Despite the roll of a persistent north wind swell, we found protection on the south side of a tiny islet just north of Isla Partida. Once mistaken for a snow capped red rock spire, Los Islotes is home to hundreds of seabirds who paint the rock with their blanching guano and another hundred or more California sea lions down at the water’s edge. Undersea specialist Ian and I went for a dive to explore the exposed western side of the island and encountered clear water dotted with thousands of feeding fish. We kicked against a strong current towards the crashing swell as barberfish (butterflyfish), creolefish (anthias), yellowtail surgeon fish, and many other species fed on drifting food on the incoming current. Even cup corals had their neon yellow tentacles extended, swaying in the nourishing currents. Nestled amidst the convoluted branches of a giant sea fan, we found a mated pair of long-nosed hawkfish, a personal favorite replete with red reticulated pattern and a curiously long snout.
As the morning continued, guests donned their wet gear for an up-close encounter of their own. Dozens of young California sea lions rolled and twisted with the guests for the better part of the morning under clear skies and strong sunlight. It was the perfect morning for snorkeling. When sea lions weren’t nearby, the amazing piscine denizens distracted us until the next pinnipeds flyby occurred.
Northward progress being thwarted by a headwind, we ventured south to the protected coves of Isla Partida and Isla Espiritu Santo. Tucked into the shallow, emerald green anchorage of Ensanada Grande, we explored the island’s interior on hikes and underwater while snorkeling. Shadows grows grew longer as hikers scrambled up the island’s verdant arroyo under the watchful eye of antelope ground squirrels and Isla Partida jackrabbits. A ubiquitous golden glow grew in the western sky, signaling the end of another classic Baja California day and the beginning of tomorrow’s great adventure.
