I’ve been real busy revising my manuscript and preparing it for a last review. It looks like it will be published in mid to late November. I will announce it’s availability then. In the meantime, the majority of the work has been done and now it’s just a matter of fine tuning.

Nevertheless thought I would share the cover now.

We have been having a real fine rainy season here in The East Cape this summer. No hurricanes but two or three consistent rains, one with a bit of wind that rocked the trailer, that have literally transformed the desert. I know that this will come with the rains, that’s a given, but this year it has been truly extraordinary! I have never seen so much life return to this often parched region.

This is a pic taken from the road approaching my village (dead center) coming north from Los Barriles.

 And this is a pic of the center of the village and the church. Looks like we are in The Tropics instead of the Sonoran Desert, eh?

Speaking of the grandeur and beauty of new life, I want to introduce you to Ixmael, the first born of my dear friends Peter and Jessica in San Jose del Cabo.

When I look in those eyes, I see everything that is good, gentle, intelligent and questing. A new soul to start his journey. Que les vaya bien, little one!

I can’t but follow that with this quote from a conversation between Alice and The Cheshire Cat. Please note, it is not included as a sign of cynicism:

"But I don't want to go among mad people," Alice remarked.

"Oh, you can't help that," said the Cat: "we're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad."

"How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice.

"You must be," said the Cat, "or you wouldn't have come here."

"Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?"

"That depends a good deal on where you want to get to," said the Cat.

"I don’t much care where--" said Alice.

"Then it doesn’t matter which way you go" said the Cat.

"--so long as I get SOMEWHERE," Alice added as an explanation.

"Oh, you’re sure to do that," said the Cat, "if you only walk long enough."

                    

 Here’s another way of looking at it, eh? Carpe Diem, no?

Near the end of last month I got in some really excellent kayaking. Many days with no wind at all and clear water. One morning I went out (its August so no whales right) and there was a whale coming from the north and cruising slowly towards me. I couldn’t tell for sure if it was a humpback, it was real good sized, not a blue or a sperm, so I paddled hard and got within about 200 feet and discovered it to be either a Bryde’s whale or a fin whale. It was really huge. I was unable to track it efficiently so I let it swim off into the horizon. It sure was nice to be near a member of “The Whale People” again.

Another day I went out it was so quiet out there I found myself slipping into that very special place where the internal dialogue stops because you have to LISTEN to “The Sound of The Great Unknown” (Harvey Manx quote). Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!! On the way in I had a short conversation with a sea turtle and then realized that there were hundreds of thousands of Yellow Mimosa butterflies streaming by. They are smaller than a Monarch, BRIGHT yellow and a delight to see. Once again I have never seen so many butterflies…..millions!!! 

Two Yellow Mimosa butterflies in my yard.....of thousands!

Had yet another great day in the kayak in early September. After my usual trip out to The WZ I swam in over the reef and the waters were teeming with life too. I had never seen so many fish and of all kinds and then five Panamic Green Moray Eels appeared just below me. Seeing one is cool, two at the same time is special…..five at once, HOOHAH!

 Panamic Green Moray Eel                               photo: Lance Allan

The Mariposa de la muerta moth has returned. They have been here for about the last three weeks but once again, NEVER in these numbers, they are everywhere. The Catholic priests that accompanied The Conquistadores here to Mexico declared them a sign of death and bad omen. All you have to do is create fear in The People and you can get them to do anything right! I mean who in their right mind would choose to be a slave on a mission? The indigenos of course saw it as something else entirely. If you had one in the home it was GOOD LUCK. To have one in each corner of the house, REAL GOOD LUCK. I have three living on various parts of the trailer. I don’t let them in because they will die but the luck holds I’m sure. Oh, BTW: they were also named The Black Witch by the same misguided priesthood.

I leave you with this video clip. You must see it to the end. It is an actual commentary on a sailing race at the recent Olympics by two Irishmen.

www.liveleak.com/view?i=510_1344196881 

And be happy and secure in this:

A beautiful kayaking morning on The Sea of Cortez

The above picture was taken about three weeks ago from my trailer as the sun rose over The Sea. It was a kayaker’s dream morning. The Sea was flat like a lake, no wind predicted and a slight, slight cloud cover so it would not be so hot as the sun climbed higher. I don’t recall whether I saw anything of particular note that day, just the quiet and tranquility of being with Grandmother.

I may have mentioned in an earlier blog that my land partners, and adopted French Canadian family, The Q’s, are all superb athletes and devoted to the study of the marshal arts. Jean-Luc is a black belt in Judo and instructs in Quebec. My dear Brigitte just completed her tests in karate, and is now ‘Shodan”, a first-degree black belt.

Brigitte Mercier, "Shodan"

I am extremely proud of her. She has three grown sons, runs a restaurant with Jean-Luc, maintains a household, attends karate classes devotedly (where she helps instruct) and looks like a 20 year old. This picture does not do her justice, CONGRATULATIONS Brigitte!

I enjoyed watching the Summer Olympics except for the usual hyperbole that has become a consistent trait in American journalism. I was particularly annoyed with the business about Michael Phelps being “The Greatest Olympic Athlete in History”. I was a water-polo player and swimmer so I do know the effort it takes to be the best in the water (not that I was) and I honor that. He very well could be the greatest competitive swimmer so far in history…but “Greatest Olympic Athlete” is a bit much. When one considers the ALL AROUND athleticism of a competitor in the Decathlon (two days/ten events), one can talk about “Greatness”. My favorite choice would be The Native American Indian, Jim Thorpe. He won gold medals in both the decathlon and pentathlon in 1912!!

Jim Thorpe, a truly GREAT athlete

Mexico’s gold medal in soccer was a special treat. I watched it with the neighborhood cantina owner, Alfonzo, who opened up his place at 8:00 am in the morning so I could watch it on his big screen.

My homeland of Estonia received two medals; one for wrestling and one for discus…go Estonia!

And one last word about The Olympics. You have to give credit to Terri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor. Three consecutive gold medals in beach volleyball, that’s twelve YEARS of being the best!! Amazing.

Terri Walsh....."digging it"

On a different level entirely, here’s a little something to ponder.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/population/#maps

Keep in mind please, there are TWO heads on the overpopulation monster…People Overpopulation and Consumption Overpopulation. Two distinct but EQUALLY serious problems. Nevertheless, look what we humans do sometimes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?feature=player_embedded&v=Pwe-pA6TaZk

 I was also delighted to see the landing on Mars of the rover Curiosity. Even if a single reproducing cellular organism is to be found, every cent is worth it. And if one living organism is not found, what an incredible feat of technology nonetheless, makes me proud to be a human.

Curiosity, the Mars rover

Check out the NASA website to see how they landed this vehicle…unbelievable!!

And here’s a picture it sent back a few days later

That's Earth, Jupiter and Venus....from Mars!

On a more earthly note, we FINALLY got our first summer rain on the fourteenth. A good three-day constant watering…the desert is thriving!

The manuscript about my life with the whales is now in the hands of Balboa Press. The working title is: The Others, “The Whale People”: A Personal Journey of Discovery, Transformation and Healing. There will probably be much to be done yet but I am hoping to be published by Christmas.

Speaking of Cetaceans, check this out.

Dolphin sound

White beaked dolphin (Lagenorhynchus albirostris) sounds, wavelet graph. This image was produced by converting the frequencies of sounds made by a white beaked dolphin into a graph using a mathematical process known as wavelets. Wavelets reveal structure and detail that are not always visible in standard graphs of frequency over time (known as a spectrogram). This image has been plotted as a polar coordinate (circular) graph but wavelet graphs can also be in rectangular form. Dolphins produce a wide variety of high frequency vocalizations, such as clicks, whistles and cries. These sounds are used for echolocation and communication with other dolphins. They can be recorded using underwater hydrophones. Image created by Mark Fischer from Aguasonic Acoustics, USA.

Well, that’s about it for now my friends. I hope with all my heart that your journeys are going well…and I leave you with this little bit of wisdom.

Que les vaya bien, amigos

Big story coming up regarding a recent swim/dive I made with a humpback whale while kayaking out at The WZ.

But first: A few weeks back I got down to the beach early to do my exercise routine (3-4 times a week, while walking a mile I do 6 sets of 40, 10 pd bicep's curls, 6 sets of 20, 10 pd presses, 6 sets of 15 each of three different stretches and 6 sets of 7 pushups). Then I swim 6 laps ( I’m working my way back after the injury to my back last year). This was a particularly sweet morning because not only was the weather perfect but I was also in the company of a number of my favorite “critters”.

From left: Sandpiper, Palmiated Plover and a Whimbrel

                                                                Brown Pelicans

                                                                Turkey Vulture

                                                                    And a Caracara

Then when I went in to swim my laps, I swam over a Tiger Reef Eel (sometimes called a Leopard Eel) and 2 Diamond Sting Rays.

Tiger Reef Eel or Leopard Eel

Diamond Sting Ray, not my pic

 Two days later I did my laps out at The WZ and came across two turtles, dove to fast for me to engage with but great to see them nonetheless.

A couple of days later I was putting on my dive booties to go kayaking and……yes, another Scorpion sting! Got my big toe and my sole. Sole was too tough for much of a sting but my toe was not so lucky. I had to cancel my trip to The WZ, took some bennies, rubbed on some cortisone cream and chilled out. They don’t really start hurting until about 2-3 hours later. Urmas 170+ / Scorpions 6.

The next day however I was ready to go out. Incredible day in The WZ. I went out early and was kayaking out to the reef when I caught some movement further out.....panga, no, a lone humpback!!! It was moving south and about a half mile out from me. The Sea was absolutely flat, no boats, just me and the whale, I mean we were ALONE. I just knew I could intercept him. I paddled like hell and on it's next blow series I was within 200'. I changed my angle just a bit and continued paddling....next blow series, the whale surfaced 50' to my left. He fluked up after only 2 blows and I continued in the direction he was going at moderate paddle. Then he came up again about 40' behind me and coming directly for me. Too late to dive in but within a moment I could see him PERFECTLY under the water just to my right at about 10' depth and 15' away....BEAUTIFUL BEYOND description, the entire body so close, so clear, so intelligent and alive. I kayaked above him, just to his left until he came up for his next blow and he was right next to me! I could have touched him with my paddle. He fluked up and I again kayaked in the direction I thought was right. After about 5 min another blow, again right behind me. Grabbed my mask, rolled in and waited. Then he came...RIGHT TO ME!! He rolled a little to his left side, took a good look at me, I waved and dove to him. He continued on his way and I swam behind him till he fluked once more. Too tired to follow further, but this is my longest, clearest, closest humpback encounter so far! HOOHAH!!!! I feel deeply that this was a gift from The Great Mystery and The Whale People, I would like to think I have earned it!

I purposely do not carry a camera when I kayak because I do not want the lens to get in the way of the experience. I have missed some extraordinary shots but I am absolutely certain it is the right decision. So here are some shots I found online that come as close to my experience as I could find. These are NOT my pics.

         This is how it looked as he surfaced next to me on the second series, except way closer!

This is almost EXACTLY as he looked when I dove to him!

 Three days later I was out there again, paid my respects to the Sacred Directions and their Niericas, closed my eyes, lay back on my kayak and took a nap. The Sea was absolutely still accept for a very, very gentle roll. It was like being cradled on Grandmother’s breast and ALL was good with The World. On the way back in I crossed over the reef and saw a Spotted eagle Ray. I have only seen one of these close up 2 or 3 times before. Ran into him again, or another one, a week later and had a good long swim with him. Clear water, ten feet away……tranquil!

                                                       Spotted eagle ray, not my pic

I would like to add this little political factoid, and if it disturbs you…..well, take heart and watch the video that follows it.

                                                                       Some Truth

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=GBaHPND2QJg&feature=youtu.be

Sent by my daughter Kersti

We ARE a wonderful species, we have great potential, BUT our connection with the innate wisdom (nature wisdom we are born with, without sin) within us has been terribly mangled by the forces of avarice and religious oppression perpetrated by a very few, but EXTREMELY POWERFUL, among us. WE WILL NEVERTHELESS PREVAIL!!!  

Oh, BTW: two other pieces of news. Mexico is in the semi-finals in soccer at The Olympics and two, I may have a publisher for my whale book!

 As my daughter Kersti said, "all right Dad, go Mexico”!

"Bub" the iguana

 Well, you have seen this guy before, it’s my Spiny Tailed Iguana land partner “Bub”. He has a lady living with him now and I expect to see some little Iguanas around soon. He lives about 12 feet from my trailer door so we see each other often. He’s been with me 3 or 4 years now and I enjoy his company immensely.

 Northern Cardinal

 Lots of these around this summer, it’s a Northern Cardinal, always a great sight. This one became Terry's friend.

Took a trip to Cabo on June 19^th and saw the tail end of the security activity around the G20 summit that had just taken place the week prior. Marines, Federales, Municipal Police, Navy, machine guns, recoilless rifles etc. The airport tarmac covered with 747’s from all over the world…..INTENSE! I lucked out and was stopped only once.

 Federales, toned way down from the old days!

Had a great time watching a Hermit Crab dig his way down into the sand as the sun got higher and the beach hotter. So diligent, so effortless…..so perfect!

I think it only right that I pay respect to my 1999 Subaru Impreza and it’s loyalty over the years. Six round trip drives from Ukiah to the tip of Baja without ONE mechanical problem, flat tire or accident (close calls but the car always had the speed/stability to avoid possible trouble). She’s beginning to look a bit “Mexican” but that’s just as it should be, I am too!

 Sometimes I see something on FB that I need to pass on. Check this out. http://www.youtube.com/embed/KgoapkOo4vg?rel=0

The Sea Turtles are starting to nest. I’ve seen two mothers within 25 yards of shore looking for the best beach egress. I’m so tempted to swim out to them and join them but not good, any activity on my part is an impediment to them.

Lots of good kayaking since my return home from The States, quiet, tranquil, powerful, loving and in the arms of Grandmother again. I have never felt the full impact of The American Lifestyle until this recent trip…..overwhelming!

On the 3^rd of July my “Sweet Thing”, Terry Kerr from Charlotte, came to share Shangri-La with me for 12 days. It is truly a gift from The Great Mystery to bring this delightful spirit into my life. I have never spent a more wonderful time with anyone.

Terry and me inside the palapa we built..."Shangri-La II"

Terry after completing Shangri-La II

 Terry left on Saturday the 14^th, I, and all of Shangri-La, will miss her. My critter friends too will miss her soft and friendly voice as she befriended “Bub” the iguana, the many lizards, the bird people (especially The Northern Cardinal in the pic above), the crabs, fishes and even a scorpion (well, not quite befriended, I took her on a night hunt……for scorpions).

We kayaked, went out in the panga, snorkeled, built a beach palapa, saw a Humpback from the beach and had, what for me, was the time of my life. A gift from The Great Mystery indeed!

My intrepid and courageous kayaker, my "Sweet Thing"

Yesterday, being the 16^th of July, I kayaked out to The WZ, honored the four sacred directions and drifted with the wind. On the way in I intercepted a herd of what I think may have been Pygmy Killer Whales. I only caught the tail end of the herd so no water time but they were not any of the dolphin species I have seen before. I also found that I had been sitting on a Portuguese Man of war under my kayak seat during some of the trip.....lucky, they hurt big time.

Things are real quiet now, pretty much all the Gringos have gone home, the winds have died, the water is warm......and yes it's hot (especially without AC) but I'm used to it now, this being my 4th summer here. The Cantina across the road (opened about 3 months ago) has become somewhat of an issue but it will be great to watch The Olympics and the 49er's right next door. 

 Frank Denney, Bill Symon, Urmas Kaldveer, John Erving......friends!

This blog is all about friendship. Some of you have seen these guys before in previous posts. They are my closest male friends from my youth. These are the men I grew up with, played sports with, discovered “girls” with, and the men whose friendship during all that time was always available like a deep, deep, well of loyalty. I wasn’t a particularly confident child/adolescent and these men were the ones who stood by me, hurt with me, and Lord knows, laughed with me.

The above picture was taken less than a month ago when we got together for lunch at a restaurant in Half Moon Bay, in Northern California. The one on the right was taken 57 years ago, that's me on the left, Frank Denney and John Erving on my right. I was in The Bay Area to have cataracts removed from both eyes on the serious recommendation of two Ophthamologists I had seen previously. I knew it was going to require a fairly lengthy stay in The States and I wasn’t quite sure just where I would have it done, how I would afford it all and where I could stay.

Even before leaving Baja my dear friends Alan and Marilyn (you have certainly heard me mention them before) after hearing my situation, immediately suggested I use their Doctor and stay with them in Alameda for the duration. I cannot even begin to describe the enormous relief I felt after this offer and I could not but accept. Those of you who know Alan and Marilyn can understand the joy with which I accepted this incredibly generous offer. 

Alan and Marilyn Pomeroy

As soon as Alan got back to Alameda in April he set up a pre-op appointment for me, and the date for the first operation (the operations themselves are nothing). Turns out his doctor is a Dr. David Bui (Vietnamese), nationally renowned for his work in this particular field…..and was willing to see me and do all he could do to get me back to Mexico asap. Nevertheless, even if all went well, it looked like a three week sojourn at least. That’s a lot to ask of your friends, to put you up for three weeks, whoa. I began considering ways to break up that period by moving around a bit between the pre-op and first operation and between the first and second op, and then maybe head down the peninsula to see my buds while waiting to make sure the second op went well.

In the meantime my daugher Kersti and her husband Bill also offered to put me up, but Sacramento was out of my comfort zone for transportation etc and they were just in the midst of a move.

I arrived at SFO on the 13^th of May, took BART to West Oakland where Alan picked me up for the drive to Alameda. Their home is on a quiet, residential block near the lagoons…..a sweet Victorian with private bath and a dynamite bed. Altogether the perfect place to deal with the coming events. To say that they are the consummate host/hostess is a ridiculous understatement (I won’t even begin to mention the food), they made me feel like family right away and I knew I was in the right place. I’m talking friendship here.

The pre-op went fine on the 15^th and the first op was scheduled for the 22^nd. Dr. Bui was extremely kind and offered to cut the cost in half for one of my eyes (I entertained him with whale stories). He said he could make me 20/20 WITHOUT glasses and that’s when I began to laugh. He was a bit miffed at this outbreak and when I asked how long it would take he said 15 minutes per eye, which started another gale of laughter. I explained how I had worn glasses since I was 14 and they had been a nemesis all my life (sports, social etc) and now he was telling me he could alter all that reality in 15 minutes!! He got it, and we then laughed together…..and that’s friendship.

In the meantime my bud Frank Denney heard about my situation and suggested I visit he and his wife

Jackie in Redwood Shores before my 1^st op. Perfect! I called my son Zack in Oakland and arranged to stay with him two days, take The BART back to SFO where Frank would pick me up and take me to his home for a couple of days.

Zack came to Alameda to pick me up and we went to his place near Lake Merritt. He then not only gave up his room to me but had the apartment totally together, made me dinner (this was new and damn good) and we watched 2 documentaries he wanted me to see. He was a great host and as always we had a wonderful visit together…..and that’s my boy.

Late afternoon the next day I caught The BART to SFO where Frank picked me up. By this time I had seen more people, cars…..stuff, than I had seen since visiting my sweetie in Charlotte last July. In a very real sense I was in culture shock (I have lived in Baja for three and a half  full time years now). Frank and Jackie have a nice condo in Redwood Shores with the Bay lapping up on the rocks, Canadian Geese walking about and a gym nearby. Frank had me at the gym early the next two mornings and I was thankful to get some serious exercise in after the past few days of lying about and eating. When I went to the pool for laps, there were no open lanes but the lifeguard said I could share the one she pointed to. I got in and prepared to launch as soon as my lane companion made it to the other end. Since he swam kinda slowly I waited until he was half way back. As he approached he got bigger and bigger. I mean this guy was a balloon, he totally floated, almost his whole body was above the water! I figured I could slip by him and did, but each time we were to pass, I moved WAY over….he was huge! Hanging out with Frank and Jackie was delightful….and once again the food was superb, including dynamite shakes made by Jackie in the mornings.....and that's friendship.

Frank & Jackie Denney

Frank suggested we get together with Bill and John at the restaurant in HMB and like the great friends they are, they came the next day and we were once again together, four really, really dear friends. It was a wonderful meeting as you can see by our faces in the first picture. Remember these guys are all 69 and 70! I love these guys, I owe them so very much. The next day Frank and Jackie took me to the special brunch at Scott’s in Jack London Square on the 20^th and OMG did I eat. It was incredible, absolutely incredible. Once again remember, I am a tortillas and beans guy from a little village in Mexico, this was amazing and I had such a great time (over) eating. Three plates…..THREE! They took me back then to A/M’s in Alameda and I mentally prepared for my 1^st op.

The op was interesting. My eye was seriously dilated, I was given a mild sedative, a drip put in my arm and after just a bit walked into the op room where I lay down, given more sedative (really liked that part), a local anesthetic, the Doc came in, lots of bright lights, some suction noises and 15 minutes later I am up on my feet, given some juice; another 15 minute rest and out the door. For the first time since I was 14 I was 20/20 in my left eye (and we’er talking one bad eye here)! Of course this made the world weird for me, but I was IMPRESSED! Because of a little bleeding the next day (no biggie) I decided not to venture to Ukiah between ops and instead stay with A/M in recovery and prep for the next op….the 29^th. Those sweet, sweet people just said, “stay as long as you need”. Where I come from that’s called friendship.

The day before the 2^nd op was Memorial Day and I was, as well as my son Zack, invited with The Pomeroys to an Italian BBQ nearby. Yet again….OMG, the food. I was experimenting with life without glasses so things were all a bit weird visually but the tri-tip and the people…..great afternoon!!

The 2^nd op was another breeze and I walked out now with 20/20 in both eyes! The next day the post-op showed all good so Dr. Bui said I was clear to go home. I decided to leave on the 4^th of June just in case there were any complications. On Thursday the 31^st my brother Peter and his wife Julie came to Alameda for a short visit (we hadn’t seen each other in a couple of years) and then Zack once again picked me up so I could stay with him for a night before heading to Palo Alto…..and yes, other dear friends, Bill and Gloria Symon, invited me to stay with them until time to fly out and Bill would take me to the AP besides….and that’s friendship.

I was feeling a bit queeze on Thursday but had no idea what was in store. Whether because of the ops, the food or the culture shock I was on my way to major stomach problems. It didn’t really hit until I got to Zack’s that night but oh man, way bad. Zack took on the roll now of provider. He got me special food, meds and let me lie around his apartment like a zombie. On the 2^nd I felt up to taking BART down to Millbrae where Bill would pick me up. The trip from the BART station in Oakland to the BART station in Millbrae was uncomfortable at best and involved two “accidents”….Jesus! When Bill picked me up I just said, “I’m not feeling good at all” and he got me to his home and for the next 48 hrs Bill and Gloria nursed me back to health…..now that’s friendship! Bill just said, “here’s your room, lie down, anything you need”? Gloria went out and got some homeopathic medicine, electrolyte water and started the chicken soup. Am I blessed or what?

Gloria and Bill Symon

I felt so good the next day we went out to lunch at The “O” (The Oasis, a favorite hamburger place in Palo Alto we all used to frequent) with Frank and John and had another wonderful meeting of FRIENDS.

The next morning Bill drove me to SFO and I flew home. But it didn’t end there….Alan picked me up in San Jose (he had flown there a few days before), we had dinner at Tio Pablo’s in Los Barriles, got groceries at Chapito’s and drove the road back to El Cardonal….and Shangri-La.

Long story, all about me, but more importantly about friendship. Thank you my FRIENDS, I am blessed to have you in my life!

                                                NAMASTE'

                       

Moon rise, May 5th, 2012

Once again I have to gladly thank my dear friend Star Gilley for reminding me to “look to The Heavens”. We have beautiful moon rises here in Baja pretty regularly but this one was the closest approach of the moon to our Mother planet for the year, worth a moment of appreciation.

Fifteen years ago, I had a moon like this off the stern as I sailed an 84’ sailing schooner across The Pacific.

The schooner Dariabar

We were in the very middle of The Pacific Ocean and I was steering by The Constellation Orion.

Me at the helm, 1998

The Moonbeam that night was like liquid Mercury and pointed us toward Hawai’i. Last May 5th, this Moon, pointed directly to me on my bodega roof and my Shangri-La.

If there is any question in your mind of the importance of The Moon, check out this article from Scientific American.

Without the Moon, Would There Be Life on Earth?

By driving the tides, our lunar companion may have jump-started biology--or at least accelerated its progression

By Bruce Dorminey  | April 21, 2009 | 16

            The ocean tides mirror life itself. Their ebb and flow pay homage to the cyclic nature of the cosmos along even the most secluded seashores. But is life itself also ultimately a fluke of the tides?

If so, life may ultimately owe its origins to our serendipitously large moon. The sun and wind also drive the ocean's oscillations, but it is the moon's gravitational tug that is responsible for the lion's share of this predictable tidal flux.

Our current Earth–moon system, according to the prevailing theory of lunar formation, reflects our solar system's early game of planetary billiards, when colliding planetary embryos created entirely new versions of themselves—in the case of our own planet, a disproportionately large natural satellite in close orbit.

It all started some 4.5 billion years ago when, as theory has it, our nascent Earth was blindsided by a Mars-size planetary embryo, believed to have spun Earth into its initial fast rotation of roughly 12 hours per day. The molten mantle thrown into orbit after the catastrophic lunar-forming impact quickly coalesced into our moon. Within a few thousand years, Earth cooled to an object with a molten surface and a steam atmosphere. Life emerged some 700 million years later, or about 3.8 billion years ago.

But four billion years ago a cooling Earth already had an ocean, but remained barren. The moon was perhaps half as distant as it is now, and as a result, the ocean tides were much more extreme.

At an average distance of 235,000 miles (380,000 kilometers), the moon is currently receding from Earth at a rate of 1.5 inches (3.8 centimeters) per year. As it does, Earth's own spin rate is slowing. And, in the process, roughly 10²⁰ joules of gravitational energy is shed into the oceans annually.*

Over the eons, all that energy has had an evolutionary impact.

"The oceans' tidal flow helps transport heat from the equator to the poles," says Bruce Bills, a geodynamicist at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. "Without the lunar tides, it's conceivable that climate oscillations from the ice age to the interglacial would be less extreme than they are. Such glaciations caused migrations of animal and plant species that probably helped speed up speciation."

Bills also points out that such tidal heat transfer could have also mitigated climate fluctuations. The problem in determining which "tidal forcing" scenario is correct, he says, is that climate researchers currently lack data spanning extremely long timescales. Even so, Peter Raimondi, an ecologist at the University of California, Santa Cruz, says the tools of evolution are also driven by the tides' influence on these intertidal regions.

"In a rocky intertidal area," Raimondi says, "it's very clear there are strong evolutionary pressures brought on by a changing environment over a short spatial scale. Without our moon, our marine environment would be much less rich in terms of species diversity."

But is the influence of the lunar tides actually responsible for life itself?

If life originated around deep ocean hydrothermal vents (so-called black smokers), then the lunar tides played a minor role, if any, says James Cowen, a biogeochemical oceanographer at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. If, however, life originated in tidal waters, he says, then tidal cycles could have played a major role.

Before leaving El Cardonal for my cataract operations in The States, I took one last kayak out to The WZ. There was a fog bank out about 1 mile, not particularly rare, but always adding something to the “adventure”. As I entered the fog I remembered that day in Bodega 35 years ago when I encountered my first Humpback. As I was paddling back in towards shore I heard some dolphins approaching from the north. I was out of the fog, it was a beautiful day so I put on my mask and rolled in. Three Bottlenose Dolphins swam by within about 15 feet, gave me a once over and continued on their way. These were the first BN dolphins I had seen this season so it was a delight to say hello.

There were also some Mobulas doing a mating dance nearby and then a masked Boobie flew by 6 feet overhead. I finished the day by swimming in from the tip of the reef....paradise!

Masked Boobie, not my pic

Two days before I left (I am now 10 days from returning to my beloved Mexico) I went out in the panga to see if any last whales were passing by on their way to The Arctic. My friends Noel and Bonnie came out with me and we really lucked out by coming across a breaching male Humpback, I also got a good ID (HB# 23 12).

HB# 23 12

It was my first time out with Vicente’s nephew Fabien, a young man who caught on real quick to the need for proper positioning during a photo sequence. Noel caught a nice 18 pound Dorado that we all shared and I saw my first Brown Boobie, another fine day, no?

Noel and his Dorado......dinner!

Brown Boobie, not my pic

Here’s a great sequence of Humpback Whales trying to help a Gray Whale calf during an Orca attack. Keep in mind that The Orcas are simply doing their part in the greater scheme of the Biosphere.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/17991601 HBs helping Gray

I’ll leave you with this:

I'll be back in Mexico on the 4th of June....with BIONIC eyes!