Isla Angel de la Guarda and Bahia Alcatraz
The pre-breakfast cruise received a lot of attention. Four Zodiacs, packed with our guests, most wrapped in warm clothing to ward off the cool air, zipped away to circle the islet of Isla Granita for a little early morning exploration. A colony of California sea lions call this home.
Sometime during the night, we had slipped away from our evening anchorage and maneuvered our ship to the north end of Isla Angel de la Guarda. It is known as Mexico’s longest island and is separated from the peninsula by a deep channel called Canal de Ballenas. After wolfing down a hearty breakfast, we set ashore at Puerto Refugio. This awesome rock mass is thinly covered with desert scrub vegetation characterized by cardones and elephant trees. Just back from the beach on higher land, brown pelicans had set up a nursery in a deep arroyo. Hungry squawking babies, sometimes three to a nest built on the tops of the young elephant trees, clung precariously while they demanded to be fed by an overwhelmed parent. Yellow-footed gulls cruised the edges, hoping to make a meal out of some hapless chick abandoned by its guardians.
Bahia Alcatraz, located on the east side of the peninsula, would provide us with many opportunities for late afternoon and evening activities. Scuba divers and snorkelers decided to “go for it” and bravely plunged into the cool water found here. Forests of brown sargassum algae stretched vertically towards the surface suspended by their spherical bladders. A lone butterfly ray swept up its huge angular “wings” and glided gracefully away from us. Several California sheepsheads charged along, pink and white pectoral fins pumping up and down erratically.
Meanwhile, our busy crew had transformed the desert into an oasis. Lip-smacking barbeque ribs, tangy crunchy coleslaw and tortilla chips smothered with a spicy guacamole played havoc with our taste buds. All of this was washed down with ice-cold margaritas. The sweet aromatic smell of burning copal assailed our nostrils as William’s compelling voice conjured up visions of ancient deities. To the west, Venus abruptly left with the setting sun and up in the sky, Sirius, Orion’s Belt and the Big Dipper lit up the night. It is at this moment that I feel very blessed and know that I want to stay in this magical place forever…
The pre-breakfast cruise received a lot of attention. Four Zodiacs, packed with our guests, most wrapped in warm clothing to ward off the cool air, zipped away to circle the islet of Isla Granita for a little early morning exploration. A colony of California sea lions call this home.
Sometime during the night, we had slipped away from our evening anchorage and maneuvered our ship to the north end of Isla Angel de la Guarda. It is known as Mexico’s longest island and is separated from the peninsula by a deep channel called Canal de Ballenas. After wolfing down a hearty breakfast, we set ashore at Puerto Refugio. This awesome rock mass is thinly covered with desert scrub vegetation characterized by cardones and elephant trees. Just back from the beach on higher land, brown pelicans had set up a nursery in a deep arroyo. Hungry squawking babies, sometimes three to a nest built on the tops of the young elephant trees, clung precariously while they demanded to be fed by an overwhelmed parent. Yellow-footed gulls cruised the edges, hoping to make a meal out of some hapless chick abandoned by its guardians.
Bahia Alcatraz, located on the east side of the peninsula, would provide us with many opportunities for late afternoon and evening activities. Scuba divers and snorkelers decided to “go for it” and bravely plunged into the cool water found here. Forests of brown sargassum algae stretched vertically towards the surface suspended by their spherical bladders. A lone butterfly ray swept up its huge angular “wings” and glided gracefully away from us. Several California sheepsheads charged along, pink and white pectoral fins pumping up and down erratically.
Meanwhile, our busy crew had transformed the desert into an oasis. Lip-smacking barbeque ribs, tangy crunchy coleslaw and tortilla chips smothered with a spicy guacamole played havoc with our taste buds. All of this was washed down with ice-cold margaritas. The sweet aromatic smell of burning copal assailed our nostrils as William’s compelling voice conjured up visions of ancient deities. To the west, Venus abruptly left with the setting sun and up in the sky, Sirius, Orion’s Belt and the Big Dipper lit up the night. It is at this moment that I feel very blessed and know that I want to stay in this magical place forever…
