Isla del Carmen, Baja California
Many of us woke to the effect of swells against our bow as we made our way to Isla del Carmen, an island about 18 miles long and three to five miles wide. On the east side there is a salt evaporation area that has been in use since the 1700’s. Bighorn sheep have been introduced to this private preserve for hunting, and about four hundred now roam the island. For us it offers fantastic hiking in a very wild place and sandy beaches for an afternoon of aquatic activities.
Morning hikers walked along a beautiful sandy arroyo. Palo blanco and palo verde trees were set against a volcanic backdrop of coarse reddish rocks stuck together like a giant granola bar. Hikers had many options. Some strolled the flat canyon bottoms, while others clambered up steep 10-foot steps and wound their way ever higher through narrow passages and up crumbling slopes. The longest hike ended on a ridge with stunning views south towards Isla Monserrat and the Sierra de la Giganta. We could also see geologically uplifted and stranded beaches that were once lapped by the sea. Today’s photograph shows the view from the top. It shows the area where we later snorkeled and paddled. Two of our guests sat patiently and scanned the ridges and flats to be rewarded by five desert bighorns on a distant hillside.
Later in the day we set up our activities in a cove. Here there was protection from waves that wrapped around the island from the north. Snorkelers saw porcupine fish, sergeant majors, giant damsel fish and king angels. Kayakers honed their techniques in swells as they looked upon the shoreline of beige cliffs and distant mountains torn from the mainland. Guests on a Zodiac cruise poked into a cave that had a ceiling imbedded with fossil sand dollars and shells from long ago. They also listened to the kawoosh of the waves that bounced back from the overhanging shelves at sea level. As the sun and its light began to disappear, the air turned cool and lured us back to the comfort of the ship.
Many of us woke to the effect of swells against our bow as we made our way to Isla del Carmen, an island about 18 miles long and three to five miles wide. On the east side there is a salt evaporation area that has been in use since the 1700’s. Bighorn sheep have been introduced to this private preserve for hunting, and about four hundred now roam the island. For us it offers fantastic hiking in a very wild place and sandy beaches for an afternoon of aquatic activities.
Morning hikers walked along a beautiful sandy arroyo. Palo blanco and palo verde trees were set against a volcanic backdrop of coarse reddish rocks stuck together like a giant granola bar. Hikers had many options. Some strolled the flat canyon bottoms, while others clambered up steep 10-foot steps and wound their way ever higher through narrow passages and up crumbling slopes. The longest hike ended on a ridge with stunning views south towards Isla Monserrat and the Sierra de la Giganta. We could also see geologically uplifted and stranded beaches that were once lapped by the sea. Today’s photograph shows the view from the top. It shows the area where we later snorkeled and paddled. Two of our guests sat patiently and scanned the ridges and flats to be rewarded by five desert bighorns on a distant hillside.
Later in the day we set up our activities in a cove. Here there was protection from waves that wrapped around the island from the north. Snorkelers saw porcupine fish, sergeant majors, giant damsel fish and king angels. Kayakers honed their techniques in swells as they looked upon the shoreline of beige cliffs and distant mountains torn from the mainland. Guests on a Zodiac cruise poked into a cave that had a ceiling imbedded with fossil sand dollars and shells from long ago. They also listened to the kawoosh of the waves that bounced back from the overhanging shelves at sea level. As the sun and its light began to disappear, the air turned cool and lured us back to the comfort of the ship.
