Isla Carmen
There are certain mornings where you don’t know what force defies gravity, pulling you out of a very comfy bunk to see the first light of the day. And what serendipity comes into play for a special, albeit brief, moment in that sunrise light. Or what indescribable skill Captain Graves has to find, and then skillfully maneuver a 152 foot ship to gently follow and allow us to view a young hammerhead shark just below the golden sun dabbled water. Funny how a few minutes can create such a wonderful beginning to an awesome day.
During the early morning, we sailed from near the south end of Isla Carmen up the coast to our first landing at Salinas Bay. Tucked into a protected bay on the north end of the island, Salinas was home to the Carmen Island salt works. Enormous deposits of salt were mined here from the time of the early Jesuit missionaries until 1984 when the salt works were finally closed. Today, Salinas is home to the rusting ruins of the salt works, with all the gears and wheels, rails and buckets that were used to move salt from these incredible natural deposits to ships waiting in the harbor during the commercial salt harvesting that began in the 1850s. The salt pan is currently filled with water and the scene is blindingly bright, icy blue and white. Salt crystals sparkle in the sunlight. Incredibly beautiful and unique, dramatic in its contrast to the historical relics scattered about.
After a few hours exploring the salt pan, buildings and remains of the salt works, we returned to the Sea Lion to begin working our way back south to Isla Danzante. Danzante is certainly one of the most beautiful islands in the Gulf of California. Bordered to the west by the jagged peaks of the Sierra de la Giganta on the Baja California peninsula and Isla Carmen to the northeast, it is undeniably set in one of the most scenic locales anywhere.
Lunch today was followed by a snorkel briefing in anticipation of our first afternoon of water sports. Once we dropped anchor, kayakers and snorkelers set out to enjoy this calm harbor. Later in the afternoon, hikers and photographers explored the steep slopes and remarkable views found throughout this island. Scanning the various highpoints of the island, we found our most intrepid hikers atop each ridgeline.
As the sun set behind the near hills, we returned to the Sea Lion, satisfied though somewhat exhausted from a long and rewarding day.
There are certain mornings where you don’t know what force defies gravity, pulling you out of a very comfy bunk to see the first light of the day. And what serendipity comes into play for a special, albeit brief, moment in that sunrise light. Or what indescribable skill Captain Graves has to find, and then skillfully maneuver a 152 foot ship to gently follow and allow us to view a young hammerhead shark just below the golden sun dabbled water. Funny how a few minutes can create such a wonderful beginning to an awesome day.
During the early morning, we sailed from near the south end of Isla Carmen up the coast to our first landing at Salinas Bay. Tucked into a protected bay on the north end of the island, Salinas was home to the Carmen Island salt works. Enormous deposits of salt were mined here from the time of the early Jesuit missionaries until 1984 when the salt works were finally closed. Today, Salinas is home to the rusting ruins of the salt works, with all the gears and wheels, rails and buckets that were used to move salt from these incredible natural deposits to ships waiting in the harbor during the commercial salt harvesting that began in the 1850s. The salt pan is currently filled with water and the scene is blindingly bright, icy blue and white. Salt crystals sparkle in the sunlight. Incredibly beautiful and unique, dramatic in its contrast to the historical relics scattered about.
After a few hours exploring the salt pan, buildings and remains of the salt works, we returned to the Sea Lion to begin working our way back south to Isla Danzante. Danzante is certainly one of the most beautiful islands in the Gulf of California. Bordered to the west by the jagged peaks of the Sierra de la Giganta on the Baja California peninsula and Isla Carmen to the northeast, it is undeniably set in one of the most scenic locales anywhere.
Lunch today was followed by a snorkel briefing in anticipation of our first afternoon of water sports. Once we dropped anchor, kayakers and snorkelers set out to enjoy this calm harbor. Later in the afternoon, hikers and photographers explored the steep slopes and remarkable views found throughout this island. Scanning the various highpoints of the island, we found our most intrepid hikers atop each ridgeline.
As the sun set behind the near hills, we returned to the Sea Lion, satisfied though somewhat exhausted from a long and rewarding day.
