Sixteen turtles!

It ended up being a real mixed bag of conditions today!  I got out a bit later than I wanted but it was so perfect!  Just a slight breeze keeping it comfortable and mostly sunny with a calm ocean, just how I like it.  I paddled south, towards the boat ramp and it was so nice I kept commenting to myself about how perfect it was!  Down at the boat ramp, three people were snorkeling but a turtle surfaced right as I got there.  Then they came around slowly…..first two more turtles popped up and I sat between them and then a couple more turtles surfaced.  One of them was “Bumpy” who I haven’t seen for a while!  Bumpy is very friendly.  I thought that might be it for turtles until the snorkelers left and the turtles started popping up all around! Turtles of all sizes today….even a really little baby turtle!  The conditions were so nice and glassy that I didn’t want to leave, but I knew by the time sixteen turtles had visited me,  it was getting late.  I paddled back in perfect conditions and just as I was nearing the rocky point into Kam I…..whammmo….the wind roared in and it was nearly instant chop and white caps!  It took me forever to paddle the rest of the way against the strong wind…but I just held my head down and paddled!  Even when I finally made it in, the wind was blowing my board south while I was trying to carry it up the beach.  Then it was a chore trying to get it hoisted up on my racks and tied down!  The wind didn’t let up when I swam either and by the time I got back, my beach chair, towel, backpack and everything else, was covered in sand!  I was glad I didn’t bring my iPhone to the beach today!  After I showered off, it was all I could do to shake the sand off of all my stuff, and head up to the grass by my car.  Blowing sand is no fun!  The wind is supposed to be backing off over the weekend, so we will see!!