08 | Sailing the Sea of Cortez, Loreto National Marine Park

We headed north out of the La Paz area, sailing up the Sea of Cortez to the spectacular crescent-shaped harbor on Isla San Francisco. A precarious hiking trail leads along the ridgeline, looking over the anchorage and the rest of the uninhabited island. We continued north, sometimes pushing hard into the relentless north wind and steep short waves. The anchorages in this area are never very far apart, so we hopped from one to the next, waiting out the worst of the wind as necessary. Our plan was to reach Puerto Escondido, the harbor for the quaint town of Loreto, about 70 nautical miles up the gulf. We took the journey in stages, stopping to see the sights along the way. Puerto Escondido is a hurricane hole with 360 degree protection. It is the ideal staging ground for a cruise of the Loreto National Marine Park, a collection of beautiful and rugged islands scattered across the area. In 2005, the park was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The harbor is also conveniently close to an airport, and our friend Peter flew in for a bit of the good life. It's only about three miles out to Honeymoon Cove on Isla Donzante, one of the most scenic anchorages in the sea. The cruising guide showed hiking trails from the beach, so we scrambled up the hillside on what we thought might be a trail. The view across the straits to the mountain range beyond was certainly worth the climb. As is typical, the wind built in the afternoon. We punched into it most of the day, but eventually it became a bit too much. It was time to put the camera away, get some more sail off, and run for the nearest shelter. The next day, the wind was much calmer, and we had no trouble reaching our destination on Isla Carmen. Bahia Salinas is the home of an abandoned salt mining operation. A hunting lodge is the only building still in use today. It's the kind of place that feels like it could rust the boots right off your feet. Dark shadows on the ground showed where iron machinery once sat before being reduced to individual molecules. The company town is now just a ghost town, crumbling away. Dishware still sits on sagging shelves, and the pencil notations can still be read in the company ledger, laying in a room with no roof. Isla Coronados is a rocky volcanic cone lined with white sand beaches. On the south end of the island, we found good protection. Ashore, we followed the steep dusty trail to the peak and were rewarded with stunning panoramic views over the islands that make up this world heritage site. The north wind that had challenged us for weeks was suddenly absent when we wanted to head back south, and we ended up motoring most of the way back down to Isla Donzante, anchoring in a flat calm in a new cove. We were up earlier than usual the next morning, taking the boat back to Escondido so we could do some exploration in the mountains on the Baja Peninsula. San Javier is one of the oldest missions in the Pacific, founded in 1699. The existing church was finished in 1758 and is one of the best preserved early missions. It is placed in a river oasis high in the mountains. Behind the church is the oldest olive tree in Baja, around 300 years old. The genius aqueducts and irrigation works are still in use today. Like at so many other places, the natives suffered greatly at the hands of the padres, including forced labor building the beautiful church. Today, the quiet village is a site of a major festival and a pilgrimage each December, with only the occasional tourist the rest of the year. Next time, we will set sail to Guaymas, crossing to the mainland side of the sea for a quick haul out and some upgrades in preparation for the major voyages on the horizon.