We experienced a gorgeous dawn at Ensenada Grande, which is located north of Archipiélago Espíritu Santo, a national park.
In 1978, flora and fauna zones were declared protected on the islands in the Gulf of California. Due to a modification to the Mexican Constitution in 1992, 90 hectares of the island were divided and offered for sale. After a negotiation between nonprofit entities and the Ejido Bonfil in 2003, the land was expropriated and given to the National Commission of Protected Natural Areas (CONANP) for conservation.
Due to their ecological relevance, UNESCO recorded 244 islands in the gulf as part of Mankind’s Heritage in 2005. This included the Espíritu Santo Archipelago, which was declared a Marine National Park in 2007 by a Presidential Treaty.
The island is the result of two different geological events. The first occurred 45 to 60 million years ago when El Rosario erupted. A second eruption around four to five million years ago caused the peninsula to drift over the Pacific Plate. Thanks to these events, we now enjoy a fascinating landscape comprised of lava flows, igneous rocks, and volcanic ash. We hiked a trail that led us to “Los Muellecitos” cliff, which towers 140 meters above the beach.
Several species of cacti, legumes, vines, and a few rock figs helped us learn about the desert. After a few hours of exploration, we returned to our floating home to continue sailing to La Paz, where we enjoyed a fiesta at the Malecon.
