Castaway Island

Table of Contents

Acknowledgement

Preface

Prologue

Chapter 1 - Let's Get Started

Chapter 2 - Down the Baja

Chapter 3 - Onward to Cabo San Lucas

Chapter 4 - First Day: Cabo San Lucas

Chapter 5 - Fishing Cabo

Chapter 6 - More Fish?

Chapter 7 - An Interrupted Journey

Chapter 8 - Exploring New Worlds

Chapter 9 - Island Life

Chapter 10 - Revelation

Chapter 11 - Serious Exploration

Chapter 12 - Who is this Keet person anyway?

Chapter 13 - More Time passes

Chapter 14 - The Next Explorations

Chapter 15 - Makenna and the Maya

Chapter 16 - The Heart of the Maya

Chapter 17 - Keet's History Lesson

Chapter 18 - Leaving the Island

Chapter 19 - The Passage Back

Chapter 20 - A Mystery Opens

Chapter 21 - A Short Return

Chapter 22 - Misgivings

Chapter 23 - Marking Time

Chapter 24 - Another New Beginning

Chapter 25 - Exploring The Dark Side

Chapter 26 - Return to River City

Chapter 27 - A return to Castaway Island

Chapter 28 - You Have Got To Be Kidding

Chapter 29 - Surprise! Ft. Knox?

Chapter 30 - A Short Return to San Diego

Chapter 31 - Back to the Shadows Again

Chapter 32 - The Final Rest Stop

Epilogue

Glossary

Bibliography and Notes:

About the Author

Books By Paco Jones

Preface

I am content in my later years. I have kept my good humor and take neither myself nor the next person seriously.

- Albert Einstein

This book presents an alternate view of history and a yet unproven vision of physics. There is strong evidence the alternative view and the unproven vision hold ample validity if viewed with an objective, open mind. That is a major stumbling block for both science and theology, neither being able to demonstrate objectivity and being open to alternative viewpoints.

Though I've included a significant amount of actual written history, it does not pretend to be non-fiction. That being said, this author firmly believes that the more closely we look at what was left behind by our ancient ancestors, the more we see that much of written history is quite obviously, fiction.

I believe Albert Einstein said, ...Knowledge will get you from point A to point B, but imagination will get you everywhere... ... or something similar.

The power of imagination drives all of the multiverse, so without imagination, everything stagnates and the meaning of progress isn't found in any dictionary. I think that stagnation would lead to an extremely boring existence, yet many in academia choose to stagnate because what appears to be real, ruffles the feathers of their very existence. Jayna Lockwood and Makenna Peterson were going to rock that existence to the core.

Bob, Makenna, and Jayna, thought it was a simple trip, but their extraordinary experience really begins when their journey towards Mazatlan is interrupted. It's a good thing they had some serious fun and fishing in Cabo San Lucas before embarking on further travels.

Bob and Makenna are freaked by what they experience, but the ever-logical Jayna seems to have some basic idea of the processes involved. Little did she know, the learning experience was only beginning and what she would learn filled volumes.

Their newfound friend, Keet, shows them the real version of earth's history and the physics affecting everything. Makenna is not overly surprised because it only confirmed long held opinions, but Jayna is overwhelmed by the confirmation of many theories, most of which turn out to be are reality.

They would spend twenty-five years, in a place where time stands still.

At the far end of their interrupted journey, they find Castaway Island, a picture perfect, pristine island paradise. They didn't know it in the beginning, but Castaway Island was in the neighborhood of a billion quadrillion light years from where they had started their trek earlier that morning.

If you are put off by alternative views of ancient history, religions, and human origins, this book may not be for you, but if you enjoy a good Sci-Fi story containing various twists that question the validity of our collective learned reality, this story is definitely for you.

I have studied much of this material for many years, both mainstream opinions, and alternative opinions. Most of the information presented here is not new. Perhaps you'll find a few new twists in the interpretation, which will motivate you to investigate further.

When I was a small child, I felt this place, this planet, is not my true home. The older I get, the more I believe it is true.

Since I was six or seven years old, I have asked the question, How do we know that our solar system isn't just an atom in a molecule of water in some giant’s glass of water?

I already knew what the solar system looked like, but it was the 50's, and I was a child, so I was laughed at. I still believe that someday, the laughter will stop.

This is just an alternate view of a possible reality instead of the run of the mill opinions that mainstream archeology purports. Realistically, the alternatives presented are just as plausible as those being presented by scholars ... maybe even more so, since there is real, touchable, and physical evidence, showing many of the alternatives could perhaps be the truth. If viewed without preconceived conclusions and an open mind, some alternatives leave no doubt.

Though they'll try to convince you otherwise, most mainstream archeologists are guessing. Many of their explanations are more farfetched than those presented by alternative researchers. It's a matter of perspective.

I don't know how to interpret everything, but I certainly don't rule anything out because of an ingrained academic prejudice. My mind is open to all possibilities.

There are theories in astrophysics that say our universe is a bubble, which resides somewhere in a black hole. If that is in fact true, there could be thousands, perhaps billions, of other universes in the black hole with us.

Where does that leave us in relationship to other black holes that may contain billions of universes of their own? Some question the existence of black holes at all, so as it should be, physics and cosmology are ever evolving. I think the contents and physics of the Multiverse will eventually boggle our minds and in many ways, already does.

I also believe that there are laws of physics that will blow up some of our fundamental theories of how everything works. Mine is only one active, open mind at work.

To think that this is all there is seems a bit uninformed in my humble opinion. In my mind, it is quite arrogant and extremely ignorant of us to believe that we, the civilizations of Earth, are the pinnacle of intelligent life in the Multiverse. I certainly hope not.

I also don't believe that accepting an alternate theory of human origins negates faith in a God. If it does, I would postulate that you really don't have an objective, honest, or full grasp of your faith.

pj

Prologue

The tragedy of life is what dies inside a man while he lives.

- Albert Einstein

It was a cold and dreary day when Bob Lockwood took his stepdaughter's hand again. Together they turned, tearfully walking away from the gravesite in which they had just placed Jennifer Lockwood, his late wife and Jayna's mother.

They approached Jennifer's younger sister who put her arms out giving them a comforting hug. Both were very inconsolably weeping, though they’d been preparing for this day for many months.

Come on guys, let's go home, whispered Makenna Peterson softly.

Bob looked to her, nodded, and without looking back, they all made their way slowly toward the limo that would take them back to the house. He had been fine until they lowered the casket into the ground, but then he'd lost it. Jayna had been weeping steadily throughout, but when Bob broke down, she joined him immediately.

It wasn't as though Makenna was tearless. After all, Jennifer was her older sister, the woman she had worshiped all of her life. She was trying to keep it together, if for no other reason, to support Jay and Bob. She'd have her breakdown later, perhaps behind closed doors, perhaps not, but now wasn't the time.

Makenna was essentially alone now. She and Jen’s parents had been killed in an airline disaster nearly ten years ago so she and Jennifer had propped up each other for all of these years. They didn't need anything because their parents had left them very well off, but now Makenna was alone.

She always had Jayna and Bob, but it wasn't the same. Jay was her only niece, but they'd always been more like sisters.

The two young girls were very close in age and without any hesitation, Jennifer and Bob had taken in her baby sister when their parents died. Mak and Jay had been growing up together since before they were eight years old.

Riding home in the limo, they had apparently concluded, it's over, though over the coming months, there would be much more. For now, the crying had stopped, each trapped in his or her personal thoughts for a time.

-----

Jayna was Bob's stepdaughter, but she had always referred to him as daddy. He is the only father she had ever known because Jennifer had married Bob when Jay was less than a year old.

It was one of those childhood sweetheart relationships that had a short interruption when Jen, while away at school, met a guy she kind of liked and had accidently become pregnant with Jayna. It was a very short time before he was deployed to Iraq.

Though Jennifer and Bob were very much in love with each other, they had decided it would be a good thing for each to test the waters. She hadn't intended to get pregnant. She knew all along Bob was the only man for her and though fully accepting responsibility for her actions, Jennifer was devastated. This baby was supposed to be Bobs.

Long story short, Jennifer returned home shortly after Jay's biological father had been killed by an IED only a few weeks in country. She had no place to turn, so she turned to her lifelong love, Bob Lockwood.

He hadn't hesitated for an instant. He immediately provided a loving home for Jen and her soon to be born daughter. She was still Bob’s only love in life, the same as she had been since they were in the same kindergarten class together.

When Jayna was born, things were a little hectic in everyone's life, but long before Jay's first birthday, Bob and Jen were married. It was the way things were supposed to be in the first place.

He immediately accepted Jayna as his own and though she knew he wasn't her biological father, he was always daddy.

However, all of that was over nineteen years ago.

-----

What are we going to do now, daddy? asked Jayna quietly.

We're going to go on with our lives as best we can, honey, Bob replied softly. It's what your mom would have wanted us to do and she told you many times.

I know, but now it's real. Then it was only words and even though I heard them, I didn't want to accept them.

None of us did, Jay, said Jen's baby sister softly.

Then thoughtfully, Makenna said, Jen was the only one of us who accepted what was going to happen. You could tell because of the things she did in the last year. She knew it was going to be her last and lived every minute to the fullest.

Then with a chuckle, She went kind of crazy for a while, doing shit I'd never have believed she'd do in a million years. She told me a few times the worst that would happen is that she'd die early. She wasn't suicidal, but she didn't care if something she was doing happened to kill her. She knew what was coming and figured if it were an accident...

Bob looked at his sister-in-law with a weak smile and nodded his head. He had noticed all of that too. He and Jen had many conversations about death and dying. She accepted it, but he couldn't.

When she made her first jump, I couldn't believe it, Makenna lamented, but then, like it wasn't nutso enough, she did it again ...

I'd never seen her happier, whispered Bob. "She was so high on adrenalin I couldn't get around it. Her eyes just sparkled and she had her laugh back.

You're right though, he said looking right at Makenna, she did the last year right. I couldn't believe some of the crazy shit she wanted to do, but I certainly wasn't going to stop her.

Jayna had taken her father's arm and leaned her head against his shoulder.

She said softly, We need to do something just as crazy to celebrate her life, daddy.

Bob looked at her with a grin and nodded, Yeah, I think you're right. We'll have to put our heads together and come up with something ... you too, Mak.

Makenna smiled and nodded, Can you take a year off, Bobby?

Bob looked at her with shock, A year? What are you thinking?

I think we should take the boat out and just go.

Go where? Bob asked his eyes wide.

Wherever, Makenna replied without hesitation. Just go. Stop where we want, when we want, to do whatever the hell we want to do and not come back until we're done.

Ya know, said Jayna quietly, "that is totally crazy for us and I think we should do it ... for momma."

Okay, we'll talk about it. I don't have to work any more than you do, Makenna, so it's not a big thing to take off indefinitely, responded Bob, as a matter of fact.

By the time they had kicked it around a little more, the limo had reached the house. They made their way up the walkway to the front door where all three hesitated, looking at each other.

She wasn't going to be here this time.

Bob let out a heavy sigh, opened the door, and led the two young women into the house, each trapped in their reflection while they went through the motions of changing out of their funeral clothes.

-----

Over the next few months, they made plans, set courses, and decided where they were going to go, at least for the first month or two. There was no estimated time of return or any solid future commitments.

Their first port of call would be Ensenada, in northern Baja California. From there it was down the coast to Los Cabos, then up the gulf to La Paz, Loreto, and Mulegé. From there it was going to be down the west coast of mainland Mexico. Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, Acapulco, Zihuatanejo, all the way down to Puntarenas in Costa Rica. That should take care of the first few months.

When he'd had it built, Bob had a couple of massive fuel tanks added to the boat. The diesels aboard were extremely efficient, so he calculated they could go full throttle for nearly four weeks with all the fuel they could put on board. Full throttle all of the time would be an extremely rare occurrence. They were in no hurry to get anywhere, but if they did need to beat the clock, some capacity was available.

The most limiting factor was going to be provisions. They could store a lot of food and water for three people, the boat was designed for a dozen, but it was still a finite supply, especially produce. He knew water would probably never be an issue.

One thing Bob put in a lot of, was Meals Ready to Eat. The three of them could eat for well over a year on just the MREs stored below.

No, no, they were not the military style. There were a few hundred five gallon buckets filled with all kinds of dehydrated meals and other emergency preparedness type of provisions. A little water and some heat would provide them with nourishment in a pinch. Bob hoped they would never have to break out any of those provisions.

The freezers and refrigerators were only a quarter-full, leaving plenty of room for the fresh fish Bob expected they'd catch along the way, the shrimp they'd get off of the shrimp boats, and the chicken, beef, and pork, they'd find in the Mexican mercados. He planned on a whole lot of the Sonoran beef, which in his mind was far better than the Japanese Kobe beef. He would put in a few hundred pounds of whole beef tenderloin tips from which he'd not only cut filets, but make his carne asada.

He knew the poultry had real chicken flavor because of the way they were raised. Barnyard chickens were the best, but unless you raised it yourself or knew someone who raised chickens in the free range, you couldn't get good barnyard chicken north of the border. All you could get was the cardboard flavored store bought stuff or worse. Bob was spoiled and he was already drooling.

The pantry shelves were well stocked, but there was still space for the specialty items they would find along the way. Though Bob and Jayna liked various unusual foods, Jay insisted she know what it was she was eating.

Bob didn't care, he just ate it.

The liquor cabinet had only what they'd need for a week or so. He'd be looking for the special Havana Club rum, premier Mexican tequila, and whiskies at a lower cost than he could get them in San Diego. He would get Pacifico, Modelo, and other Mexican beers when they got to Ensenada.

Mechanics, shipfitters, and electricians, had gone over the boat with a fine-toothed comb making sure everything was in order for a very long voyage. Radios, radars, and GPS units, were double redundant, two sets in each of the wheelhouses. He had all of the hydraulics checked and made new condition. The engines, water makers, and generators, were triple checked to ensure flawless function.

Bob had scheduled a maintenance staff to be on call at every major stop. Though he’d designed the boat for it, three people taking care of a boat of that size was going to be a handful under the best of circumstances. Having a small crew come aboard every few weeks to clean, paint, or do any other necessary maintenance, should work well. They were used to taking care of it themselves, but any help would be very welcome.

All was in readiness for castoff whenever they wanted to get underway. Most of the loose ends had been neatly tied for an extended journey.

Bob and Jayna had leased out the house and moved aboard Lovely Jenny, while Makenna was making life ready for a long absence. None of the three made any commitments for a return.

All they would say was they'd be gone for at least a year. They would communicate via satellite and when possible, radio. They had set up a shore party for keeping track of where they were, but said they would probably rarely use it.

They had set schedules on set frequencies, but told their contacts if they didn’t hear anything within five minutes of the schedule time, they would not be there. Emergencies would be handled locally wherever they were. All three crewmembers had Ham radio licenses, so Ham would be the preferred radio communications method. It wasn't long before those schedules had been deemed unnecessary and cancelled. People would be monitoring the Seafarer nets anyway, so if anything was needed it could be dealt with there.

Seven and a half months after Jennifer left them, all was ready for their great adventure. Together, they all made one final visit to Jennifer's gravesite. They were letting her know it would be some time before they returned and why. Though Bob was still having a problem emotionally adjusting to Jennifer being gone, all felt that somewhere, Jen was smiling, telling them to enjoy their voyage.

And so it was, Lovely Jenny motored past the final breakwater of San Diego harbor and made her way out into the Pacific Ocean for what was to become an incredible journey.

Chapter 1 - Let's Get Started

Only two things are infinite, the universe, and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.

- Albert Einstein

Once outside San Diego’s harbor, Bob turned Lovely Jenny to the south, their first destination being Ensenada, Mexico. It would be a short three or four-hour journey, done mainly to shake down all the changes and additions he'd made to the boat. They would spend at least three days in Ensenada before striking out for Cabo San Lucas, at the southern tip of Baja California.

He put the boat through its paces, checking out all systems, and nothing even burped, much less gave any indication of problems. Having set the necessary coordinates into the GPS twenty minutes out from San Diego, even the autopilot took them exactly where he expected it to go. Bob took over manual control just outside the harbor breakwater when they arrived at Ensenada.

Bob had reserved an encircled mooring for Lovely Jenny to accommodate their planned, three-day stay. It would be like a very large slip, but he wanted a pier on both sides of the boat, so if anything needed to be done, it could be taken care of easily from the dock. Moving a 100' boat around is not a trivial task, especially in the confines of most ports.

While tied up, they tested the electrical system because of the cost of electricity. Because of the overall use requirements, $.25 per kWh was a bit much, but the solar photovoltaic system Bob had installed, more than kept up with the demand thus far. After dark would be an issue, so they had to connect to the shore power, which would keep the batteries charged.

The surplus generation was helping to keep all the batteries topped off. With overall demand reduced to a minimum while tied to the dock, the batteries would power the boat for a few hours before the generators needed to keep the batteries topped off. Due to the weight penalty and complexity, there were a minimum of batteries aboard. It's what the gensets are for, but it was a rare occasion when a boat could use its generators while moored in port because of tight exhaust restrictions.

Other than the required food necessities, Lovely Jenny was mostly self-sufficient. Bob planned it that way so he would need a minimum of shore-based support other than food and diesel fuel. Even though there was enough fuel on board to last for an extended time, as a rule of thumb, he topped off the tanks at every stop so he always had maximum fuel in the tanks. Even though diesel fuel didn't get stale during long stays in port, if allowed, he would burn the fuel tanks to near empty and load up some fresh fuel.

Once moored in Ensenada, it was late afternoon before Bob got all the paperwork finished and the slip fee paid. He always tried to pay ahead so when they decided to go, they didn't have any loose ends to tie up.

While he was taking care of the paperwork, Jayna called for the fuel boat to bring them some diesel fuel, topping off the tanks. The fuel flow meter had calculated a twenty gallon per hour burn rate, so they had used a bit less than seventy-five gallons to get there, so when she called, she asked for about three hundred and thirty liters.

By the time the fuel boat arrived and pumped three hundred and twenty-eight liters, Makenna had returned from the Casa de Cambio (house of change), so they had pesos to pay the bill. When Jay paid the bill, she tipped the tanker driver fifty pesos sending him away with a smile.

Makenna changed about seventy five hundred dollars worth of traveler's checks into the local money. While in Mexico, it's always much easier to deal in pesos than it is dollars because you don't have to constantly do the calculation and it doesn't vary with whatever exchange rate the vendor decides he or she wants that day. Yes, vendors can ask for any exchange rate they want, but ten pesos are ten pesos, not three dollars is twelve pesos in one place, fourteen pesos in another, and eleven in the third store.

What's on the list for the rest of the day? Jayna asked. Fueling is done.

Not sure, Makenna responded, taking a sip of her tea.

Bob's down below checking systems, pumping the bilges if needed, and generally making sure everything is okay. I'm sure he'll do the same thing in Guerrero Negro and Los Cabos.

Knowing daddy, he'll do it every time we stop, chuckled Jayna, but it's okay, he's just making sure we're all safe.

Makenna nodded her head taking another sip of tea.

How's your Spanish these days? she asked with a smile.

Rusty. I haven't had any practice in a long time. I think at least the first two months of this trip we’re going to be stopping in Spanish speaking cities, so I'm sure I'll get plenty of practice, she noted, grinning.

Bob made his way down the ladder into the galley to join the two young women.

Taking out the pitcher of tea and pouring himself a glass, he told them, Everything looks good. The packing on the impeller shafts isn't leaking at all and the engines look good. It's too bad we paid for three days here because we could take off tomorrow if we wanted. We're in no hurry, so it's no big thing.

I want to put in some fresh fruit, Bob, Makenna noted. There's some space for some of the fresh stuff we didn't get in San Diego.

Ooooo, mango's and papaya's ... yummy! gushed Jayna.

I'm going to get some of whatever they have in the mercado, Makenna said with a smile, "and if I can find a farmers market, so much the better.

I'm sure there's a 'Super Mercado' somewhere close by, noted Mak.

"I'll just grab a taxi in the morning and when I’m finished at the western mercado, I can look in the barrios. There's always a good Mexican mercado and maybe I can find the local vegetable stand in my wanderings.

I can ask the taxi driver if I brush up a little on my Español this evening, she chuckled.

See what kind of fresh seafood you can find, sweetie, Bob added.

If you can find some fresh, extra large tiger shrimp, pick up a few kilos and we'll fire up the barbeque, he said with a smile, but don't be shocked if there are only fifteen or eighteen shrimp in a kilo. Usually, the good tigers are big.

Toss a few shrimps on the barbie, Jayna said in a passable Aussie accent.

There were chuckles all around the table while they continued to go over what was in the plan. Ensenada would be an interesting place to explore.

Bob said he wanted to make sure Mulegé was on the long-range itinerary. It was one of those beautiful places he'd found years ago on their drives down.

Then changing the subject, he said, We'll be getting all kinds of fresh fish once we get to Cabo. I'm not sure what we'll get here on the Pacific side, but once we get into the warm waters of the gulf, there's Tuna, Dorado, Cabrilla, and just about any good eatin' fish you can think of.

Are we going to fish from the boat? asked Jayna.

I suppose we could, Bob responded. It would make more sense to use the Zodiac or try to rent a fishing boat ashore. Tourist tours are too expensive, so it'll probably be the Zodiac.

It's okay, noted Makenna, that should work. It's not like our main goal is going to be fishing, but it'll be nice to have some fresh fish when we can.

Shit, we can throw some lines out the back of this boat when we're in transit. I can have some long outriggers installed in Cabo which should make that a whole lot easier.

Don't we have to slow down to troll? asked Mak.

Are you in a hurry to get anywhere? Bob asked with a huge grin.

They all had a good laugh because there was no hurry to get anywhere. There were little inlets all up and down the Baja, so if they hadn't hit a port by sundown, they could just anchor in one of the little bahías.

They were to find it wasn't quite that easy.

-----

Tonight, it was Ensenada and they were all bushed. It had been an early morning even though they didn't push off until around 10am. It was the beginning of spring, so the sun was still going down in the early evening. They lit up the boat and after a dinner of BBQ steaks, baked potato, and broccoli coated with chilies con queso, they went below decks and went to bed.

The Master's cabin, sometimes referred to as the Owner's Suite, was pretty plush on Lovely Jenny. The other cabins were just as nice, but a little smaller. Bob didn't go in for opulence, so nothing was blinged out, but it was all very nice and quite comfortable.

All three of them have always been very close, so when both of the ladies followed Bob into the Master, it wasn't anything any of them would raise an eyebrow over.

Bob had slept with both women over the months since Jen died, but this was the first time they would all be together for bedtime. He wasn't even sure if either knew he was sleeping with the other. It wasn't something that was hidden or any of them flaunted, but he was pretty sure Jay knew about Makenna.

It would be interesting to see what happened, though Bob didn't expect much at this point. Later, he figured, they'd all get into a routine, but tonight would be a crapshoot in his mind.

They each took their turn in the shower. By the time Makenna finished and came into the bedroom both Jayna and Bob were already under the covers. Mak slid in on Bob's left and leaned over to give him a quick kiss. It turned out to be quite a kiss and Jayna was caught looking, head in hand, propped up on an elbow. She was grinning from ear to ear, but had to give Makenna a little ration.

Hey, she said with mock surprise, What the hell was that?

If I'm not mistaken, it was a kiss, Makenna replied, looking at Jay with those sparkling hazel eyes.

I didn't get one like that, Jay whined, throwing out her lower lip in a pout.

Be my guest, Makenna said enthusiastically.

I think we may be doing a lot of sharing over the next year or so.

Jay's beautiful blue eyes met Bob's with a grin. It was uncanny how much she looked like her mother. Jayna was nearly an absolute clone of Jennifer at the same age.

Jayna moved her face over his, moving in to give him the same kind of kiss that Makenna had just given him.

When Jay was finished, she looked up at Makenna with a knowing smile.

He's such a good kisser, she observed quietly.

Makenna smiled and nodded her agreement.

Jay, I know you suspect or know I've been sleeping with your dad, she said quietly.

Smiling, Jayna simply nodded, I know, Mak. I'm not sure if you know ... me too.

Makenna looked down at Bob with a surprised look, You've been screwing your own daughter?

Stepdaughter, Jayna corrected immediately with a huge grin.

He nodded with a smile, and said, My sister-in-law too. I guess she's still my sister-in-law.

But that's different, Makenna said with little conviction.

How is it different? Bob asked her.

Well ... I don't know, but ...

Bob pressed the light button and the room darkened. Both of the women put an arm around him and pressed themselves into his sides. Soon, there was nothing to be heard in the cabin except the lapping of small waves against the hull outside the open portholes and the slow, rhythmic breathing of sleep.

-----

Gentle movement woke all three the next morning. They were early risers these days, so when their quick morning showers were finished, they all made it topside. On their way, they stopped off in the galley to get some pre-made coffee.

While on the boat, Bob would occasionally set up the coffee machine the night before. It would brew a fresh pot half an hour before his usual rise time. As usual, it was ready for consumption.

Sitting on the upper deck, they watched the stragglers in the fishing fleet make their way towards the breakwater and out into the open ocean. The wakes created by the fishing fleet had caused the gentle rocking motion, which had awakened the trio.

Bob noted where they were coming from and made a mental note to be on the docks when they returned. It was the best way to get fresh seafood he could clean, filet, and put in the freezer.

It was a good thing all three of the travelers loved fish and other seafood because it would be a staple of their existence on the boat. They would have other meat, but if all else failed, fish was a bounty they could harvest for themselves.

When the last of the fishing boats had made its way out to the Pacific and the sun began peeking over the eastern foothills, Bob went below decks to see what he could muster up in the way of breakfast.

He was thinking about putting some chickens on the fantail. They could have both fresh eggs, and fresh chicken for the barbeque, but he wasn't too sure how that would work out. They had dehydrated eggs, which he hated, and there was some fresh store bought chicken in the freezer. He knew he could get a nearly unlimited supply of barnyard chickens in Cabo, so he hadn't put in much of the cardboard bird so readily available in US markets.

He pulled out all of the things he was going to rustle up and began cooking. The smell of bacon brought the women down the ladder and into the galley. They circled the table, stopped off at the coffee pot to pour another cup, and sat facing the stove where Bob was working.

Are you making a list for the mercado, sweetie? Bob asked.

Reaching to one of the small cubbyholes, which has who knows what stashed in it, Makenna pulled out a pack of large sticky notes and a pen.

She replied, I am now, whatcha need?

How about three dozen eggs, he said.

Then thinking aloud, he added, I think we have storage containers for that many. That may be an item for the barrios. You might find someone who has a bunch of chickens that will sell you a bunch of their fresh eggs.

Jayna piped in, There should be storage for at least five dozen eggs, daddy. I bought that many containers and stashed them above the refrigerator so they should still be there.

Bob twisted the motion lock on the cabinet door and sure enough, there were three additional plastic egg containers in the overhead, so he went ahead and pulled them out to use later.

Jayna smiled at him, I got all kinds of little gadgets and goodies like that. If it was a gizmo that I thought we could use, I bought one. They're stashed wherever I could find space.

Hey, I was thinking about putting a small chicken coop on the fantail for fresh eggs and meat, Bob threw out, turning to look at the two girls.

Muy mal pensamiento, Makenna said immediately. (Very bad idea)

To Bob's questioning look, she continued, No place for them to scratch. We'd have to carry at least a few hundred pounds of feed, taking space we need for our stuff and besides, they stink. Their crap would be everywhere you let them run and you couldn't let them run on the deck because they're relatively stupid birds. They'd probably just peck and scratch their way overboard and drown.

Jayna chuckled, Chumming for sharks?

Makenna giggled and finished, And there is no way to keep them warm and dry. Chickens don't really take very good care of themselves that way, sweetie. They just huddle inside some shelter.

Okay, I surrender, Bob chuckled, we'll just have to make sure we have a way to get fresh eggs. I'm not real fond of the reconstituted dry stuff.

It's edible. Jayna said with a sigh.

Barely.

Makenna got up and looked in the refrigerator to finish making her shopping list. They didn't put in a lot of fresh veggies or fruit knowing they'd be able to buy it along the way. It would also be much tastier than what you could get in the American markets, which is usually picked very green and lacked the natural sweetness they get ripening on the tree. Mak or Jay would always look for a local farmers market to get tree ripe fruit or fresh picked veggies.

By the time Bob had their breakfast ready, Makenna was finished making the shopping list. She asked Jayna if she wanted to come to the store with her.

Sure, said Jayna. There's not a lot I need to do yet, is there daddy? she asked.

No, sweetie, for the most part everything is taken care of. I'll connect the garden hose to the shore’s fresh water supply and wash the salt down. It should only take an hour or two, so you guys should be back from the mercado by then.

Both nodded while Bob continued, Remember this isn't the USA. Don't expect to see things in the market like you see in the States. They don't trim up the lettuce or celery like they do at Safeway. Their displays aren't like US markets either, so don't freak out, just find what you need, and buy the best you can find. You can wash and trim things when you get it to the galley. The Mexicans use the trimmings and the like to make stock for cooking.

Both ladies looked at him questioningly. They'd never been in a Mexican mercado, so they were in for a surprise. It's okay, Americans are always shocked when they see how things are displayed in a Mexican market, but they get over it quickly when the final bill is rung up. Then they go home to whine and bitch about it to their friends and neighbors.

Bob flashed on something and added, If you can find any Sonoran beef steaks, get a bunch. If you can find filets, or better yet, whole tenderloins that we can cut into filets, get as much as you can carry. It's even better than Japanese Kobe beef in my opinion and again, don't expect the kind of displays you see at home.

Oh, and pick up some jalapeños, fresh tomatoes, tomatillos, a few onions, garlic, celery, and some cilantro. I'm sure you have most of that on the list already.

Makenna nodded as she wrote down Bob's list.

Maybe I should come with you to help carry everything, he said.

I'll hire a kid or two outside the store, Makenna told him with a smile.

They'll be happy for the money and it won't be really hard work. They can push the baskets back to the market when they're finished.

Bob nodded with a smile, "That's what I like, a resourceful crew. You might see if there are some guys hanging around the marina and enlist them.

Get the stuff in the taxi and get the kids down here to carry it up. It might be a little ways to the mercado from here, so let them know you'll need three or four of them when you get back in a couple hours, he chuckled.

If there's more groceries than they can deal with in single trip, take it out of the cab and one of you can stay with the stuff, while the other shows them to the boat.

As an afterthought, Bob added, Oh and don't forget some maize masa flour. If you can find them fresh made, get a whole shitload of corn tortillas.

What do you want all that beef and stuff for? asked Jayna.

I'll make us up a bunch of Machaca for tacos. I have all the other ingredients, but we need the fresh stuff.

Machaca? queried Mak.

Yeah, it's shredded beef with all kinds of other stuff. Makes great tacos, quick and easy if it's already made up. Just reheat and put in some warm tortillas.

Then with a grin, he laughed, Makes my mouth water just thinking about it.

The girls chuckled and prepared to take off for the grocery store. Makenna picked up her backpack, while Jay strapped on a fanny pack, and down the gangway they went.

Meanwhile Bob went down to the dock and hooked up the boat's hose to the shore fresh water supply. He'd tied the other end down and once connected he walked back up, started at the bow and hosed down everything on the boat. The only reason for fresh water hose down is to get salt off the surfaces.

It won't eat through anything, but salt and water on metal, wood and even fiberglass, isn't all that good if you can get it off. No way was he going to use the onboard water for a fresh water hose down if he didn't need to. The water maker would keep the tanks topped off, so it wasn't a big deal, but if fresh shore water was available, why not use it?

It took a good hour and a half to hose everything down. He made sure to get all the nooks and crannies that could cause problems eventually.

He was just about finished with winding up the hoses when he heard the girl's voices coming up the dock towards the boat. There were four young Mexican boys with them and three overloaded wheelbarrows full of bags.

Bob looked over the rail and began to laugh.

Did you leave anything in the store for the locals? he chuckled.

Of course we did, Robert. We wouldn't want to clean it out completely. There are others in town who may need the chicken breast and head of lettuce, Makenna cackled with a big grin.

The four young men grabbed the grocery bags from the wheelbarrows and hauled them up the gangplank. It took each of them three trips to empty their haulers and put it on the table in the galley.

Jayna reached into her fanny pack, pulled out a wad of pesos, counted off a bunch, and gave each of the boys about 50 pesos each. It may have come to twenty dollars total but it was money well spent.

As the guys exited the boat and got back to the dock, the girls came topside and waved, shouting a heartfelt, Gracias, mis amigos.

They all went below to the galley and while Bob sat with an iced tea, he watched with amusement, both of the girls figuring out where to put all the things they had brought aboard. He told them to hold out a whole tenderloin and freeze the rest. Along with some steaks, he'd make the machaca tomorrow and they could freeze the left over into meal-sized portions.

Bob laughed when he saw the bag of masa flour. They'd brought ten pounds of the stuff. That would make a lot of corn tortillas and tamales. He mentally kicked himself, thinking he should have told them to get some masa harina as well.

We'll get it in Cabo, he thought.

Not only did they bring ten pounds of flour, the mercado had a tortilla factory in the store making tons of tortillas. They'd bought one hundred and fifty fresh tortillas, but he knew they'd eat all of them before any had time to spoil.

Bob had lived in Mexico with Jennifer when Jayna was very young and he was spoiled. He’d developed an addiction to fresh corn tortillas at the time and when they returned to the States, he'd brought a tortilla press and everything else he'd need for making them. He figured that he'd need to teach both of the ladies how to make good tortillas, but if they could get them in a tortilla factory, it would save a lot of time and labor.

Jayna found a fish market and by the time the fleet came back in, she was waiting. She bought ten kilos of king tiger shrimp already cleaned and butterflied, about ten kilos of rock bass, and another ten kilos of deep sea bass. They'd be eatin' a lot of fish and shrimp for the next couple of weeks. When they got to Cabo, they could add Dorado and Tuna to the mix. The shrimp boats also anchored in the Cabo bahía, so they could go out on a Jet Ski and get fresh shrimp right from the source.

All of the beef and chicken went into the freezer, except a meal's worth of filets and the two and a half kilos destined to be machaca.

It took them a little under an hour to vacuum wrap and put it all away. Some went to the refrigerator, some to the flash freezer.

When he asked how much it had all cost, Makenna chuckled and said, About three hundred dollars.

Wow, sweetie. Ya done good. he said. Just the meat and fish would have cost more than that in San Diego.

Yeah, I know, she said smiling, I'm glad you decided to pack minimum to start with. I think the meat actually looks better than the stuff we get in the States. Ten kilos of killer fresh shrimp was only sixty dollars ... Shit, it would have cost about two hundred dollars in San Diego.

Probably more, said Jayna, Last time I looked, it was almost twenty dollars a pound for shrimp that size and it wouldn't be as fresh.

Jayna looked over at Bob and said, We found a place to get some dinner. We can go any time because it's already open.

All the food you guys bought and you want to eat out? Bob said with a laugh.

We're going to get pretty tired of our own cooking over the next year or so. I think we should eat ashore as much as we can.

I'm not complaining, but I was already looking forward to throwing some shrimp on the 'Q'.

They looked at each other and Makenna lamented, Hadn't thought about that. It'll never be fresher than tonight, although the flash freezer will keep them pretty damned fresh.

I really wanted one of those enchiladas, Jayna said, but you're right, we should grill some of those shrimp tonight.

Bob chuckled and asked, How far is the place you were thinking of?

It's right at the end of the dock just before you get into town, said Jayna.

Okay, why don't you go down and order three enchiladas to go. I'm sure they have take-out this close to the marina.

Really? she asked hastily. You're serious?

Of course I'm serious, Bob told her.

If you get three we can split one and with the shrimp it should be plenty. Put the other two in the reefer for later. All we’ll need to do is heat one for another meal. We’re taking off the day after tomorrow, so a good carne asada enchilada would go good with some machaca tacos tomorrow night.

Okay, I'll be back in a little while, Jayna said, bouncing up the ladder.

Don't get lost, Makenna hollered after her.

Bob chuckled at the comment, saying, I guess we should get up on deck and start the barbeque. Jayna probably won't be that long if I know the restaurants.

To Makenna's questioning look, he chuckled, noting, Most of the restaurants won't take long to put up three enchilada trays. They're pretty much mostly ready so they just have to assemble them, pour on the cheese and sauce then throw them in the oven for a few minutes to melt everything together. I'm guessing they're pretty good sized as well.

Yeah, I couldn't believe the size on the plate we saw.

They'll give us a few good meals. I mean I'm sure each of us could eat most of one by ourselves, but if we use them as a side dish to fish or machaca or steak or whatever it'll work really well.

Should we get more to put away? Makenna asked.

Maybe, he shrugged.

We might want to get a couple extras tomorrow and wrap them for the flash freezer. Remember, we're going to be all over Mexico for at least the next six months, so every place we stop will have great food. Cabo is the one I'm the most familiar with, but I'm sure we'll be able to find excellent food everywhere we stop.

Bob lit the gas BBQ to start it getting hot. He didn't really like the gas Q's, but bags of charcoal take up a lot of space and he already had over 800 liters of propane on board, so it only made sense. Because he had used the lava rocks at the house, there was flavor already cooked in. When cooking the fish, he'd have to make sure it all burns off before he puts any beef or pork on the grill. It's not all that big a deal because it eventually burns off anyway; he just has to make sure he gives it the time to burn off.

How many shrimp do you want me to set out, Bobby? Makenna asked.

Probably three or four each with the enchilada, sweetie. Melt a couple sticks of butter while you're down there. I'll dip them in butter before I put them on the grill.

Oooo. I can hear my creaking arteries clogging already, she said with a chuckle.

Oh give me a break. You're too young to be able to hear them yet. Wait a couple years ... when you're twenty-two.

Makenna laughed as she made her way back down to the galley. She unwrapped one of the packages of tiger shrimp Jayna had picked up at the fish market and pulled out a dozen. She washed them and put them on ice, then put a couple sticks of butter in a pan to melt. While she was there, she got out some plates and flatware to take topside. She grabbed the pan of iced shrimp, the eating utensils, and putting them on a tray, headed up the ladder to put them on the table near the grill.

She finished all of those tasks then made her way back below decks to check on the butter. The pan was hot and the butter mostly melted, so she shut off the fire, took the pan topside, and placed it on one corner of the grill so it could finish melting. It would be right where Bob needed it to grill the shrimp.

Bob poured a couple glasses of tea while he was waiting for the grill to get hot and was sitting at the table when Makenna finished with her chores. She sat down and with a big smile, gave him a quick peck on the lips.

Now, we just need to wait for Jay and the enchiladas, she chuckled.

She's comin', observed Bob, looking down the dock to see Jayna walking toward the boat.

They both heard her feet on the gangway when she got there.

I asked if they could put them in cardboard pans for us, so we can just wrap them up, flash freeze, and then put 'em right in the microwave or the oven, said Jayna, when she popped around the wing wall to join them.

She set one of the enchiladas on the table and headed down to the galley to wrap up the other two. When she had them wrapped, she set one in the refrigerator, and the other in the flash freezer. When finished, she made her way back topside to rejoin Bob and Mak for dinner.

By the time she'd made it, there was a big glass of tea waiting on the table.

It's only going to take a few minutes to cook the shrimp, so I think I'll cook six at a time. I don't want them to overcook because they'll get tough, Bob told them.

Do you want to nuke the enchilada or is it still hot enough?

It should still be hot enough. She baked it for about ten minutes before giving them to me, said Jayna.

Let me get a spatula and serving spoon while you start cooking.

Bob raised the cover on the grill and then took a shrimp out of the ice and dried it on a paper towel. When it was not dripping, he dipped it in the pan of butter and laid it on the grill to cook. He figured to cook six and see how many more he needed when they got that far. He didn't want to cook all of them if the girls were only able to eat two or three. He knew his limit would be four, and probably only three with the enchilada.

While she was down getting the serving implements, Jay grabbed a quick salad and a couple bottles of dressing so it would be a complete meal.

Makenna already set out the plates and forks, so when Jayna returned with the salad, she portioned a little on each plate. Meanwhile, Jayna dipped a spatula into the large enchilada, cutting it into three parts. Actually, Bob got half of it, while each of the ladies took a quarter of the enchiladas. By the time all of that was finished, Bob was at the table with the first six perfectly cooked shrimp.

They cleaned their plates the first time and nobody needed any more food. Bob was glad he hadn't cooked more of the shrimp. They'd be good in the morning with eggs and hash browns. He'd make up a Mexican salsa to dip them in and maybe do huevos rancheros with the shrimp cut up on top, or make a Mexican omelet with the salsa de queso y camarón inside. (salsa with cheese and shrimp)

The sun had gone down while they were eating and it was a beautiful multi-colored sky as the sun dipped below the edge of the Pacific. It was the first of many gorgeous sunsets they would observe over the next few years.

Red sky at night, sailors delight.

One more day in Ensenada, then on to Guerrero Negro about three hundred and eighty miles down the coast.

It was a beautifully warm evening for mid April so Makenna made a pitcher of Margaritas. The three of them sat on the deck with only perimeter lights turned on. There was plenty light pollution coming from the marina, but it was still a mellow evening of watching the stars while they talked far into the night.

After a time, Jayna stood up and stretched with a yawn saying that she was tired and heading to bed.

Jayna headed down the ladder with her empty glass, setting it in the sink before moving down the passageway to her cabin. It might have been arranged this way, but Jayna was tired. She had been too keyed up last night to get good sleep, so tonight would be a welcome break.

Mak and Bob can play all they want, she thought, changing into her multi-colored flannel pajamas. She loved her old hippie, tie-dye jammies.

Bob and Makenna sat for another thirty minutes before getting up and securing the boat. Mak took the half-full pitcher and the empty glasses down to the galley, washing them and putting them on the drying rack.

While Makenna was taking care of that chore, Bob was making sure all the outside hatches were secure. He pulled up the gangway stowing it in the space it occupied when they were underway and after making his rounds of the exterior, made his way to the pilothouse. After checking all of the boats status indicators, he flipped the switches turning on the in-port lights, marking the boat, so others wouldn't mistakenly run into her.

He made his way down the ladder to the galley where Mak was just finishing her chores. She turned and smiled, her bright hazel eyes sparkling, then reached out to take Bob's hand and together they made their way down the passageway to the owner's suite.

Mak made her way into the head and began removing her clothes for a quick Navy shower. The hot water was demand so as soon as she turned it on she was able to move into the stall to get her body wet. Once she had doused her body with the water, she reached up to turn it off. The bar of soap was slipping all over her when Bob entered the space ready to join in the shower.

He had to laugh because there was plenty of water. Navy showers were not necessary, but he didn't say anything just to mess with her a little.

Now, most of the showers on a normal boat are small, sometimes even in the owner's suite. Bob had ordered a triple size, which had made the adjoining storage space a bit smaller, but less storage didn't make that much difference to him. Makenna looked up with a smile when Bob turned the water on to repeat what she had already done. Once wet, the water was turned off so he waited for the soap. Mak began to soap him down briskly leaving no parts unwashed.

The water came back on for a moment so that each could rinse. Mak had not done her hair this time because she had done it that morning. With the soap circling the drain, both exited to grab towels drying each other softly.

I'd bet that was less than 4 gallons, Makenna noted with some level of pride at the accomplishment.

Probably, but we don't have to be quite that frugal, he chuckled. We have a water maker that does over 300 gallons a day so it will keep the tanks topped off. If you notice today, there's a slight chlorine odor in the water for now. It's the chlorinator I installed to treat any external water we bring on board. It will be rare, but chlorination isn't a big thing.

Yeah, I noticed that, she acknowledged crinkling up her nose.

It'll be dissipated by tomorrow night unless we bring external water into the tank. It's only on the input side and bypasses the water maker, Bob noted.

I'll bypass the unit completely when we get to Cabo because the water there is fresh from mountain springs, but even the fresh water at other locations will go through the chlorine treatment and ultraviolet sterilizer treatment. It's not perfect, but it's better than nothing.

Why don't you use the water maker all of the time? asked Mak curious.

"Well, we actually do. When we have fresh water available I sometimes turn it off to save the filters. It's a pain in the