Los Islotes and Isla Espiritu Santo, Baja California Sur, México
Under a gray sky (marvelous rain for a desert!) we approached Los Islotes, off the northern tip of Isla Espíritu Santo (Holy Ghost). This is a rookery of some 400 California Sea Lions, as well as a roosting site for innumerable seabirds, including magnificent frigate birds, turkey vultures, brown boobies and blue-footed boobies. At this time of the year we can see a good number of babies and immature sea lions, playfully frolicking in the waters around these islets. So we promptly boarded our Zodiacs and toured the island slowly. After this we snorkeled with these animals, enjoying the great difference in their maneuverability underwater, as well as their speed, which put us to terrible shame!
After lunch we had moved to the southern point of the island, where we had very interesting hikes into the plain and hills of this segment of the island. Here it was that we saw the endemic black jackrabbit, and a very rare cactus, the pencil cactus, exceedingly rare in all these islands. And what a beach, seemingly miles long to beach comb.
Under a gray sky (marvelous rain for a desert!) we approached Los Islotes, off the northern tip of Isla Espíritu Santo (Holy Ghost). This is a rookery of some 400 California Sea Lions, as well as a roosting site for innumerable seabirds, including magnificent frigate birds, turkey vultures, brown boobies and blue-footed boobies. At this time of the year we can see a good number of babies and immature sea lions, playfully frolicking in the waters around these islets. So we promptly boarded our Zodiacs and toured the island slowly. After this we snorkeled with these animals, enjoying the great difference in their maneuverability underwater, as well as their speed, which put us to terrible shame!
After lunch we had moved to the southern point of the island, where we had very interesting hikes into the plain and hills of this segment of the island. Here it was that we saw the endemic black jackrabbit, and a very rare cactus, the pencil cactus, exceedingly rare in all these islands. And what a beach, seemingly miles long to beach comb.
