Another one of those wonderful days on the gulf. I got up at 6 in hopes of getting calm water. I could hear the waves crashing before I even looked out of my tent. They finally calmed down around 11 and I shoved off. Making it about 5 miles I had a decision to make. A: Hug the shore and work my way around to cross the Pascagoula Bay. B: Paddle straight across 7 miles of open water. Or C: Paddle to shore and sit there under my tarp for 3 hours while the storms and seas calmed down. Since C was my only real option that's what I did. I was frustrated with my lack of progression but still in fairly good spirits. I decided to go a little bit farther to a better beach to camp but as I approached it realized it was low tide. There was no way I could make it to the white beach with out sinking in the black mud that stood between it. I continued on shore passing several large houses. It's good for them but not for me trying to find a place to camp. I decided to go back to plan B. It was calm enough and I had enough sunlight to make it. I was able to make it to the point I had hoped to be at yesterday. I celebrated with a taco Tuesday party with PB&J tacos and some mariachi music. As I laid in my tent I kept hearing something in the weeds behind me. I didn’t know if it was the waves or an animal so I got out of my tent to inspect. Worst mistake of my life. I was eaten alive in a matter of seconds by bugs. When I didn't see any animals I dove back in my tent trying not to bring any bugs in with me. I found at least 4 spots where they drew blood. This is war.
After itching and scratching for an hour through miserable pain I had to pee. In the quick in and out some how every bug on the entire coast flew inside my tent. Welcome to the Thunderdome. It was a 30 minute battle of the bugs biting me and me swatting them with my hat. In the end, my hat was covered in blood but I was the only one standing. I wouldn't call it a win, more of a draw...of my blood.