Sat,4/16 This has been a pretty interesting day so far. We were anchored for over 24 hours in a beautiful cove about 15 miles from La Paz and there were no other boats around. It is a favorite spot already as close by there is a really nice rocky point where we go snorkeling. Even though the water is still pretty chilly, the number, diversity and spectacle of so many fish is so fun to explore. It is like scuba diving but without all the hassle, except that we do wear wet suits – I find it a hassle to push fat into rubbery spandex! Any way, yesterday we went snorkeling and saw many fishes seen before and each time we look more carefully for the shy or tiny ones. This time I saw several brightly colored goobies who work between rock crevices to keep it clean (I know this as they are called cleaner fish). So sorry we don’t have an underwater camera so we can share better. While we were having breakfast Sat, we heard an engine in this isolated cove and a well used panga came along side. A small quiet panguero (fisherman) went through the typical medley, Buenos dias, como esta, como se llama….. thereby learning that his name was Arlupo. He had all kinds of hard luck. First he showed Dave his broken sun glasses. So I fetched a pair of extra glasses that people have left over the years. Then he told us the water was so rough he couldn’t fish – and we knew this to be true, as there is a northern wind storm going through. I think he was trying to explain why he didn’t have any fish for trade. Then he pointed to the leaded rope that Dave had found and cleaned up, in hopes of trading for langostas (lobsters), I explained Dave found it on the beach in Magdalene Bay, Arlupo started talking about langostas and Dave took it off the rail and gave it to him. I tried to get him to bring us langostas, but he said he was going to bring fish, manana, I figured after he could go fishing again. Since he was still hanging around, I went below and got a bottle of cold water out of the fridge…by this time, I was sweating, what with the sun and such a heavy Spanish lesson. Arlupo had told us he lived in the fishing camp in the next anchorage and there was no water. All three of us shook our heads muttering, “no agua.” Then I had to explain that we didn’t have a water maker, so we had no agua, tambien. Arlupo had pointed to a power boat in the distance, indicating it had brought him half of his water allotment. All of these difficulties were falling on Arlupo on holy week and I was hoping that by giving him some cold water he would go away. Yes, it worked. Hasta manana, we all three said. But as I’m finishing this two days later, we haven’t seen him, or his fish. He will very likely show up in the next week, with fish, and I’ll let you know when and if it happens.