally we reached the big Tamiahua Lagoon Sand bar and met our families by the beach. They had set camp with telescope, stoves, hot food, beer for themselves, port-a-putty without shelter. Slightly embarrassing but good sight seeing while on the job, if you didn^Rt mind to be seen. Some people used towels to isolate the guy at work. Placed our camping tents, rested and enjoyed the friendly company of Jose^Rs big family with wife, daughter, son in law, grandson, father, brothers, uncles and cousins. All of them flattered to see their relative accomplishing the first leg of the trip. My wife Lety, Gus and Andi swam and enjoyed the hospitality, warm water, nice weather (maybe too hot), good dinner and good night sleep. SECOND DAY.- July 25. Launch 7 Am. Starting to go up North on, perhaps, the biggest Lagoon in Mexico, tide dependent, with two main entrances. One where we were and the other way up North close to Tampico. Our narrow channel may move fast in full moon. Would like to see that happen if it goes my way, but this weekend was half moon. It was really quiet, windless, great, for only one hour. After the Tamiahua town, where the lake opens, wind started to blow to about 18 ^V 20 knots, from our front left quarter. I pointed to the tip of a big Island that splits the lagoon in two. Jose kept moving left and I paid no attention. Finally he came and said that he did not want to tackle the waves, and rather move close to the coast, protected from wind and waves. WE SPLIT.- The coast extends west or left to make a big arc and gets close to the Island again on a straight just before the lake opens. I started going his way but decided that it was too much a sacrifice and rather stayed moving North West, watching him by the coast and moving slowly as he progressed around. He was getting smaller and suddenly lost sight of him. Waited for a while and finally decided to return to my route and get to the side where the goods motor boat was going to pass and ask them to go back and get him. I had some distance to recover and paddled hard against the coming waves. Finally reached the West bank of the Island by the straight and decided to take a break while waiting for the boat. Four hours had passed. I stretched my legs, emptied, ate some energy food, had some Gatorade, refilled my camel bag. As I was doing all that I saw him passing steadily by the land side. I couldn^Rt believe it. So his approach made sense. I started paddling again and thought he had about 5 minutes advantage. His pace seemed strong and appeared as faster than mine. Suddenly a first family motor boat came as I was passing some shrimp traps. They stopped and tried to make conversation, offer assistance, etc. I told them Jose was up front and finally they parted. I wished they would entertain Jose but he sent them away immediately. Five minutes later my family boat passed by. Again many questions, worried about me being behind, etc. After some talk they left. I counted the seconds they stopped with Jose but was only a sigh. He would not accept to be interrupted. The lake was opening. Our Island looked like a little line in the horizon in spite of its large trees and marshes. He meant to get there fast. He was determined to tackle the bigger waves and wind that were growing. Heavy clouds appeared ahead coming our way. I paddled steady. Didn^Rt drink water. Reviewed my style. Torso rotation, pushing with the foot, pushing with upper hand, etc. Wind and waves were pushing us right. I kept course by leaning. When Jose drifted and corrected direction I knew I was winning some time, but he still looked very small. About half way I saw him lower the paddle and rest for very few seconds. I said, finally he is getting tired. He had done a tremendous effort due to the extra distance. I kept going and his rest periods increased and got longer. Finally I got by his side and we talked about the strange weather for this time of the year and the mutual feeling that the other was not going to make it after we split, and paddled at a good pace until we reached the nice smooth long beach where children were swimming and all the families gathered to welcome us, in front of their own built cottage. No more restraints. Pictures and good cold beer, rum, giant shrimp, fish, liver, big crabs, etc. We camped there Monday. On Tuesday noon we placed the kayaks on the boats, cooked some more shrimps and crabs to eat on the way, and traveled back to Tuxpan in a 3 and a half hours trip, eating and drinking and joking. Thanks Jose for your hospitality. You really have a share of paradise. I^Rll be happy to paddle with you again any time in front of new challenges. Best Regards, Rafael El cayucochief *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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