Carmen Island & Catalina Island
We were sailing around the southern tip of Carmen Island as a yellow lip of the sun edged above the far horizon ahead. Turning northward along Carmen’s eastern shore, we soon sighted a whale blow. It turned out to be three fin whales, the second largest species in the world. Several bottlenose dolphins were also surfacing around the whales. During breakfast, we cruised a few miles farther north into Salinas Bay.
Here, on the northeastern tip of Carmen Island, are vast salt deposits that were discovered in the 1500’s. On the nearby shores lie the remains of the once thriving village of Salinas. This village formerly had a large population of salt mining company employees and their families, totaling about 300 people. Salt from the Salinas deposits was highly valued for its purity, and during the mine’s active years this commodity was shipped to many parts of the world. Eventually unable to compete with larger salt producers along the Pacific coast of Baja California, the mining operations at Salinas were permanently closed in the 1980’s. Today, Salinas is largely abandoned except for a couple of caretakers, occasional researchers and two friendly dogs. Our Undersea Specialist, Carlos Navarro, managed operations at Salinas for a year in 2001, and he described the town and its history to us before we ventured ashore to wander among the aging buildings and rusting remains of the machinery once used to extract and transport salt.
During lunch we headed southeast to Catalina Island, a granitic island with some unusual species. En route we encountered a large group of long-beaked common dolphins. Changing course, we followed alongside them for several miles of spectacular sightings as they surfaced continually near the ship. At Catalina Island some people went snorkeling in the shallow waters around “Elephant Rock.” Others chose to go ashore for hikes along a scenic desert arroyo surrounded by towering cardon cactus and giant barrel cactus. The desert here is remarkably rich with life. We lingered ashore in the balmy air until sunset, returning to our ship as the night sky darkened overhead.
We were sailing around the southern tip of Carmen Island as a yellow lip of the sun edged above the far horizon ahead. Turning northward along Carmen’s eastern shore, we soon sighted a whale blow. It turned out to be three fin whales, the second largest species in the world. Several bottlenose dolphins were also surfacing around the whales. During breakfast, we cruised a few miles farther north into Salinas Bay.
Here, on the northeastern tip of Carmen Island, are vast salt deposits that were discovered in the 1500’s. On the nearby shores lie the remains of the once thriving village of Salinas. This village formerly had a large population of salt mining company employees and their families, totaling about 300 people. Salt from the Salinas deposits was highly valued for its purity, and during the mine’s active years this commodity was shipped to many parts of the world. Eventually unable to compete with larger salt producers along the Pacific coast of Baja California, the mining operations at Salinas were permanently closed in the 1980’s. Today, Salinas is largely abandoned except for a couple of caretakers, occasional researchers and two friendly dogs. Our Undersea Specialist, Carlos Navarro, managed operations at Salinas for a year in 2001, and he described the town and its history to us before we ventured ashore to wander among the aging buildings and rusting remains of the machinery once used to extract and transport salt.
During lunch we headed southeast to Catalina Island, a granitic island with some unusual species. En route we encountered a large group of long-beaked common dolphins. Changing course, we followed alongside them for several miles of spectacular sightings as they surfaced continually near the ship. At Catalina Island some people went snorkeling in the shallow waters around “Elephant Rock.” Others chose to go ashore for hikes along a scenic desert arroyo surrounded by towering cardon cactus and giant barrel cactus. The desert here is remarkably rich with life. We lingered ashore in the balmy air until sunset, returning to our ship as the night sky darkened overhead.
