With our
swarm of flies in tow, we made an easy passage to Isla San Martin, a
striking volcanic cone 20 miles from the town of San Quintin. The small
group of fishermen who live much of their lives on this island seemed to
be happy living in tune with nature as people of the sea. These people
fish through all the seasons of the year, catching lobster and halibut,
diving for seaweed, and harvesting shellfish. From their simple huts and
piles of seaweed on the beach, you wouldn't know that these fishermen
are some of the highest wage-earners in Baja.
We befriended
Chui, who showed us some of the highlights of the island and shared
dinner with us on board the Libertatia. Chui gave us some of the
island's sea snails, or caracoles, which he had dove for. They were
delicious! Chui also showed us a spectacular cave on the island.
Watching him turn the cactus and lava landscape into a clear path on our
way to the cave made clear his understanding of the island after a
lifetime of working there.
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| Sea Bat!!!!!!! |
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| Lost! |
After a quick first visit, the crew returned the next evening for an enthralling walk through
the various channels of the lava cave. With headlamps and ropes, we
walked, crawled and climbed in amazement at the foreign world hidden
under our feet. We were amazed at the complete darkness and convoluted
holes, caverns, and inner topography of the cave. We discovered spiders,
found roots descending who knows how many feet into the cave. Exploring
this alien environment, I discovered that the earth is indeed full of
mysteries and amazing phenomena which I had never seen before, much like
sailing into the ocean for the first time. We marked the occasion of
this special team excursion by creating a guestbook at the very end of
the cave. For any cruisers or adventurers who make their way to the cave
on Isla San Martin, be sure to sign it!
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| Sailing itself, as well as our time in the rich islands of Baja, was replete with the many faces of nature. |
Check out more photos of Isla San Martin here!
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