We are now in Ixtap or Zihuatanejo, the temps here are mid 90's during the day and 70's at night. The locals here think it is cold at night.

We are renting a car and will be traveling inland for a few days to take in ruins that date back to 900 AD, visit volcanoes and much much more.

We left Manzanillo in the State of Colima heading south to the anchorage Cabeza Negra in the State of Michooacan.

It is in the State of Michoacan that the Monarch butterflies come to suntan for the winter.

The Sierra Madre Mountain range steps into the steep, rugged 180 mile shore with deep water close in.

Books report that drug smugglers ply these waters and great caution should be exercised. Unfortunately buddy boating would be the smart thing to do but we are by ourselves.

We arrived at Cabeza Nero with its private gated community of nice homes. Not a single internet wave to pirate! We had dinner and retired for the evening, the swell was reminiscent of Punta Baja on the Baja coast. We opted to weigh anchor and do an all nighter. The seas were fairly benign.

Day break brought us a land mine of floating sea turtles. Hundreds.

By noon Calita de Campos was our new home for 2 days.

Calita de Campos has a population of 3,000.

It contains a navigation and fishing school.

We spent hours with binoculars in hand watching the panuro fleet.

We thought a bout the different methods of fishing we have viewed since arriving in Mexico.

There are no seiners raping the seas. The fishermen all use pangas (similar to a Newfie Dorry) with fast outboards.

The Pacific coast of the Baja saw lobster pots. The pescadoro (fishermen) keep the pots out returning each morning to pick out the lobsters.The fishing communities have a co op and return their catches into a submersed pen . Once a week they are picked up by a larger fishing vessel. Usually these pangas are run by 2 men

In the Sea of Cortes the fishermen use fly fishing and jigging. thay have reels with line they add weights to and jig over pinnicles.

Camarones (shrimp) seem the be harvested everywhere. They are the size of our prawns.

Crossing over to the Mainland longlines are used. These lines are floating lines stretched out for 2 miles. At 50' intervals a plastic pop bottle is used as a float. Some clear others green. Attached at these points are long lines with baited hooks. The swell moves the lines in a perpetual motion attracting tuna, sierra and many other typed. Generally you see the fishermen setting these lines in the morning and picking them up at dusk. These boats have 3 - 4 men in them.

Casting and gill nets seem to be the next type of fishing we encountered.. In Calita de Campos the fishing fleet consisted of aprox. 24 boats with 4 men aboard. They departed in the surf at 1730- 1800 hr staying out all night returning at 0700 -0800 hr.

We watched the ritual of prayer and crossing ones self as they headed out. I am sure these men are probably all blood related or related by marriage. It's a community effort.

The last and final type we have seen are the shell, crab, octopus collectors. The divers and spear fishermen. The divers wear masks and use a compressor with a hose. Not scuba tanks. There are no diving flags so great caution is needed when transversing around the dive boats.

All and all it has been extremely interesting. They take what they need and there are no commercial large seiners.

Foreign countries could take note.

The introduction of shrimp farms are just starting. The verdict is out on them.