210 CRUISE OF THE BARRERA 



the lee scuppers and swirling over the deck, and 

 with weather conditions growing steadily worse, 

 the Patron advised making harbor among the 

 Lena Keys for the night. Although the distance 

 to Guadiana Bay was not over forty miles the 

 chances were slight of reaching its shelter before 

 dark, and the necessity of spending an uncomfort- 

 able night in the open off a lee shore would likely 

 result. The little cove of San Juan, sheltered by 

 one of the Lena Keys, offered us a harbor which 

 we gladly accepted. It was an immense relief to 

 get out of the smother, into the quiet of the cove. 

 Once at anchor, the tables were put up, the tent 

 raised, and we proceeded to "clean-up" the last 

 of the catch and get it properly stowed. 



The night was bad, rain and wind, but we 

 rejoiced in our snug berth under the sheltering 

 islands. 



It seemed now that the squalls and atmospheric 

 disturbances of the past few days had been merely 

 forerunners of the real storm that had set in. 

 The Patron explained that this stretch of coast, 

 from Guadiana to the cape, is the terror of the 

 fishermen. Mischief is always brewing above, and 

 safety conditions below are not good — poor holding 



