The wonders of Isla Magdalena

As we were crossing the sand dunes of this long narrow island, several objects caught our attention. There was interesting halophytic vegetation, plants adapted to very highly saline environments. We were intrigued by thousands of seashells scattered all over the sand dunes, so we had to stop our moving and ask ourselves how did the shells manage to get here?, were they brought by the sea?, had they been carried by the ancient dweller of Baja California? It did not take a long time for one of our guests to find an evidence of human manipulation of seashells. This beautiful "metate" suggests that the Pericue or Guaycura Indians were not only smashing the shells but probably making some sort of primitive "salsa molcajeteada" (stone ground salsa). The metate is made from a metamorphic rock known as serpentine, found in the outcrops, some five miles south of the sand dunes. The islands of Santa Margarita and Magdalena are composed of Early Creataceous (134 million years b.p) Franciscan-type rocks, very similar to the Coast Ranges of California.