Isla Espiritu Santo

Oct0ber-November 1995

This is an article from WaveLength Magazine, available in print in North America and globally on the web.

Sea kayaking on the Sea of Cortez

by Ben Gillam

In the southern half of Baja, just 80 miles north of the Tropic of Cancer, nestles a pretty seaside town with an enchanting palm-fringed promenade and pleasant climate -- La Paz, state capital of Baja California Sur, with an international airport and ferry to the Mexican mainland.

Just offshore near La Paz is Isla Espiritu Santo, often referred to as 'the jewel' of the Sea of the Cortez. The island has both arid tropical forest and desert vegetation, as well as the unique plant and animal ecosystem associated with mangrove lagoons. The west coast is studded with beautiful white sandy bays and many are backed by spectacular canyons, some of which slice right through the island. Evidence of aboriginal presence and tales of a one-time prosperous pearl industry add to the mystery of the island.

Hidden in the island's interior are two enormous salt water lagoons formed from volcanic craters. Other extraordinary volcanic and sandstone formations are best viewed from the east side of the island, where the tilted ranges rise up to a height of 2000 feet. At the northern end are two islets and a protective reef which a colony of sea lions makes its permanent residence.

It's not infrequent for paddlers to be surrounded by curious sea lion pups and to have them playfully dart around you when snorkelling. There are also hundreds of schooling dolphins, giant manta rays which surge right out of the water, whale sharks (gentle giants that are actually the world's biggest fish), and a variety of whales including humpbacks, fins, blue whales and others.

One paddler described a whale encounter in this way:

"My ribs were still aching from the evening before -- I never laughed so much watching squadrons of pelicans dive-bombing for fish all around my kayak. It was as if they had gone crazy, smashing into the water with fierce explosions. Someone was just pointing out another squadron of these lunatic birds flying perfect formation when a sound similar to a gun shot echoed in the hills above Tecolote.

A moment later the noise repeated itself and the guide called 'Whale dead ahead!" I craned my neck forward, scrutinizing the horizon but saw nothing. Suddenly slap... slap... slap... The sound was no longer an echo. The whale had swum closer and was whacking the water with its fins as it rotated on the surface about 500 meters away.

Our guide excitedly explained that we were witnessing part of a Humpback whale courtship ritual.

'Whoosh'... the water exploded 150 meters from our kayaks as a whale poised vertically, with only its tail remaining in the water.

What an awesome site. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. If swimming with sea lions a couple of days before and watching the dolphins gracefully leaping in the setting sun had been memorable experiences, this exhibition was simply unbelievable!

Just 40 meters away two long smooth black backs gently arched above the water, followed by two enormous tails in perfect synchronization.

We rafted up and sat speechless. Now it was silent.... eerie. No sign of them anywhere.

Suddenly the sea tore open and a white wave shot towards us. A whale towered up above us, so close we could clearly see the clumps of barnacles and the mottled pattern on its underside -- I could even smell its stale fishy breath! A large eye observed our tiny gathering of kayaks with apparent indifference, then our visitor keeled sideways and disappeared in a dramatic explosion of water.

We didn't see the whales again, but I was left with a kind of privileged feeling, almost as if this tremendous show had been just for us."

Ben Gillam organizes week-long excursions and outfits individuals for Espiritu Santo trips. As a qualified British Canoe Union (BCU) instructor, he also offers BCU proficiency certification training. Contact Ben at Baja Outdoor Activities, email: paddle@kayakinbaja.com