San Jose & Isla San Francisco

We awoke with Isla San Jose to starboard and the wild coastline of eastern Baja California to port. It’s easy to become accustomed to clean air here, because of the lack of people. Most of the peninsula is sparsely populated with only one large city, La Paz, and three smaller towns. Instead of development, there are magnificent mountains of volcanic ash that stack up layer after layer to thousands of feet, and a relatively untouched sea. We passed a tiny island this morning named Las Animas, where the sea floor drops away more than 4500 feet within a ¼ mile. This great relief makes the oceanography dynamic. The Gulf of California is 700 miles long and 2 miles deep at its mouth. The twice daily tides move massive amounts of water back and forth, resulting in extensive currents and upwelling. Winds blow on the surface and cause a transport of water away from shorelines that is replaced by upwelling. This place provides 70% of Mexico’s fish!

During lunch, our anchor dropped onto the sandy bottom of Halfmoon Bay on Isla San Francisco. After mandatory drills, our feet also dropped from the sides of our black rubber boats onto the sand of an island that dreams are made from. Snorkelers were soon immersed into an alternate reality with fish as skeptical friends. Our aquatic inabilities left us somewhat imprisoned at the surface. Other fellow travelers slid and then glided into an almost palpable freedom. Kayaking offers a tremendously joyful way to explore. A few strong paddle strokes, and you and your craft travel freely as the scenery glides by.

Hiking was also a delight. There was a long enough beach to explore and get some exercise. Those on inland walks enjoyed the scenery, learned more about desert plants, and visited several evaporation ponds that local fishermen use as a source for salt to cure fish. Ridges on the island offer superb views. A few of us made our way up switchbacks that led to a place we could perch and watch the ant-sized people far below going about their own adventures. Today’s photograph gives an idea of part of the view. The distant mountains are those of the Sierra de la Giganta that form the steep eastern side the Baja California Peninsula. In the other direction would be the Bay of La Paz and the island of Espiritu Santo.

Many of us stayed until the end of the day when the sun set and twilight began to hide the dazzling scenery. Once back aboard, the ship’s lounge buzzed with the activity that a great day produces.