Skipjack Joe - 12-11-2005 at 08:33 AM
Our fishing was not as good as we had hoped it would be and Feliciano took notice of that. He kept track of our days at Pt Escondido and as our final
days approached decided to take action. What happened next was one of my fondest memories.
?I ?, thumping his chest forcefully with the index finger, ?I am a fishing guide?, Feliciano proudly announced. ?I will show you where they are?.
Four of us climbed into the small gregor the next morning, dropping it fairly low into the water. He led us into the channel between Carmen and
Danzante where we started to troll. Val and I got really excited. I couldn?t contain myself. Rubbing my hands gleefully I asked him what we were going
to catch.
?Each of you will catch a marlin today?, he declared, his eyes passing from one to another around the boat.
Now I was a baja greenhorn but I wasn?t a total fool. I started to become a bit skeptical about Feliciano. We trolled for hours without as much as a
tap. Feliciano started to feel uncomfortable. I finally asked whether he was sure that this was the area and whether we were fishing it correctly. He
replied that indeed it was and that Ramon, who was a commercial fisherman, had told him about it. More trolling. Nada. Finally I confronted him and
asked him if he really was a fisherman.
?No amigo?, he confessed. ?I can?t even swim?.
My jaw dropped. I didn?t know whether to laugh or to strangle the man. I took over and steered the boat to the north end of Danzante. As luck would
have it I hooked the biggest dorado of the trip and after a fabulous fight we were all smiles and cheers. At the campground Feliciano showed everyone
his culinary abilities as he skillfully prepared an excellent dorado meal. The beer flowed freely. Feliciano admitted to us that he was a chef in
Mazatlan.
?Not a chef?, Val corrected, ?You?re a MAESTRO?.
Feliciano smiled. He liked that.
[Edited on 12-11-2005 by Skipjack Joe]
Sallysouth - 12-11-2005 at 12:03 PM
Thanks for making my day Skipjack!! I hope there is more to come!!
Natalie Ann - 12-11-2005 at 12:20 PM
Again today this sweet tale has brought a smile to my heart and to my face. I have looked forward each day to the latest installment, and I simply do
not want this saga to end. Skipjack - please say you'll surprise us again tomorrow.
A word about Feliciano
Skipjack Joe - 12-14-2005 at 12:13 PM
I don't know if Feliciano ever was married.
I don't know if Feliciano ever did come from Mazatlan.
I don't know if Feliciano ever had been a chef before.
He's just one of those characters you come across in life that stay with you. I like to think of him as baja's 'Zorba the Greek':
"My name is Demetrius Alexis Zorba. I have many other names"