Bahia de Concepcion, Baja California Sur, México
After a slow cruise through the night we awoke to a perfect sunrise in the Bahia de la Concepcion, one of the most beautiful bays along this peninsula of beautiful bays. After breakfast we split into two groups for kayaking and Zodiac cruises around two enchanting islets, Guapa (Spanish for “lovely”) and Bargo (perhaps a variation of barco “boat”). A cozy white sand beach served as our kayak launching area and from there we set off around Isla Bargo. As we paddled under a huge osprey nest whose occupant seemed barely awake, we passed within a few yards of a pair of American oystercatchers oblivious to our presence. Circling the island, blue-footed and brown boobies dived around us while cormorants eyed us warily from the rocks. Meanwhile the Zodiacs circled Isla Guapa and its two mushroom-like off-shore rocks, with boobies diving and magnificent frigate birds riding the thermals overhead. For many of us the greatest treat was a beautiful hidden cactus garden on Isla Guapa with cardons, pitahaya dulce, pitahaya agria, senita, mammalaria, and the strange red-spined cochemia cactus endemic to this region.
Lunch was an open air picnic on the aft deck of pizza (yum!) and ice cream (including that delicious Baja California flavor, pitahaya agria.) The afternoon was lazy travel time as we sailed from Bahia de la Concepcion toward our night’s anchorage off Isla Carmen. Some used the time for a siesta while others relaxed with a good book or pleasant conversation. As always, the avid birders and whale-watchers scanned the horizon with binoculars for birds and sea mammals, and to all our pleasure spotted a school of about a hundred dolphins who came over to the ship to ride the bow wave. After a fine dinner, most of us were willing to agree that a day in the Sea of Cortez beats just about any day at the office…
After a slow cruise through the night we awoke to a perfect sunrise in the Bahia de la Concepcion, one of the most beautiful bays along this peninsula of beautiful bays. After breakfast we split into two groups for kayaking and Zodiac cruises around two enchanting islets, Guapa (Spanish for “lovely”) and Bargo (perhaps a variation of barco “boat”). A cozy white sand beach served as our kayak launching area and from there we set off around Isla Bargo. As we paddled under a huge osprey nest whose occupant seemed barely awake, we passed within a few yards of a pair of American oystercatchers oblivious to our presence. Circling the island, blue-footed and brown boobies dived around us while cormorants eyed us warily from the rocks. Meanwhile the Zodiacs circled Isla Guapa and its two mushroom-like off-shore rocks, with boobies diving and magnificent frigate birds riding the thermals overhead. For many of us the greatest treat was a beautiful hidden cactus garden on Isla Guapa with cardons, pitahaya dulce, pitahaya agria, senita, mammalaria, and the strange red-spined cochemia cactus endemic to this region.
Lunch was an open air picnic on the aft deck of pizza (yum!) and ice cream (including that delicious Baja California flavor, pitahaya agria.) The afternoon was lazy travel time as we sailed from Bahia de la Concepcion toward our night’s anchorage off Isla Carmen. Some used the time for a siesta while others relaxed with a good book or pleasant conversation. As always, the avid birders and whale-watchers scanned the horizon with binoculars for birds and sea mammals, and to all our pleasure spotted a school of about a hundred dolphins who came over to the ship to ride the bow wave. After a fine dinner, most of us were willing to agree that a day in the Sea of Cortez beats just about any day at the office…
