The Stunning Sea of Cortez

White Sandy Beach at Isla San Francisco

Stratified Layers of the Sierra de la Giganta

A Fishing Boat at Bahia de Agua Verde

Got d' Fever at Bahia de Agua Verde

From La Paz we headed north to experience more of the Sea of Cortez and stopped at Isla San Francisco for an overnight anchorage. The island has a beautiful crescent bay with white sandy beaches caressed by hillsides that glow red at sunset. The impressive mountains on the Baja coast are lit by the morning light and we could see several stratified layers along the Sierra de la Giganta. These mountains are indeed giants and incredibly breathtaking. The mountains are a result of the gradual shifting of land masses (plates) that began 63-230 million years ago when the North American and Pacific Plates began to collide, pushing up mountains from Alaska to the tip of Baja. Over a period of tens of millions of years, Baja pulled far enough away from the mainland to open up the Sea of Cortez. Today Baja continues to drift northward and geologists predict it will eventually become an island. As we cruised along the Baja coastline, we were awe struck by the interesting formations and sheer size of this mountain range. The impressive mountains, lovely islands, and numerous inviting coves in the Sea of Cortez reminded us of cruising in the Pacific Northwest except for the dryer climate and the presence of cactus and Mangroves instead of Evergreen trees. Continuing north, we spent the next night anchored in Bahia de Agua Verde, aptly named for its blue waters surrounded by lush green mountains. Nestled at the foot of the mountains is a small fishing village hidden among the palm trees and mangroves. We had fun exploring the cove by dinghy and also hiked to the top of a hill for some great views of the bay. Our next stop before reaching our destination of Loreto was the small intimate bay of Honeymoon Cove on Isla Danzante (Island Dancer). This tiny cove has room for only one or two boats and seems to be a popular place for numerous species of birds, perhaps it's the site of a favorite love nest.