Chapter nine

Carlos’ scars

Jake had been to Seattle a couple of times on business so he was not too nervous about that. The trip through Los Angeles was quite a bit worse and the customs and immigration in Mexico scared the hell out of him. He remembered only a few words of Spanish and none of them seemed to do him any good. Carlos had written out instructions for him and he just showed them to the people he met along his way. They were all friendly and helpful, they would take the note, read it, smile, giggle or laugh out loud, then take him along to the next one. In this manner Jake was shuffled along, person to person, until he found himself on a boat crossing the sea of Cortez to Baja and the village where Carlos lived.

Many years later Jake finally found out what had made all those people laugh and smile at him. The note from Carlos said; Please help this poor man along, he is a very simple minded gringo and would get lost in his own home. He needs to go to Punta del Tibaron on the East Cape of Baja Sur. He is very frightening to look at but is harmless if fed often. Please be kind to him as you would to any other dumb beast and send him along to me. Thank you very much Carlos Diego.

Jake sweltered in the heat and squinted in the brilliant sunlight. He was on an old coastal steamer and he thought he was headed to Carlos’ house but was not sure. “It’s just a marvel” he thought, “how happy and friendly these people are. I ain’t never seen people so prone to laughing.”

The small ship rounded a rocky point and glided to a stop in front of a small village. There was no dock or harbor, only many skiffs on the beach and a few cruisers riding at anchor. Soon several skiffs of a different design than he was used to, very long with a high bow, came out to the ship and took on what cargo there was. The captain came over and shook Jake’s hand, laughing some more, and pointed to one of the skiffs. Jake picked up his duffel bag and dropped it down to the men below. He started over the side and when he looked again and recognized his old friend looking up at him.

Jake stared at Carlos for a moment in silence and when Carlos’ face split in a huge grin Jake yelled and leaped over the rail into the narrow skiff. He hit off balance and promptly tipped the boat right over!

Both men came up and grabbed the sides of the skiff. “You crazy gringo, don’t you know how to get in a boat” Carlos laughed at Jake. “Sure, I know how, I just figured you needed a bath. Hey this water is warm, I could get used to this”.

They clambered back into the skiff and rowed ashore. When they stepped out onto the sand there were about a dozen small, dark children shyly laughing at them. Carlos called three of them to him and placing his hand on their heads, introduced them to Jake. The first was a very young boy of about two years who was nearly as round as he was tall. “This is my youngest son, his name is Jose'.” Next he placed his hand on a very pretty girl of five or six and said, “This is my daughter, Angela, my little angel.” Next he pushed a young man of about nine years of age. He looked exactly like a smaller version of his father. “This is my oldest son, his name is Jake.”

Jake was stunned, in all the years that they had known each other, in all the Christmas cards and notes Carlos had never said that he had named his first son after Jake. He looked at Carlos with a question. “Yes he is named after you. If it were not for you I would not have come back from Alaska and he would not be.”

“Carlos it is a great honor that you have given to me. Why have you never told me?” “I wanted to see your face when I presented my son to you.” Jake solemnly held out his hand and shook hands with the boy. “I am very pleased to meet you Jacob” he said. The boy’s eyes were very large and he spoke very fast, in Spanish, to his father. Jake looked at Carlos. “He asks if you are the giant American who fights bears and saved his father’s life” Carlos said.

Jake looked at the boy and said, “It was your father who fought the bear, near had him whipped too, I just helped out at the end and got myself hurt. Then your father had to carry me to the boat. He is the one that saved my life”.

The boy looked at Jake a moment longer and then ran off up the beach and started talking to an older man. The old man spoke to him for a moment, translating Jake’s words, and the boy gazed with wonder at his father.

Then Carlos waved to a lovely young woman for her to come to him, he placed his arm around her and said, “Jake, this is my wife, Maria. Maria, this is my American friend, Jake, From Alaska. Maria looked shyly at Jake and with a slight bow said, Mi casa, su Casa, Senor Jake.

Jake and Carlos walked up the sandy beach and sat on the rock steps of an old beachside Cantina and Café. “Jake it is so good to see you, I am very glad that you made it here alright.” “You have a very nice family Carlos, you should be very proud of them all. Your sons will grow tall and strong and your daughter will be as lovely as your wife.”

“Do you not have any family Jake?” “No, I have never married. I never was very good with the ladies. I just stay with my work out in the bush.” “You look like you have healed up well, does the old wound cause you much pain?” Carlos asked. “No, it does not hurt at all most of the time. I had some stiffness for a while but not for years now.”

The two old friends talked for hours catching up on each other’s lives. The work they were doing, plans they had for the future, all the things that old friends speak of when they have not talked for a very long time. There was no discomfort between them, it seemed more like a reunion of brothers than anything else.

After a time Maria came out and said Carlos, Jake, it is time to eat. Jake looked up and was surprised to note that he and Carlos had talked the entire afternoon away. Jake sat at the table and was introduced to Carlos’ father, mother, two brothers and a sister. He was also introduced to Maria’s younger sister Margarita.

Jake was due to go home in two weeks but near the end of his time with Carlos he had been made so welcome and felt so at home that he had a hard time even thinking of anyplace else. He had picked up lots more Spanish words and the family had picked up a few English ones so that they all communicated in a sort of pidgin all their own.

Margarita was a small, dark girl in her late teens or early twenties, she was very quiet and almost sad. Sometimes when she was playing with the children she became gay and happy, yet sometimes when she looked at the little girl she became very still and a look of infinite sadness came over her.

Jake found himself looking for Margarita whenever he was around the house. He hardly ever spoke to her but he felt a sense of loss if she was not to be seen. Margarita would peek around corners and watch the big American from a distance. She was drawn to him but was afraid to approach any closer.

In the way of men Carlos noticed none of this, but in the way of women Maria noticed all of it. One day she spoke to Carlos, “I think that Jake and Margarita are falling in love with each other” she said. “What, what are you talking about, they have not said ten words to each other since he arrived” Carlos said. “I know, but I see them looking at each other. I think it would be a very good thing for Margarita to fall in love again. It has been too long since her husband and baby died. I think it is time for her to live again.” “Do not meddle woman”, Carlos said sternly. “If they fall in love it is their business and none of yours”. Then he smiled fondly at her.

Maria smiled to herself and said “yes husband, I will not meddle with them”. Maria knew that she would indeed meddle if she so chose and Carlos knew that she would do as she pleased, but the deception pleased them both.

“The weather looks good for fishing tomorrow and I have no charter work to do, it is Jake’s last day so I think that we will go fishing. I would like to see him catch a blue Marlin before he goes back to Alaska. Would you see if my brother Enrique will go with us?”

“Yes, certainly, Enrique can go with you and Margarita and I will go to the market. If you catch a big one take it to the fish market and sell it. We have plenty of fish for ourselves.”

The next morning dawn found them fifteen miles offshore at the edge of the blue water. This line where the water changed color marked the edge of the continental shelf and was the edge of deep water. Here the cooler water boiled up from the depths carrying rich nutrients that attracted millions of small fish. These in turn attracted the huge predatory hunters, the blue shark, the blue, black and striped marlin, the tuna and more.

Catching fish was easy, there were millions of them, catching marlin was harder but still easy. Catching one of the giant blue or black Marlin was much harder. You might hook one or two in a day but it could take most of a full day to fight one and then the odds were that you would break off and lose it.

A day like this was a day of pure pleasure for Carlos and Enrique, they worked the boat together to fish for the market, but that was work. They also worked together on the rare charters that came their way, mostly referrals from old Don Jose', but again that was work. Today it was only three friends out for a day of sport with no pressure, they could be boys again.

Carlos turned the boat south along the line of blue water while Enrique rigged the lines. Jake reached into the cooler and pulled out some cold tortillas, fish and limejuice for a light breakfast. Soon Enrique had two flat lines running thirty feet behind the boat and two wing lines on spreader poles running at forty feet back. Each line had a heavy leader attached to a small trolling “feather” or chugger head jig. He also had several lines rigged for live bait. All he needed was the bait.

Carlos spotted a flock of gulls wheeling and diving on the water just to the left of their line of travel and turned the boat toward it. In a moment he could see the surface of the water boiling with the action of fish on the surface. It was a mixed school of small Dorado and small skipjack tuna, they were crashing a school of squid and were in an absolute feeding frenzy.

“Get ready Enrique, Jake, we will hook up soon.” Carlos was not finished speaking when the left wing line jerked and the reel screamed, then the left flat line, the right flat and the right wing. Carlos jumped off the bridge and grabbed a rod, Enrique and Jake were almost in with their catch. As soon as a fish was pulled in the bait was reset and another fish would strike. The frantic pace continued for several minutes amid the screaming gulls and then suddenly, silence. The squid were gone, the fish were gone, and the birds were lifting higher and leaving.

They had caught about twenty Dorado and tuna all eighteen to twenty inches long. These fish now swam around and around in the live well. “Well, we have bait now to catch the big fish with.” Enrique said. Carlos, you get back up there and find us one.” “Yes, yes I will go back into the hot sun and find you a fish while you sit here in the shade and do nothing as usual” Carlos said mockingly as he climbed the ladder to the flying bridge.

Jake finished preparing the ceviche, raw fish, tomato, cilantro and peppers drenched in fresh limejuice. Jake had grown very fond of the stuff and now considered himself an expert in its preparation.

“Hey Carlos, have some breakfast” Jake yelled handing Carlos some food. Jake climbed the ladder to join Carlos and they surveyed the surface of the ocean while Enrique finished rigging a couple of baits. Enrique soon joined them and the three of them watched all around the horizon. They looked for the slash of a fin or tail, the shadow of electric color when a Marlin “Lights up” and charges the bait.

Sometimes the fish come from behind and below with no warning and strike the trolled baits, sometimes they came up on the surface from behind and had to be teased to strike. When a fish was spotted on the surface the boat would be steered to intercept and the live bait would be cast into the water. The bait would hit the water and swim off, the line was allowed to spool off as the fish swam. If the luck was good the bait would begin to swim frantically and very erratically, then suddenly the small, frantic motions would cease and the line would move out smoothly and swiftly. This was the point where the bait had been taken, you must wait while the Marlin turns the bait in his mouth and swallows it down, and then you strike!

Jake was watching to the west and suddenly saw a huge fish jump out of the water. “There, I see one” he cried. Carlos and Enrique looked where Jake pointed and the fish came again. It leaped far out of the water and tumbled end over end. It was very far off and Jake could not see that it was not a Marlin but Carlos and Enrique could tell by the way it jumped. “It is a shark Jake, a Mako, they jump like that. A Marlin leaps like a running stag or a greyhound dog, long, smooth leaps up and goes in head first.”

A short while later Enrique spotted the telltale paired fins cutting the water behind the boat. One fin is the top of the tail and the other is the dorsal. The distance between them can tell you the size of the fish. Just after Enrique’s shout the fish went down. Enrique leaped to the deck and cast a live bait out as far as he could. He left the spool out of gear and let the bait run. Carlos had pulled back the throttle and they waited. In a moment Enrique grinned and said “ah, he is afraid, I feel him trying to run. Hah, he has it. Easy, easy easy, NOW!” he shouted. Carlos slammed the throttle forward and the boat charged ahead. Enrique slapped the real in gear and raising the rod he struck, once, twice, three times he struck the fish.

“Jake, Jake get in the chair,” Enrique shouted. Jake jumped to the deck and Carlos slowed the boat. Jake sat in the chair and took the rod from Enrique. Jake lifted on the rod with all his strength then lowered it quickly while taking up the slack. When the fish would run Jake just hung on and kept the rod pointed at the fish. On one long run that caused the reel to smoke, Enrique poured a bucket full of sea water on the reel and of course on Jake too.

The marlin leaped clear of the water, jumps of twenty feet or more. When it got closer it tail walked while shaking its massive head trying to throw the hook. Carlos maneuvered the boat keeping the stern to the fish. To allow it to get ahead or under the boat would be to have the line cut off on the propeller or the keel.
Sometimes they would have to chase the fish in reverse with the waves slamming into the stern and water spraying everywhere. For three hours Jake fought the giant fish, his back screamed and his arms ached. Carlos and Enrique teased him and laughed at him while encouraging him to fight harder.

“Damn, don’t these things ever give up” gasped Jake “I’m about done in.” Then after a spectacular leap very close to the boat the leader broke with a loud snap. Jake had a lot of pull on the rod at the time and when the line broke Jake hit himself right between the eyes with the heavy rod. “Owe, damn that hurts” Jake cried.

“Ha, the great bear guide just got whipped by a fish” Carlos laughed. Enrique tried to not laugh but finally couldn’t hold back any more and burst out in loud peels of mirth.

“Oh man, I need a beer” Jake said. When Enrique tossed him one he first laid the cool bottle against his abused nose, then he popped the cap and drank half of it down in one long pull. “Awh, that tastes great, what a fight that fish gave me. He was much stronger than the biggest Halibut I’ve ever caught. How big was he Carlos?”

Carlos was down on the deck now and said to Enrique, “How about one of those beers for me too? Oh he was a good fish Jake, probably twelve hundred pounds or so.” “Twelve hundred pounds” Jake said, “Goddam that’s as much as a fair sized moose. No wonder I couldn’t drag it in.

After resting for a short while and with much good natured teasing they got going again and set out all the gear. This time Enrique drove the boat and Carlos acted as deck hand. Jake helped set out the lines and then watched as Carlos rigged another live bait. Carlos netted one of the baitfish out and tossed it over the side.

“Why did you throw that one away” Jake asked. “It was not strong” Carlos replied, “It would not swim right and would not attract the Marlin.” “It is sure fun to be able to not worry about bears all the time” Jake observed, “We can just relax and enjoy ourselves.

“You are right Jake we do not need to worry about bears out here but you had better not relax too much with these fish or they will kill you just as dead as the bear does.”

“What do you mean? How can these fish, no matter how big they are, hurt you as long as you make sure they are dead before you bring them into the boat. They don’t bite you do they?” “No Jake they will not bite you but I have seen many of them that appear to be dead come back to life in the boat and injure people with their tail and bill. One of the most dangerous things though is that they will sometimes charge the boat when first hooked, that is one of the reasons that we run full throttle away from them when we hook up. We also do it to give us some fighting room and to get some line out so it will help absorb the shock of the first few runs. There is not much stretch in forty feet of line.”

“Why is it dangerous if they charge the boat? Jake asked. “If they” “Fish On!” shouted Enrique from the bridge. A smaller blue Marlin had come up from behind and hit the right flat line. Carlos ran for the rod to set the hook, Enrique slammed the throttle forward, the fish felt the sharp hook and in his panic ran straight at the boat. When the engine power came up, the stern of the boat dropped down as it started to accelerate. The fish started out of the water in a jump at the same time as the boat dipped down. Before Carlos could react the charging billfish leaped in the air struck him full in the chest, driving his spear shaped bill completely through Carlos’ body.

Carlos crashed to the deck with the nine hundred-pound fish thrashing furiously. Jake was shocked but still reacted quickly and dove onto the fish’s body. Enrique had seen the entire sequence of events from the bridge. He killed the engine and leaped to the deck where he grabbed a large knife and stabbed the Marlin. Jake lost his position on the body of the fish and was nearly flipped overboard. He recovered his balance and lunged for a small ax. Grabbing the ax he slid around on his knees to the head of the fish and with all his strength drove the blade into the back of the great fish’s head.

The Marlin shuddered and died, Jake was battered and bruised, Enrique had his left leg broken and a bad cut on his left hand from when the knife stuck in the fish and it had lurched against him. Carlos had the upper bill of the Marlin completely through his chest and the lower bill had stabbed him repeatedly around the main wound as it had thrashed on the deck.

“Carlos, Carlos are you OK, Carlos speak to me” Jake shouted. He could see that Carlos was definitely not OK but talked to him anyway. “
Oh, is he dead, is Carlos dead? Enrique asked. Enrique pulled himself around to where he could see Carlos. “He is breathing” Jake told him as he lifted his ear from Carlos’ nose. Then Jake felt Carlos’ throat. “I can feel a pulse too. We need to pull this thing out of him and get to a doctor Enrique.”

“No Jake, do not pull it out, Carlos will surely bleed to death from such a big hole.” “Yes you are right Enrique, they always told us in logging accidents to leave the object in place. Can you hold him steady while I clear this mess and get us headed for shore? Where should we go, is there a doctor at the village?”

“Yes, I can hold him Jake, there is a tool box in the forward locker I think there is a small saw there that you can cut this bill off with.”

Jake cranked in the other flat line, cut off the wing lines and tossed the rods onto the upper deck, he then put he boat in gear and headed it into the wind and waves to make it more stable. Then he found the wooden box of tools and found the small wood saw. He grabbed the saw and crawled back to Carlos and Enrique.

“Hold him as still as you can” Jake said. “Be gentle” Enrique told him. Jake placed the saw teeth on the top of the bill and began to cut through it. After a moment the bill parted with a small snap and the much shorter lower bill slid back out of Carlos’ lower chest. Carlos gave a small groan when the weight of the fish fell away. They placed him on his side and braced him in place with life jackets and cushions. Jake tried to heave the fish overboard but could not lift it enough so he tied it solidly to the side of the boat cockpit.

“Enrique, stay still and I will splint your leg” Jake told him. “Don’t take the time for me, we need to get Carlos in right now” Enrique said. “I need your help to hold him and to tell me where to go” Jake said “and you can’t do that if you can’t move around some so hold still, it won’t take long.”

Enrique’s foot was twisted at an impossible angle and flopped loosely when he moved. Jake took a slender gaff and broke the handle into three short pieces to use for splints. There was lots of line and light rope to bind it with. When he was ready he sat down in front of Enrique, jammed one foot into his crotch and the other into his hip. Jake grabbed Enrique’s foot and said, “bear down partner, this is going to hurt some”. Then with a pull and twist motion he placed the leg into proper alignment. Enrique’s face paled and the sweat popped out on his forehead, he did not cry out and he did not let go of Carlos.

“Head due west until you sight land” Enrique said, “Then I can tell you where to go from there”. Jake climbed to the flying bridge and headed west as fast as the boat could go. Enrique shouted to Jake, “we should go to Palmas de Cortez, they have a radio there and an airport. Perhaps we can get a doctor from LaPaz.

Jake tried to keep the ride as smooth as possible but the boat would shudder and lurch as it climbed and dropped down off of the swells. “Enrique I see the shore, can you see which way we need to go” Enrique raised himself as high as he could and looked over the side of the racing boat. He could see only a small piece of shore but a lifetime on the water allowed him to know where he was. “Angle to the left” he shouted, “we need to go south perhaps six miles”.

Jake swung the boat southward and urged the boat ahead. After a short while he could see a rocky headland. “Enrique I see a rock point ahead, is that where the town is?” “It is not a town, it is a resort for the wealthy, but yes it is one mile past this point.” When Jake rounded the point he could see the buildings of the resort ahead. There were some pangas on the beach and three cruisers at anchor. Jake swung the boat away from the beach and then turned straight in. “Hang on Enrique, I’m gonna run her right in” he shouted.

Jake picked a section of smooth sloping beach and charged right at it. At the very last second before they hit he yanked the throttle back and pulled the boat out of gear. The cruiser slid amazingly smoothly right up onto the beach until it was high and dry. Guests and staff stared at them in astonishment and then began to run toward them.