Cliffs and sacred seas

The La Paz area is traversed by the Coromuel winds. Considered a great event during summer sunsets, the name of these winds comes from the pirate Cromwell who, thanks to the currents of the same name, arrived in La Paz Bay. The winds reach all the way to the islands of Espíritu Santo and La Partida, each with 13 coves along their eastern shores.

During our visit to La Paz we took a wonderful tour with Fun Baja, a dive and snorkeling outfit located in the Palmira Marina. On the trip, we witnessed one of the most fascinating natural scenes in the Sea of Cortez: the Espíritu Santo Island and Los Islotes.

In 1960, marines tried to establish a base in El Candelero cove and brought along goats. After battling the conditions of the island, they decided to leave and left the goats behind. Since then, wild goats are part of the fauna and this has become a problem because they eat wildlife that is endemic to Espíritu Santo.

 

 

The fauna includes black jackrabbit, the barbisuri and rattle snake. Among the bird species are fork-tailed flycatchers, pelicans, seagulls, sea eagles and brown- and blue-footed brown boobies. Among the flora are cacti, viznaga, chamizo (elephant tree), mesquite, torote and fresh water mangroves. Near the island you can find some species of whales (orca, sperm, blue and humpback) as well as different types of dolphin (spotted, bicolor twocolored and common).  

 

Text: Adriana Ortega ± Photo: Rodrigo Pérez del Toro, Alfredo Blasquez