We paddled close to the rocky shoreline as we headed north and saw more sea lions hauled out. Around one point we caught sight of a large fishing boat that turned out to be a wreck. The boat looks like it was calmly driven ashore and could back out and return to work at any moment. But it has been here long enough for ospreys to build nests in the crows nest. (Nobody told them that spot was reserved for a different species of bird). At low tide water is squirting out of small holes rusted in the hull, which means somehow the water gets in at high tide.
We considered passing up our planned campsite at an arroyo called La Ballenita. But according to the topographic maps there is no-place good to land until the north end of the island. Since that would make this a 30 mile day we stopped and looked for places to camp. Ballenita is not a great spot but OK, so even though it was not lunch time yet we decided to stay. I went for a hike up into the lava jumbles behind the beach and Patrick went fishing. Walking down the beach later I found another one of those nice wooden stools. I left the last one behind, perhaps I can find another one on every beach!
As we were paddling to this place the wind came up strong from the west again. By evening it died down, but after dark a strong wind came from the south, another unexpected direction. The south wind got stronger and stronger through the night.
