October 31, 2018 - Red Skies at Morning?

Sunrise

I don't know if the rhyme holds true here, but we woke up to a brilliant sunrise. I'm shooting blind with my camera now, as the screen doesn't appear to function any more. The wind is decently strong again, out of the South West.

A breakfast visitor.

We began a counter-clockwise circumnavigation of the Isle Spiritu Santo, heading Northeast out of our camp on Bonanza Beach. The original plan had been to do a clockwise circumnavigation, but the winds were not in favour of this.

The rock formations and cliffs on the Eastern side of the island were amazing, with cracked granite drawing out climbers' eyes, veins of basalt having flown through some of them, or possibly melted a quartzite vein to flow through a weakness in the granite; towering cliffs with large rocks embedded; laval flows, and beige to rose coloured sandstone. More than once a line was eyed up, and comments were made about Alpine Club trips to help develop there.

Heading out on the kayaks

Cliffs of granite

So many climbing lines

Fun kayaking

This formation reminded me of Extinguisher Tower

Fun kayaking

Lunch was in front of a cave through a lava flow, with elephant trunk features evident.

By this point, my photos became by guesswork alone, as the screen for my camera has completely died.

The day became a mix of snorkelling and kayaking. We went through 3 sea caves, saw many tropical fish and a few corals (but definitely not coral reefs) and a tonne of sea urchin, dining on fabulous Mexican food (burritos for lunch, and tortillas, veggies, rice, and cheese for dinner).

Sea kayaking through sea caves

Sea caves

Sea caves

In total, we did over 20km of paddling to get to Candelero, which treated us to a fabulous sunset while drinking pina coladas. The sun sank as a ball of firey red into the Western horizon and the streaks of cloud were painted red and fuscia, extending like rays away from it, curving as they went.

About the only may on the day was the loss of my sunglasses about half an hour before we arrived at our camp. We were heading West and the sun was in my eyes, so I flipped my cap around to have the brim over my face. In doing this, off went my sunglasses, into the water and out of sight. I only hope this will not be an ill omen for the rest of the trip.