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We set sail and tacked our way into sixteen knot winds and five to six foot seas to arrive here at Ensenada Grande on the little island of Isla Partida yesterday morning. The windows that Iris had just cleaned the day before were now a disaster from sea spray washing over Desert Vision. After splashing the kayaks we began exploring the clearest water we’ve yet seen just below the cliffs and boulders. It was easy to see every detail in five to eight fathoms of the calm blue stuff. I have named this speed snorkeling. We didn’t even need masks, snorkels and fins.
We eventually landed on the white sand beach and spoke with a couple who were kayaking around the whole island. They had hired a panga to deliver them, their kayaks, camping supplies, food and all the water they would need for the next three weeks. And they carried it all including water proof movie cameras on their two kayaks. These were true adventurers.
12/5/12
Today we splashed the dingy and motor and headed north toward Los Islotes. This is a tiny island north of Partida which is the home of a large Sea lion colony. Apparently you can swim with these playful fellows who will even nip at your swim fins. After about forty minutes of pounding into building winds and waves, with the island but a mile away we decided it best to turn our tiny dingy around and go back. Along the way back we drove out to Rocas Tintorera, a smaller virsion of Los Islotes containing a small portion of the colony. After that we explored another beach, spoke with some folks on a sailboat who had moored next to us in San Diego, swam, snorkeled and made water to top off our tanks with the clean clear water here before we head south.
Tomorrow we will move on and try to anchor Desert Vision at Los Islotes for a couple of hours before rounding the head of these islands to begin our journey south along the east side of the chain to La Paz. There are many chores just ahead for it is time to begin readying Desert Vision for her very lonely month of marina life while Iris and I head home to the chilly and damp northwest for Christmas.
We have been having problems with the SSB radio and so I will wait to post these until we have wifi.
Love,
Michael