TWO HAPPY CAMPERS

Playa Tecolote //

Thankfully it is a quiet night.  We hadn’t thought all that hard about being on a popular beach not far from a city center during the weekend.  While Friday was loud with music playing late into the night, last night was as peaceful as we could ask for.  

It’s looking like a good day to get out on the water so Mark blows up our paddleboard while Josh inflates his two kayaks and Adam prepares one of his packrafts.  After breakfast, we each make our way out to the water.  I paddle leisurely even though the moment I get on the water I am content and inclined to simply float.  The water is crystal clear and shallow for a long ways, it’s the perfect place to relax without fear of the ocean taking me somewhere I don’t want to be.  Little islands of coral pass beneath me and with them the many fish that call the coral home.  It is a delightfully tranquil day on the water and no surprise that there are snorkelers and paddlers from every camp out exploring.

I return to land and hand off the paddleboard to Mark who heads out for his turn.  This year, for the sake of saving space, we decided to bring only one paddleboard.  So far we’re happy with that decision, though I do overhear Mark saying that he misses “El Gato” our electrically-powered paddleboard catamaran that you may remember from last year.  

It’s been a few days now since we last showered and knowing that a single act of attention to hygiene goes a long ways in this lifestyle, I shave my legs on the beach.  This is how cleanliness works when a full-blown shower is only available on a weekly basis.  You do what little bit you can do, such as washing your face or cleaning your nails, to feel a little less like the grubby person that you are.  None of us mind the sacrifice of not being squeaky clean however, it’s a price we’re more than happy to pay.

All afternoon a constant rotation of locals come and go from the stretch of beach right alongside us.  When we first arrived here it looked like a private, out of the way spot from the more heavily visited beach not far from here.  We’ve since learned the spot we chose is actually a popular destination too.  A man comes and spends hours scouring the beach with his metal detector.  Families come and play in the water with their kids.  Groups of friends come and test the boundaries of their sound systems.  A group of tourists pass by on horseback and four-wheelers pull in to admire the view before speeding off down the beach.  Being that we’re the visitors on their turf, we can’t help but wonder what they think of all of us gringos taking up space on their favorite beach.  Though, we don’t get so much as a hint of them feeling any kind of way towards us.  

By the time the stars come out most everyone but our fellow campers have gone home for the night.  It’s quiet and we’re feeling optimistic that it will remain that way.  We ooh and aah over a handful of shooting stars and then it’s “buenos noches” to each other and off to bed.

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