Dear Diary, Her name is Muskmelon.

Personal Guide Journal, by Heather March 12, 2015.

I blame Jamie. He got out yesterday and started talking smack about Muskmelon. "I conquered this bay!" I said don't you dare get cocky about Muskmelon. Don't you dare. She will take it from your hide. He got up to swim early this morning and she stung him up and down with sea lice.

But we jumped in anyway.

Muskmelon is amazing. You know me and this bay. This crazy place. The whole group did a circumnavigation of the bay. They are all so excited. Stings not bad after all, Easterly winds must have pushed the sea lice out.

I took the SUP to shepherd the fabulous 5 across the mouth. The fast boys were up ahead. Wide open. Windy. I watched a massive bait ball moving around. Frigates diving, fish jumping, I could sea the surface roiling. I watched it move from about 1/4 mile away to about 200 yards from us.

Then, it poured. A driving, angry rain.

Then, there was a gust of wind so strong it actually popped my ears. I dropped to my knees on the board and struggled to hold position.

Then, they all finished in brilliant sunshine.

It was a classic Muskmelon tantrum.

They are all thrilled. I’m exhausted and I love it here.

This place. This crazy, crazy place. I can’t stay away. I’ll die here. This place wants me and wants to tear me apart. Maybe it wants back the sand I took from the bottom.

But I’m keeping it. It’s a diamond ring. A promise. Betrothal.

T’ill death do us part, Muskmelon!

Hang on to that sand. You can throw it in my grave. Death by sea lice. Or S*%#@. Or wind. Or some mysterious drowning.

Or broken heart.

My heart is so soft for this place, it might be too mushy to actually break. Death by smushed heart. The Muskmelon Heart Smush. I’d go like that. For sure. Better than fat and bald with some tube up my arm.

My fellow guides are giddy. Crew seems stable and happy. Simon doing video review one on one with swimmers, Maury has been grabbing people in the water to work with them. He’s a great guide in the water. I’m beat. Wrung out. So glad we got in here. I need a nap.

Crazy Muskmelon. I swear, you’ll drag my broken body home from this place.

But not today!

Under weigh. Raising sails. I gotta go take care of things.

- Heather