SHE WALKS WITH ROOSTERS

THE HERMETIC BEACHES OF THE SEA OF CORTEZ

April 2016 

Mornings began with watching the tangerine sun emerge out of the Sea, much to the delight of the Mobula rays that leapt to greet it. Birds of all kinds flew overhead taking in the cool morning air. One bird, the frigate, looked very much like a prehistoric pterodactyl! As I played with the soft silky sand between my toes, white Ghost crabs played peek-a-boo with me from their holes.

After feeling the first rays of the sun warm my sleepy face, I would go back into my little thatched cottage and prepare a pot of French Press coffee (Verona). The aroma filled the tiny space quickly, and I wasted no time heading back to the solitude of the beach to quietly praise God’s wondrous creation.

Iguanas joined me, one by one, sunning themselves reverently on the rocks, and as I (and the Cormorant birds) gazed out at the vast Sea, I noticed the waves bringing in Surgeon fish toward the rocks and then carrying on tenaciously to the beach, sending out a rhythm that has become my life song.

My afternoons were spent hunting the elusive roosterfish. With the help of polarized sunglasses and a good friend, Lance Peterson, I searched the soft blue waters for a silver bullet with black stripes and the coolest hairdo! When roosterfish are in pursuit of their prey, they race in like a torpedo with a raised comb (dorsal fin) in anticipation of the feast! My first cast into the Sea of Cortez produced a massive strike from a large Jack! Unfortunately, the line wrapped around my finger and then the reel, and when that bad boy decided to run, he snapped my line like a piece of thread! He is now sporting the coolest lip ring ever with a dangler of fly line to match! As the days went by, I walked (and ran) with Roosters, Jacks, Needlefish, and even Sea Turtles.

We happened upon a school of Ladyfish. Pretty, sleek, and sexy, these fish are aptly named! I am a catch and release gal, so after giving her a little kiss on the cheek, I released her gently back into the warm salty water.

As the name of this post suggests… I have not hooked a Rooster (yet), but I am confident that I will soon. For now, I am working on my cast and getting myself into good physical shape to run with these magnificent creatures. Out there, you are battling the wind, the sun, the sand, and the waves. This is the real Baja and it’s not for the timid or the weak.

The warm evenings were spent sipping cool margaritas and enjoying delicious four course meals with my husband and friends. After enjoying the flavors of the Baja, we would make our way back to the beach to play tag with the tide and enjoy another game of peek-a-boo with the crabs.

As we lay our heads on our pillows, the waves would sing us a sweet lullaby as we drifted off to sleep…