Puerto Vallarta.

Hanapa'a!

So we arrived yesterday and immediately, we got in some fishing. There are baitfish close to shore we we could see larger fish were chasing the small ones. I caught this baby Ahi looking fish and was thrilled. Then I saw more fish on a sandbar at the mouth of a river. I sprinted across the river not worrying about the diseases that were surely swirling round my legs as I splashed my way to the sand bar. There were hundreds of fish showing me their shiny sides like quarters that had been squished and elongated on railroad tracks. I was amazed to be in the middle of the baitball as I felt the fish hitting my shins. I clumsily through my fly anywhere I could and when I would hook up a fish they would jump and shake out the fly like I would imagine a Tarpon would.

It was frustrating when the schools of fish would be just out of range of my casts. I would be waist to chest deep hucking flies very ungracefully at water that looked like it was boiling until a sleek football shaped fish would jump out and I wished I could get out further.

Pelicans having a feast just out of range!

So today we borrowed the kayaks (resorts have perks) and paddled around looking for the fish. The diving seabirds were sure signs, but as we approached, the birds would fly away and the fish would swim down and stop eating. I was trolling along, rod wedged between when I had my first hit. The reel let out a short yelp and before I could get a hold of it, the line broke and the fish disappeared. I was left staring at some foam and ripples. In my mind it was a monster!

Smaller than he felt!

A while later, I was casting into nothingness when some small baitfish began jumping away from my fly. The closest thing I got to catching a fish was seeing a fish follow my fly. Not quite what I was hoping for from the kayak.

(Jason I owe you a fly!)

SATURDAY

Today we went to a timeshare deal where they tried to sell us stuff. We walked away with no timeshare, but a big bottle of tequila! The taxi ride there and back was fun as we got to go through the non touristy part of the area. Our impatient taxi driver hated being stuck behind anybody, so he nearly had a coronary when we  got behind a tractor and a tow truck. Once we were on the freeway and we passed the tractor (why wouldn't the tractor drive down the freeway?) he loosened up a bit.

Then we attended the pro athlete briefing for Ben's race tomorrow. It was pretty funny because as of today, the athletes don't know the race course. There are two options because the road that that the race occurs on is currently being paved. If it is paved today, option A will occur, if it is not paved by 7 am tomorrow, option B will be put into place. There were a lot of astounded faces as some prima donna triathletes don't know their exact course now.

This evening I caught my first (and second) Roosterfish. A turtle was laying eggs on the beach near where I was fishing. It wa s good evening.

Mexican bus ride.

On the malecon.