Bajaboy
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Posts: 4375
Registered: 10-9-2003
Location: Bahia Asuncion, BCS, Mexico
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Paddling in paradise Sea of Cortez
The article has some beautiful pictures...Zac
http://www.calgaryherald.com/Travel/Paddling+paradise+with+k...
Paddling in paradise
Sea of Cortez
By Anne Georg, For the Calgary Herald, Calgary HeraldJanuary 28, 2009
For travel story by Anne Georg on kayaking the Baja. Photo by Anne Georg
For travel story by Anne Georg on kayaking the Baja. Photo by Anne Georg
Anne Georg
For the Calgary Herald
Sea of Cortez, Mexico
About an hour into our seven-day kayaking trip, we spotted the dolphins.
We were paddling through the turquoise, swimming pool-calm Sea of Cortez. At first, a group of about six dolphins jumped and glided in the water. Soon
another group appeared, romping among us. Then another and another. They stayed with us for a long while at fairly close range.
I felt blessed. I’ve heard dolphins bring good luck to seafarers. And I needed it. I’d never kayaked seriously before.
I’d tried it for a couple of hours several years ago. Now here I was in Baja California, Mexico, about to circumnavigate Isla Espiritu Santo (Holy
Spirit Island). Legendary diver Jacques Cousteau famously described the Sea of Cortez as the “world’s aquarium” and the “Galapagos of North America.”
Over the next seven days, my British companions, Simon and Emili Perry, and I would cover almost 70 kilometres on that ocean, exploring the coves and
crannies of the uninhabited island. Ben Gillam, owner of Baja Outdoor Activities (BOA) and the outfitter for the excursion, joined us for the first
few days.
We were on what BOA calls a “co-operatively catered” trip. That meant we hauled all of our equipment in our kayaks, helped set up camp, cook, clean
and perform other tasks.
Tulio Gonzalez led the expedition. The young biologist from Mexico City had fallen for the deserts and oceans, wildlife and lifestyle of Baja
California. Besides his expertise in local marine, bird, plant and wildlife, Tulio was a good cook and he mixed a mean margarita. He had an impish
sense of humour and was serene and competent.
When we reached the island by skiff, Tulio gave us basic dryland training and simple safety tips, including “always wear sunscreen, a hat and
sunglasses.” Not a sliver of shade was in sight.
He took us into the sea to teach us the wet exit.
We capsized our kayaks by leaning over one side, turned them upside down and released ourselves. The idea of being upside down under water was more
daunting than was the manoeuvre itself. We aced it and got ready for lunch.
Our skiff captain went to search for the sweet red fruit of the pitaya cactus, a local delicacy.
We heard him yell as he was stopped cold in his tracks by a coiled rattlesnake, ready to attack. We gathered around to watch as it retreated under the
cactus, tracking us with wary serpentine eyes.
The excitement subsided and we made do with lunch without pitaya fruit.
We packed our kayaks and began to paddle to our first camp.
“Become one with your kayak,” Tulio advised as he saw me struggle.
“Push, don’t pull,” he repeated as I tried to grasp the mechanics of paddling.
The idea, Tulio explained, is to avoid arm fatigue by pushing the paddle with the large back muscles, instead of pulling with the smaller, weaker
biceps.
I appreciated the advice at the end of each day when my muscles felt well worked, but not sore.
The still water of the Sea of Cortez is a perfect training ground for novice kayakers, like myself.
The area has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its striking natural beauty and abundance of bird and marine life creates a unique
eco-region.
Shortly after were surrounded by the luck-bearing dolphins, we had the good fortune to witness four sea turtles bobbing alongside of us.
The timid creatures quickly disappeared.
And avian life was just as ubiquitous. Tulio constantly pointed out ospreys, herons, egrets, blue-footed boobies and red-throated frigates.
As we paddled we scanned the horizon for marine life, often spotting schools of silver flying fish leaping over the sea’s surface.
Below the surface thrives the aquarium Jacques Cousteau spoke about.
It is home to 891 species of fish, 39 per cent of the world’s total number of marine mammal species and one-third of the world’s marine whale and
dolphin species. It’s a snorkeller’s nirvana and a pelican’s feast.
At sunset, when they can see their prey exceptionally well, the ungainly birds hunt in shallow water near the beach.
Large groups of pelicans cruise the sky; one or another plunges headfirst into the ocean and lands with a loud, inelegant “splosh.” It emerges, fish
in beak and flies off again.
The scene repeats itself as the sun sets, an enthralling and funny spectacle against a visually stunning backdrop.
We watched them and other avian hunters from the beach as we drank our happy hour c-cktail, a rum concoction with diced tropical fruit, which we
called Pelican Punch in honour of the entertainment.
On our second day of paddling Ben pointed ahead and shouted “Whale!“
In the distance was a fountain of spray and we heard the signature huffing. A long, black back skimmed the surface.
We lingered, hoping for a second view. We were rewarded.
The whale had a partner and the two of them swam in a large, lazy circle around us, at times less than a city block away from the kayaks.
Tulio identified them as minke whales, one of the smaller local species. The largest of the duo was about eight metres long.
More natural encounters lay ahead. The Sea of Cortez is home to a sea lion colony; on day three, when the skiff came to resupply us, we grabbed our
snorkels and caught a ride to Los Islotes island to get a close-up look.
The sea lions basked on their rocky island, barking and sliding into the water from time to time for a swim and a frolic, or a fight.
The pups are especially playful. While we snorkelled they acted like any child would, showing off and enticing us to play with them.
When I engaged one of them in play, she swam quickly to me, turned upside down below me inches away from my face and looked directly into my eyes. She
then made a large arc, and to my delight, she returned and repeated the game several times.
Just to my left I noticed two territorial males feuding under water, sharp teeth barred at one another.
Each day I got closer to “becoming one” with my kayak.
Meanwhile, I was merging with the salt, the sea and the atmosphere of the Sea of Cortez.
We became beach bums, camping on five of the numerous wild, white-sand beaches of Isla Espiritu Santo.
Behind us were inhospitable deserts, barren moonscapes, red cliffs, or a rumble of boulders strewn haphazardly about by an ancient volcano.
Walks into the cliffs and deserts revealed several varieties of cacti, among them the world’s largest: the Cardon, which can live for hundreds of
years.
On one trip into a red canyon, Tulio showed us rock paintings left by aboriginals thousands of years ago.
We spent long evenings preparing our dinner, always a nourishing feast, complete with dessert and wine.
We had shrimp, fish, chicken, beef, prepared with Mexican flavours and lots of fresh ingredients.
Then we’d sit on the beach and look into a night sky brimming with stars.
One night Tulio told us the legend of El Pechudo (the Hairy One), an angry aboriginal pearl diver who died holding the largest pearl ever seen in the
Sea of Cortez. But not before he’d put a curse on the island.
That night when Emili left her tent, she saw the eyes of the island’s ringtail cat gleaming in the beam of her flashlight. We speculated that it was
El Pechudo in disguise, coming to check us out.
The final morning I awoke to a soft sunrise. We enjoyed our breakfast of fruit, granola and a mushroom omelette.
We packed our gear one last time and headed across the channel back to the Baja Peninsula.
As I paddled away from the enchanted Isla Espiritu Santo, gliding over the sparkling Sea of Cortez, I noticed my paddle stroke was seamless, smooth
and silent. I had “become one” with my kayak.
Our expedition had been magical, adventurous and safe.
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Sallysouth
Super Nomad
Posts: 1835
Registered: 10-9-2003
Location: Capo Beach
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Mood: missing Baja...
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Sorry, page not found..thats what came up ...
Happiness is just a Baja memory away...
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Bajaboy
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4375
Registered: 10-9-2003
Location: Bahia Asuncion, BCS, Mexico
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Odd-looks like a space in story at the end of the URL...I went to correct it and it's okay when I try to edit...anyways, here's a tiny url that seems
to work:
http://tinyurl.com/cz92de
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bacquito
Super Nomad
Posts: 1615
Registered: 3-6-2007
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Mood: jubilado
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Good article! Thanks
bacquito
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