TR: Dana Point

Went out on Saturday with my high school bud, John "Don't worry about
that Red Flag" M. He of the Penns jambalaya fame. Took his 19' boat
out of Dana Point, CA after a night of severe drinkage (we now call
John "Polyester Fibre Face") and cheap pizza and a morning of even
cheaper breakfast burritos.
The 50 knot gust in our face was refreshing after the overpowering
smell of pelican crap in the harbour. The pounding of the 15' swells
on the little boat made for great calisthenics as you tried to pump
your legs in syncopation. No sitting down without a recurvature of
the spine every 18 seconds.
Anchored off the kelp bed beneath the Ritz Carolton. Hmm, now we're
in the middle of the kelp bed. Pull up the anchor (and 600lbs of
kelp) and move out. Reset the anchor. Drift back into the kelp.
Think we need a bigger anchor.
As we start moving back out again, we see a bunch of pelicans and sea
birds diving into the water. We head out. BAIT BALL!!!!
I rig up the fly rod as John swings the boat to the seaward side. Its
friggen pandemonium!!! Birds diving and splashing, sea lions flipping
through the air and 60 plus dolphins moving to their own tune. This
spectacle is about 300 yards across and the water seething black with
one of the largest schools of mackerel I've ever seen.
I half heartedly cast a fly, but the fly can't get down below the
level of the bait ball as it shifts and goes under us. One second,
we're on the edge, the next we're in the middle of the living
maelstrom. A dolphin splashes me as he goes under the boat,
essentially dolphin talk for "get the hell out of my kitchen." I
stare in awe.
The ball splits into two and we take the easier route by following the
one heading for the kelp. This one peters out quickly and we turn to
see the other half moving farther and farther off shore, into the
current and gale. Our boat's to small and slow to keep up with it.
We decide to head in for lunch. As we come back out of the harbour,
we're both a little less green. The wind has calmed and we're able to
anchor up and fish the edge of the kelp. A couple of little mackerel
get themselves snagged on the squid we're offering, but no other
takes.
Successful? No, not in catching terms. However, in terms of
understanding how small we really are when surrounded by a fully
engaged predator/prey chain, very successful.
Frank Reid

On Apr 27, 6:09*am, Frank Reid © 2008 wrote:
SNIP

". . . . , in terms of
understanding how small we really are when surrounded by a fully
engaged predator/prey chain, very successful.
Frank Reid

For sure. Well described Frank. Those moments of unapologetic wildness
totally make a good day, even worth bad weather, fatigue, a bit of
hurt etc.. For me they are a link as a former primary predator, to
the coyotes, owls, Eagles, etc.. Right now, around here its the
mating cycle. We see eagles so high in the lower clouds, jockeying for
position, hooking up and tumbling hundreds of feet. Pilated (?), big
NW woodpeckers yak it up and get all ruffled getting it on. The
Canadas get all freaky and a few seem to get killed this time of year
sticking their necks out for nooky if I were to guess. Sometimes the
passionate Sea Lions bark all nite here.

But seeing some of the other creatures hunt is what really does it for
me. Brings to mind some old forester showing us how to read a cougar
kill on a forestry 101 "tour" put together by Bob W. a few years ago.

Dave