Iris Publishing	Baja Paddling Epic Day One by Sarah Richards
The Beginning Day One Packing The launch Roger & Jan Low Sun paddling Sunset Day Two Day Three Day Four Day Five Day Six The End	Two taxi vans came to pick us up at 8:00 am this morning from Los Trojes. We'd been up for a while after having taken showers accompanied by loud clunks in the water pipes. We drove for about 1 and a half hours through Cordone cacti (they are cousins to Saguaro cactus). There are several versions of Mesquite, a particularly prickly tree called Palo d'Adam, and Elephant trees. Occasionally, we pass a dump where plastic bags have been blown onto cactus spines and mesquite branches. At Los Naranjos, where we were to put in, there were rows of palapas. These are palm roofed huts that are rented out, usually to gringos who also bring an RV of some kind, for between $6.00 and $10.00 a night. Some of them have had kitchen cabinets installed, others are just shells with a roof. One couple had large solar panels and a wind mill to power their TV and computers. The palapas open to the beach and it's a lovely setting with the sand, water, and mountains on the peninsula. Roger and Jan chat with Al while organizing packing of the kayaks Roger and Jan give instructions about life in Baja as well as paddling skills and safety
	The launch site at Los Naranjos. In the background are the mountains of the __ peninusula. We were to cross over to that side that very afternoon. After lots of fiddling with gear and lunch we launched at around 1:30 pm. The wind was freshening and just as we had committed to going across to the peninsula, it got strong enough to have white caps. We paddled steadily, singing sea chanties to keep us going. Then Roger and Jan had us practice towing in a line, much as rock climbers do. It was fun. One kayak roped to another so we had chains of 4 and 5 kayaks. It evened out the paddling power, so the stronger paddlers helped out the weaker paddlers and we all made progress together. When we broke up the lines, it was clear how much they helped as some of the people steamed ahead while others dropped behind.
	It's black ink outside, as I sit inside our tent. The stars were out, but then high clouds came and covered many of them. We are at the shore of the Bahia de Conception on a peninsula on the Baja Peninsula. We made it to a rocky beach and took a rest. Drinking water and eating some gorp we felt a bit refreshed and off we went to go about 2 and a half miles further upwind to our camp site. Roger told us we'd be staying there for two nights if we made it that day, so we had some incentive to push hard against the wind. Luckily, it abated a little and the whitecaps were fewer. A huge brown pelican flew by and landed in front of us. It sad in all its bigness while we paddled by. The sun was nearing the horizon and it silouetted the big bird and any paddlers that went between me and the sun. Earlier, Jan pointed to a bird flying overhead and squealed "a blue footed booby!!" That was a thrill. Then we saw a frigate bird and some strikingly colored gulls. Near our campsite a National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) group was camping. They've been the same distance we had, but it's taken them five days to our one afternoon. We were to see NOLS groups a couple of times during the trip. A sailboat was anchored in a cove nearby. This was the most dramatic sunset of the trip. Fron this day onward, the skies were perfectly clear. If you look very carefully, you can see the sailboat that had the art professor on board (more on him later). After a fine dinner of quacamole and burrito fixings we learned how to wash dishes in sald water and pee in the intertidal zone. Roger says the Outward Bound people recommend taking your pants off to go to the bathroom, and then going in the water to wash off. That way you don't use toilet paper. This became known as the Baja Bidet.