Camino Real Hotel & Bahia Ballandra
Morning began slowly and quietly. The rising desert sun gently kissed the rugged sierras of Baja as Zodiacs made their way to the landing at the Camino Real Hotel on Loreto Bay to pick up the last of the guests for our voyage on the Sea of Cortez. An unseen canyon wren’s cascading song spilled off a nearby cliff while a cartoonish roadrunner sprinted across the golf course.
This particular trip is a special charter by the Cruising Club of America. Besides our ship, the Sea Bird, twenty other motor and sailing craft are joining us to explore these rich waters dotted with remarkable, mysterious islands.
Our first destination was Bahia Ballandra on the west coast of Isla Carmen. This almost circular cut into the side of the mountainous island provides a good anchorage from the sometimes erratic winds of the gulf. Here in earlier times, salt was loaded onto waiting ships, perhaps a type called ballandras. Inland is an ancient salt deposit that was mined for centuries and shipped thousands of miles for curing fish and meats and for other culinary uses.
Upon the tortured volcanic landscape, false elephant tree, palo verde, mesquite, cardon, pitaya dulce, and other typical Sonoran desert plants stoically endured the afternoon heat. Intrepid snorkelers took a brief dip in the sea, but a rocky bottom proved challenging to negotiate.
Once we were all back on board, we enjoyed hors d’oeuvres, a refreshing drink, and chatting with old and new friends. Without fanfare, the retreating sun dipped behind the spine of Baja and a sweet hush again enveloped this sea in the desert.
Morning began slowly and quietly. The rising desert sun gently kissed the rugged sierras of Baja as Zodiacs made their way to the landing at the Camino Real Hotel on Loreto Bay to pick up the last of the guests for our voyage on the Sea of Cortez. An unseen canyon wren’s cascading song spilled off a nearby cliff while a cartoonish roadrunner sprinted across the golf course.
This particular trip is a special charter by the Cruising Club of America. Besides our ship, the Sea Bird, twenty other motor and sailing craft are joining us to explore these rich waters dotted with remarkable, mysterious islands.
Our first destination was Bahia Ballandra on the west coast of Isla Carmen. This almost circular cut into the side of the mountainous island provides a good anchorage from the sometimes erratic winds of the gulf. Here in earlier times, salt was loaded onto waiting ships, perhaps a type called ballandras. Inland is an ancient salt deposit that was mined for centuries and shipped thousands of miles for curing fish and meats and for other culinary uses.
Upon the tortured volcanic landscape, false elephant tree, palo verde, mesquite, cardon, pitaya dulce, and other typical Sonoran desert plants stoically endured the afternoon heat. Intrepid snorkelers took a brief dip in the sea, but a rocky bottom proved challenging to negotiate.
Once we were all back on board, we enjoyed hors d’oeuvres, a refreshing drink, and chatting with old and new friends. Without fanfare, the retreating sun dipped behind the spine of Baja and a sweet hush again enveloped this sea in the desert.
