Punta Santa Carlos to Punta La Lobera, August 19th 2011

A big set did start to come in after I launched, but it only managed to get my face wet as I plowed over them to get out to sea. The morning was foggy and dreary again, the coastline monotonous. I paddled close to shore for no good reason: There were no caves or arches to look at. Just sandstone cliffs coming down to broken rock at the water line. A monster set surprised me! I managed to crawl over the first two waves and turn to face the third and largest wave. With no time to build up speed it flipped me over backwards. I rolled up in time to get side surfed by number 4 almost up to the rocky shore. Then I plowed over the last few smaller waves and out to sea. My visor was pulled off but the lanyard saved it. Ditto for my sunglasses and chart case. I was congratulating myself for keeping everything on lanyards, when I noticed that my compass was missing! It was epoxied to a lanyard but the joint failed. Oh well, I wasn't planning any more long crossings in the fog, and the GPS can fake a compass if I keep batteries in it. I stayed safely far from shore the rest of the day.

The sun came out around one point and I took many pictures of the sandstone cliffs carved into intricate frescos. Was the fog-shrouded dreary coastline I slogged past all the morning just as interesting as this?

My campsite for the night was the only beach I could find in a 40 mile stretch. Exposed to the monster swell but the only choice I could find on Google Maps. As I approached I saw a fish-camp and relaxed. If a Panga can land here, then so can I, and so I did. Above the beach was a stony berm with rocks a little bit too big for my sleeping pad to filter out. I set my tent up in a patch of dirt behind the berm. My tent opened onto the stones so I could enter and leave without tracking in dirt. Two dogs came by to bark at me for invading their territory. They came back a few times and looked likely to jump on me, so I kept a section of my wooden spare paddle handy. These two dogs even game back after dark and barked at me when I was inside my tent.