Mendo 2004
John Kern

I liked paddling in the moderate wind with trustworthy paddling partners for support. I liked paddling through very protected slots and caves, just a few yards from the choppy and windy conditions. I liked the extreme clarity of the water. Laminaria algae were like underwater Christmas lights in the late afternoon sun.

I liked going up the Albion "river" which turns out to be more of an estuary, with grand douglas firs, coast redwoods and madrones lining the banks. I had never seen double-crested cormorants on a redwood limb before. I liked being reminded of how observant and knowledgeable my fellow WSKrs are. For example, when Trevlyn pointed out that our loon couldn't be a common loon because of the grey head. (It turns out to have been a red-breasted loon.) Another entertaining bit of birding: on the way from Van Damme State Park to Mendocino Ralph, Jumbo and I saw a group of birds immitating the vee formation of geese. The birds were mostly common murres, with some pigeon guillemots tagging along, all under the leadership of a lone cormorant at the front. What a rag tag army!

I liked hearing folks sing around the campfire. Mel and Dierdre's "Old MacDonald" has got Kum Bay Ya beat by a country mile. And marvelous Melissa's mellifluous melodies always mellow and melt the heart of this man. They also inspire alliteration.

I liked that Russ finally got to see whale spouts from a kayak. The jinx is broken! Now if he could just get people to believe him... I believe you Russ! (I think...)

I liked the wonderful potluck, and the way all meals turned into potlucks, even when the food was pulled out of drybags on the banks of a river or the sands of a beach.

I liked that there was a wild rhododendron next to our tent.

I liked that there was a lot to like about this trip.