The Sea of Cortez in Baja California Sur, is a cruiser’s wonderland with hundreds of islands, islets and coves to explore. Isla Espiritu Santo, the twelfth largest island in Mexico, is located 16 miles from La Paz and is the result of a series of earthquakes and volcanic activity thousands of years ago. Layer upon layer of lava and ash create an earthy toned rainbow of cliffs with the highest peak being over 1800 ft and a land mass of 31 sq mi.
On the windswept eastern side are a number of caves accessible by small boat, with several having teeny beaches when the tide is low and incredible snorkeling holes in calm weather. Exploring the caves can only be safely done when the winds are low or coming from the west. We had to abort our first expedition with a group of six other dinghies as the wind and chop were too rough.
Our second attempt with friends Alex and Paige off SV Chandelle was perfect. We zipped along the rugged coast, scanning the shore for cave openings. You won’t find these pinpointed on any map, but local panga guides know where they are and often poke their bow into them for the tourists to see on their way to swim with the sea lions or whale watch.
We found three caves on this jaunt and idled into the cool shadows, startling schools of colorful fish. We reduced our voices to a whisper to listen to the booming echoes of the water rushing deeper within the caves than our boat could take us. A kayaker was able to paddle through a crevice into a large chamber almost completely unexposed to sunlight.
The caves are fascinating places, carved by sea and air and a delight to the senses to explore.
Heidi & Aaron Stagg have been cruising Mexico for the past two years on their Tayana 42, Sonho, homeported in Alameda, California.
