I couldn't help but laugh quietly to myself one morning. We were headed about 20 miles off the coast of San Diego near Baja. It was about 4am, a little cold, the tide was coming in and the water was choppy.

I was feeling pretty excited about the trip out since it would be the first time I had gone offshore fishing in California. I grew up in Washington so I did a lot of my fishing in the cold waters of Puget Sound or in lakes and rivers so I was pretty sure this would be different, different and exciting.

As we headed out past the jetty and into open waters; I was sat quietly thinking about how fantastic the ocean is being disturbed when the boat would hop over a big swell and my butt would come crashing down on the water logged storage compartment that I had been sitting on. In my mind I was encouraging Mother Ocean to "bring it on", as I was at her mercy but full of the Spirit of Adventure.

Soon the dolphins were swimming next to our vessel as though they were just as curious about us as I was with them. My passion for the dolphins has never eluded me as I have always found them to be one of God's greatest creations. So friendly and playful so human like, so beautiful yet when threatened, they will challenge even the most fierce shark; fearless and brave but gentle and loving.

Slowing down for a moment to bait the trolling lines, I had to ask the Captain, "Why do you love fishing so much?" He said to me, "Well, it isn't always about fishing, you don't always catch a fish but it is more about the challenge of the ocean. It is about being out here where it is peaceful and quiet," I chuckled a little while listening to the motor hum, "because out here, there isn't anyone to bother me. I can think about stuff, just get away from it all."

When he said that, I couldn't help but think, yeah that is why I like it also. It was then that I new that I had found a great fishing Captain, a partner someone to share the love of fishing with and our love for the peace that it brings and the excitement that unfolds...

As we settled to drop our lines, I made a quick prayer to God, My God, the Lord God Above, that on this day I would remember it for the rest of my life, that our catch would be plentiful and our hearts would be filled with the kind of peace that only You can give by placing us where we need to be, as part of the world humbled by the greatness of the vast ocean, the seemingly endless horizon, at the mercy of Nature and all her splendor... Be with us as we are with You...

Then, as though I shaken awake by the sound of the squealing baitrunner... my heart pounding with excitement waiting for just the right moment to flip off the baitrunner and give a good tug and start reeling. Reeling up and down careful, not to start rubbing my line up against the boat rails running back and forth from stern to bow, portside to starboard side, there she was fighting with me, challenging me...who was going to win?

  To be continued... if you dare!