The More You Know...

You remember those NBC interludes "The More You Know"? With the stars that swing across and a pop-culture celeb that introduces some useful piece of info that reminds you to teach your kids to read, or that dyslexia is a prevalent issue in society?  Well I like the phrase, b/c one of my life's philosophies is that the more I know, the more fulfilling my life will be.  This post will be not only about a recent day trip of mine, but will give you insight into the sealife of the about Santa Barbara's Channel Islands and its habitats. 

 On Easter Eve, myself, Adan, Edgar (Adan's bro), and Captain Craiger set off to sail to a local reef named, 4 Mile, to bag ourselves some good BBQ dinner consisting of Rock fish and/or Sheepshead.  The green spot on this map is the general area of our final destination (above, right pic)

 4 Mile Reef is, appropriately 4 miles from the coast, and about 2 miles from our Oil Rigs.  California is one of the few states that could sustain itself as an independent nation.  300 days of sunshine provides ample growth for

 extensive produce and livestock, as well as solar energies and "Green" living.  We also have our own oil, even though its not just ours.  Santa Barbara, even though Oil Rigs are a permanent fixture in our ocean view, has some of the highest gas prices in the country.  Gov. Schwarz needs to lower our taxes.  It all backwards, in my opinion. Amen and amen. 

Back to the day at hand...

Our Captain, Craig Daniel Lewis, a fisherman/boatman for over 20 years.  He has fished in the dangers of the Bering Sea for Cod and Crabs and now harvest Local Lobsters, Spot Prawns, and Sea Urchins. His sailboat was our vessel:

So, we cruised to the 4 Mile Reef to find some Rockfish or Sheepshead.  The wind and bottom current quickly pushed us to move further inland and prohibited an extensive fishing experience.  We were blown into a trying time of retrieving anchors and criss-crossing maneuvers in order to reach our mooring (a secure line at which to "park" our boat). Our outboard motor ran out of petrol (gas), so we fixed a skiff (a small transport boat) to the side of the sailboat where I presumed a stance in the skiff of 'ready, pounce, capture' while our remaining crew manned the steering and sails.  We successfully grabbed the mooring, tied up the sailboat and rested, enjoying the experience. 

 We then retrieved a trap pot of local spiny lobsters we had stashed at our mooring.  Spiny Lobsters have no claws like the Common Maine Lobster, but their meat is just as brilliant and sweet.  Grilling or sauteing is the best way to enjoy these creatures.  The upcoming meal satisfied our desire for fresh seafood.  We tailed the poor crustaceans, added butter and hot sauces, and sauteed.  Langostas (Ma and Pa, my Spanish lessons are paying off)  The pictures explain our delight:

  A great trip.  We ended the day with a 30 minute ride in the skiff from our parking spot at the mooring to the Harbor.  The sun set and we all held hands....not really, but we could have and it would have been perfectly alright.  The beauty of the Sea is my delight...