Isla San Francisco: Day 2

The place was just too interesting to leave without a bit more exploration! We arose early, motored to shore, and spent many hours hiking and looking at this amazing place. We hiked the ridge, beachcombed, and gathered sea salt.

The view eastward from the ridgeline. In the center right of the photo is a small rise of bleached-red-colored rock. Below that is the outcropping of that green strata that we've been seeing the entire set of island. The red is obvious in the foreground of the photo. Whatever these two minerals are, they dominate this island.

Beautiful Isla San Francisco from the ridge. We are very close to the location from which the cover photo for the most excellent "A Cruisers' Guidebook to the Sea of Cortez" was taken, and no wonder! Wings is the second-to-last boat.

Lovely Conni considers things along the ridge.

A view of the beach on the south side of the island.

The bloom from the Ocotillo plant was everywhere. Behind, Philippe and I stride up the path to the ridge line above.

About 6-feet tall, we do not know what this tree is but it's the largest of the type that we saw.

Blooming Prickley Pear cactus, source of the wonderful nopalitos: peeled, sliced, and boiled, the cactus pads are excellent eating and a Mexican staple.

Salt pans! These are the first that I've ever seen. The salt is excellent with a mild flavor that I've never experienced with salt.

Another photo of the pans for scale. I hauled a small boulder to the pans to dislodge chunks to take with us.

Philippe reads, the beach in the background.

Across the Sea of Cortez, toward the peninsula itself, one can see marked strata. It's perfectly horizontal, it seems.

Dinner of grilled tuna.

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