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<DIV><SPAN class=593552922-08062008><FONT face=Arial
size=2>6/08/08</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=593552922-08062008><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=593552922-08062008><FONT face=Arial size=2>Duane, Ken and I
reluctantly missed the H&K paddle to Reef Point this morning in the fain
quest of spotting some Blue Whales, this being early in the season. We got
an 8am start under overcast skies and started out for our usual hunting grounds
off Dana Point with light boat traffic around us. With only three paddlers, we
were quite free to chat about all the other paddlers that weren't along with us
on the day. I can only hope we at least presented equal fodder the other group
on the water!!!</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=593552922-08062008><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=593552922-08062008><FONT face=Arial size=2>Conditions were nice
on the paddle out and we hoped we had improved our whale karma my picking up
several groups of balloons floating on the water. After a couple short breaks,
we found ourselves about 4 miles off the point, in what in the past has been
prime spouting grounds. Our eyes seldom left the horizon as we searched in vain
for tell-tale signs of the behemoths. We saw no whale watching boats scouring
the water to give us hope of a sighting. We spent the last half hour before
returning just enjoying the quite off shore waters lolling about in our boats.
We paddled home with nary a dolphin or a seal to visit us. Still, if we didn't
get to find a whale, we got to put in a nice, peaceful, 10 mile paddle and
perhaps increase our chances on our next hunt. We can't come up empty every
time!</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=593552922-08062008><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=593552922-08062008><FONT face=Arial size=2>Mark
Sanders</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=593552922-08062008><FONT face=Arial size=2><A
href="http://www.sandmarks.net">www.sandmarks.net</A></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=593552922-08062008><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=593552922-08062008><FONT face=Arial
size=2>#</FONT></SPAN></DIV></BODY></HTML>