by Jamie Dillon
As we were finally rolling, getting on buses in front of the resort on Tangolunda Bay, I looked back over the buildings and there was Canopus blazing. From the Bahias de Huatulco Airport then at 0230, with bright lights all around, crossing the tarmac to get on the plane, there was that same brilliant star. Then lo and behold from the air, out of my window off to starboard, there was that cool form of the Keel with Canopus off to the SW.
The plane banked, and out the window there was the Dipper and Polaris. We were heading just west of North. The juxtaposition of navigating positions from these constellations couldn't have been handier or more obvious. Goodbye from the gems of the South, then the most familiar sight of the North was right there.
We were sure enough heading west of North, going all the way to Mexico's west coast to avoid a 30,000 ft plume from Popocateptl, over Cuernavaca, where Jo lived once upon a time.
From the Keel the message was also obvious, "we know you'll be back."