Located in the Sea of Cortez just off the coast from La Paz, Isla Espiritu Santo and its sister Isla la Partida make up part of a protected biosphere. Here the land and especially the waters are protected under UNESCO and have become an important ecotourist destination. The islands are both mostly uninhabited. There is a small temporary fishing village located near the thin isthmus that barely connects the two islands to each other. While concessions have been made to allow the local fisherman to continue to survive, the area has been kept pristine to encourage the protection of rare fish and aquatic plant life endemic only to these islands. Many of the locals play a role in the local tourism showing off the island and showcasing its natural beauties. For those not lucky enough to live nearby, a great way to explore the area is under the guidance of Alaska Mountain Guides.
Having had the chance to paddle for six days around these two islands was a wonderful experience. The days of paddling were not long and there were many things to see. Each day we would get up and break camp heading for another campsite. We would load the boats, enjoy breakfast then hit the water trail. Lunch was either at the next campsite or in one of the many secluded inlets. The conditions we experienced were clear each day with very few clouds to obstruct views. The tidal range, of several feet, gave us the opportunity to view life on the rocks in the intertidal zone, catching sight of red crabs and sea urchins. Pelicans were the mainstay of the trip. Each evening after setting up camp we would sit back on the beach and watch the pelicans dive for fish. We also saw frigate birds as well as fish jumping out of the water. One day in particular, we watched a sting-ray flinging itself out of the water, flipping and frolicking in the air. Further out, we could see the plumes of whales surfacing for air, and watch the sea lions frolicking in the water.
To the west side of Isla Espiritu Santo and Isla la Partida are a series of islands, many of which are bird rookeries. Frigates and pelicans as well as migratory bird and some seagulls make their homes on these islands during the nesting season. One island on the northwest corner of Isla la Partida was also a sea lion rookery. Landing on the island is off limits, but there were several mooring buoys available. We moored our kayaks, grabbed up the snorkeling gear and jumped in to swim with the sea lions. Sea lions are curious by nature and the younger sea lions came over to explore and check us out. The older sea lions kept their distance but also came out to see. Having been told to expect several nips was one thing, but getting a nip from a sea lion is pretty scary the first few times. Most of the sea lions were harmless and just swam nearby. A rare few were a little more amorous and would nip and rub much to our chagrin. The sea lions move through the water with a grace we will never achieve. It was so fun to watch them twisting and diving through the water in a graceful ballet.
For the most part the weather and water conditions were in our favor. We did get a sprinkling of rain one of our five nights, the first night of course. The waters of the Sea of Cortez can be rather rough at times, but we were graced with calm waters with minor ocean swells. The wind would pick up in the afternoon most days but we were at or near our next campsite by then. The wind would generally die down in the early evening. We did have ocean conditions kick up late one afternoon to larger swells, rough conditions and strong headwinds. Being out of shape and paddling fully loaded boats through larger ocean swells was not much fun and everyone was more than happy to collapse exhausted on the beach. 
Each landing area and campsite is located within protected inlets. With the restricted numbers of tourists, almost all of the beaches and inlets that we visited were empty. Some of the inlets offer limited snorkeling and it was amazing to see far so far into the clear water. The waters are very clear here and it was fascinating to watch small schools of fish moving through and around rocks. I saw an electric eel partially buried under the soft sand. Other inlets offered mangroves teaming with life. Many varieties of herons as well as pelicans could be easily seen roosting in trees or along the water's edge seeking out fish. Small fish would dart in and out from between the mangrove roots for protection as they grow. We paddled through one lagoon with mangrove our second day on the island and it had such a calm inviting atmosphere. The waters were clear enough to watch the fish, which varied in size from small fry to larger adult fish.
After making camp, the island was our playground. The island has a few trails on it, each campsite with its own unmarked trail. Each night we would climb up to a different point, mesa or overlook to watch the sun set. The terrain had the look and feel of baked clay and was mostly a uniform red. In spite of the baked nature of the ground, life was still able to gain a tenuous hold in cracks and under rocks. We saw many cacti as well as some trees growing out from under rocks and in cracks. Other then the local bird population, we didn't see much of the other wildlife associated with the island. The islands are home to blacktailed jack rabbit, ring-tailed cat, ground squirrel, marine turtles, and resident sea lions. During the day we would mostly see various fish, crabs and other small marine animals. With few clouds in the sky and little light pollution, the star gazing was simply phenomenal. It is hard to remember how many stars there are when light pollution from the city washes out the pale light from the stars. One night we laid out on the beach after eating trying to name and locate as many constellations as we could. We could certainly name more then we found in the star mass. Kayaking and camping around these islands has been a rare and wonderful adventure.This story was originally posted May 5, 2010.
No comments:
Post a Comment