Traveled to La Paz, Baja Sur on March 21. On March 23, we met our guides Jose Juan and Juan Pablo. At the Baja Expeditions warehouse, sixteen women lined up (or scrambled) to be fitted for our wetsuits, fins, snorkels, masks, and lifejackets rather PFDs. We later learned to say PFD as a life jacket will not save your life. We were in and out of tight fitting wet suits until the right size was found. What do you mean that I am not a Medium??? That is what fit me fifteen years ago!
We traveled from the main land across a four mile open area and then along the west coast of Isla Espiritu Santo in two pangas. These boats traveled at a rapid speed and we arrived at Caleta El Candelero or Candlestick Cove. Along the shoreline were eight sun bleached white cabin tents.....each about 15' x'15' with two sleeping cots with mattresses, sleeping bag, sheet, pillow and blanket plus an extra cot for our gear. Floor was sand with a floor mat by each cot. This tent was spacious and airy. Since the floor was sand.....we did not worry about bringing sand into our tents. No need to clean feet outside the door. This sand was very coarse and did not cling like desert sand. It was made up of sea crushed shells.
In addition to our tents there were tents for the crew, a large dining tent with long table and sixteen plastic garden chairs, storage tent, and a cook tent. There were solar panels to provide light at dinner time. The cook tent had a kitchen stove complete with oven.
The setting for our camp was turquoise sea as our front yard and orange rocky hills and canyon behind us. There seemed to be a constant breeze to cool us. Two islands in our cove provided a launching place for the many pelicans and gulls. We could sit and watch the pelicans dive over and over again for their catch of fish.
Our first challenge was to take part in the required "dry exit" from a kayak. Many of us had a fear of this.....I being one of them. Others did not want to get dunk their hair in salty water. We all had to take part. With trepidation, we waded out almost to the first island before we found water deep enough for the test. Elaine bravely volunteered to go first. When it was my turn, it was not as bad as anticipated. My partner and I tipped over the kayak, we were suspended upside down, pulled tab on skirt, pushed to the side, and we were out.Phew! Glad to get that out of the way.
It was a bit windy with waves for our first day of kayaking. Our in experience with sea kayaks and the useful pedals controling the rudder, kept us in our cove for the first lesson. In the afternoon we snorkeled around Monument Island.....one of the islands visible from our campsite. For a first experience, it was somewhat interesting. There were many fish....but, not a huge variety. Water was cool, but, I was comfortable staying in the water for about 45 minutes since I was wearing my wetsuit.
The next day was calmer and we ventured out to Calleta Ballena a couple of coves away from our camp. Beached at Ballena Playa and took a short, steep hike up the red rocks to an overlook with pictographs of a bird. From our high point, we looked out at the blue waters and our colorful kayaks lined up on the white beach below.
After lunch, we snorkeled around the island in front of our site. This time, I saw more fish plus two starfish.
Our next morning's excursion was to Islas Los Isoltes where there is a colony of 400 sea lions......and an elephant seal. On our way we encountered several dolphins and watched them for a while.
Then we continued to our sea lion island destination. Many of us were apprehensive about snorkeling with the sea lions (myself included). It turned out to be a great experience. Perhaps that was because the sea lions did not get as close to us as they did the last time I was here. What a great experience to listen to the barking of the sea lions and to watch them play. The big males were black, the females were brown, and the nine month old pups were both colors. It amazed me how they are able to climb up on the rocks to lie in stange positions upon the rocky island. We remained in the water for quite a while. As we got closer to the island, the sea lions came curious and came out to play. I only encountered a couple of them....and did not touch them. The experience of being out there with the sea lions was a wonderful one.
I thought that our panga driver was taking us right back to camp following our sea lion snorkel experience. But, no.....we were heading towards the main land. We soon found out why. WHALES. There were blue whales and fin tail whales. We watched them spout and dive over and over again. What a thrill to be so close and to watch them. After lunch at camp, we went back out to watch the whales. This was certainly an unexpected pleasure.
When we awoke on the last island day, it was windy. Some of us kayaked around our cove and others took a hike to the box canyon behind our site.
More later.....time for breakfast at Casabuena.
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