This week we took the panga across the bay from Puerto San Carlos over to Puerto Magdalena on Isla Magdalena.
Conditions were perfect for the 3 days and 2 nights we were there. We spent our time fishing, exploring and basically just chilling Baja style.
We spent a day on the Pacific side with our friend Hernan Ruiz who runs an eco tourist operation catering to ocean activities for which these
nutrient rich waters are famous.
Grey whales are in the bay with Humpbacks in the Pacific, often in tight to shore putting in their show.
Bait ball diving season is over and the Grey whales are trickling in now, seemingly every year showing up just a bit later than the previous year.
We spent a very full day on the Pacigic side of the island. We surfed fish catching pargo and sea bass. We gathered crabs and mussels and had brought
some shrimp too. Shrimp in these parts is practically a daily meal item.
We set the disc up and had a good old fashioned beach side dinner. We played volleyball, the kids and this 71 year old man.
The kids had a metal detector and scoured the area hoping to find pirate booty. The island is famous for its stories of the diamonds, gold and silver
the pirates buried in the 16th through 18th breat to see the kids put down the hand devices and go out exploring and dreaming about the what ifs.
Later after nightfall we drove back across the island back to Puerto Magdalena and explored the 2 cemeteries there.
The first one is the original panteon from the 16th century or so the legend goes. It has been totally looted not even a single headstone remains and
of course stories abound of the tremendous riches dug up and taken away.
The gringos sailboat types catch most of the blame for the looting according to locals as they have used the island for shelter for hundreds of years.
The second pantheon is still used today, occasionally. It is rumored to be haunted and the kids were fascinated by the potential of fantasmas. Me
too.
It has rained abnormal amount this year and the island flora is springing to life every day greener and flowers beginning to peak about too. A few
more weeks and it will be epic.
That's it for now a few pics too. Too difficult to post elaborately on this forum from a cell phone on 4g. It is what it is.
Salud
More Isla Magdalena
Don Jorge - 1-31-2026 at 01:37 PM
Tioloco - 1-31-2026 at 02:32 PM
Sounds like a great trip and nice pics. Thank you!
Out of curiosity, what type of engine is on that panga? Cant see an outboard in the pic of it with sailboat. David K - 1-31-2026 at 03:34 PM
Just great, Don Jorge. Thanks for posting.chippy - 1-31-2026 at 03:39 PM
Excelente! What lucky kidsWhale-ista - 1-31-2026 at 05:55 PM
Amazing! Looks like a wonderful adventure.
Thank you for sharing!
Can you provide some captions/descriptions of the wonderful photos to help us understand where/what we're seeing?
PS- love the John Steinbeck quotes!
[Edited on 2-1-2026 by Whale-ista]Don Jorge - 1-31-2026 at 07:00 PM
Sounds like a great trip and nice pics. Thank you!
Out of curiosity, what type of engine is on that panga? Cant see an outboard in the pic of it with sailboat.
It is a gasoline Volvo motor and outdrive.Don Jorge - 1-31-2026 at 07:03 PM
Sounds like a great trip and nice pics. Thank you!
Out of curiosity, what type of engine is on that panga? Cant see an outboard in the pic of it with sailboat.
