Isla Espiritu Santo

Bahia San Gabriel - Isla Espiritu Santo

Sheer Cliffs and Turquoise Waters

Stratified Cliffs - a great place to kayak and snorkel

Isla Espiritu Santo

After rounding the tip of Baja, we continued north into the Sea of Cortez, heading for the beautiful island of Espiritu Santo (Spirit Saint). It is indeed a heavenly place with clear turquoise waters, white sandy beaches, and green cactus proudly standing among the red rock cliffs revealing a striking contrast of colors. We anchored in the bay of San Gabriel and spent the day swimming and snorkeling in the warm, crystal clear water. The water is so clear we could see our anchor chain lying on the sandy bottom a few feet below. We abandoned our cold-water mindset of the north and embraced the warm waters of Cortez. We took the dinghy and anchored it near the rock cliffs where the four of us spent time snorkeling - gliding through schools of brightly colored fish and corral. We also had fun using the kayaks for a trip to the beach; I had brought my hiking shoes and walked to the top of a ridge for a beautiful vista over the bay. The following day we motored further up the island and anchored in the cove of Ensenada Grande where we witnessed a beautiful sunset and star studded night, a perfect finale for our island visit with friends Pam and Bruce. The island of Espiritu Santo is indeed a special place and is part of the National Park island chain that was created in 2003 by an alliance of Mexican and U.S. conservation groups to protect migratory birds, sea turtles, and numerous species of fish, a true National treasure.