Isla Carmen

May 11-29, 2023

With its diverse wildlife, rugged desert landscape, and secluded anchorages; the Sea of Cortez is incredible. Isla Carmen did not disappoint. After a short stay in Honeymoon Cove, we weighed anchor and left Isla Danzante to explore the neighboring island of Isla Carmen. We had some nice wind and were able to sail most of the way to the anchorage in the lee of Punta Colorado on the southeast side of the island. It was calm with a beautiful view but no easy access to the shore. After one night, we headed north to Bahia Salinas. This area is notable for an abandoned salt mining operation with what was once a small but bustling company town complete with housing, a church, and a school for the residents. It was abandoned in the 1980’s but much of the infrastructure remains. Today it is the site of a hunting lodge where hunters pay big money to hunt desert bighorn sheep. Exploring inland from the beach we came across the salt flats which were stunning. We spent hours exploring the old town and the salt flats. We also took the opportunity to dive a large shipwreck in the middle of the bay. It was approximately 120 feet long, laying on it’s port side in 35 feet of water. There were tons of fish in and around the wreck. Although it is shown on the charts, there is only a small float marking its position so beware; it comes very close to the surface and is a hazard to navigation.

After two days in Salinas, we continued along the east coast of Isla Carmen to the Painted Cliffs anchorage. This quiet anchorage is surrounded by beautiful cliffs with multi-colored layers of rock giving it its name. We snorkeled in a cut along the southern point of the cove with large schools of fish and crystal clear water. It had some of the best concentrations of fish we’ve seen so far and the water was very clear. Walking along the beach we found whale bones and tons of unique shells. Overall it was a very relaxing anchorage and along with One World, we were the only two boats in the anchorage.

Our next stop was along the north coast of Isla Carmen at an anchorage called El Refugio or V-Cove. We lucked out again and were able to sail the entire way, sailing off the anchor and starting the engine only to get the anchor set well. It is a stunning, small cove with room for only a few boats. We shared the cove with One World and new friends on M/V Sea Venture and S/V Trouble (what a great name for a boat). It is surrounded by steep rock bluffs with numerous sea caves and overhangs. At the head of the cove is a white sand beach with tall sand dunes and access to hiking trails. This cove was amazing and we spent three nights there. We hiked up the sand dunes and followed the trail back towards the Salinas Anchorage where we saw the salt flats from a different perspective. The water was crystal clear and it was like snorkeling in a pool. Along with the three other boats in the anchorage we enjoyed a bonfire and fireworks on the beach to top off our last night.

Finally, it was time to return to Puerto Escondido marina as One World had to fly home for a few weeks for work. We had another great sail from the anchorage all the way to the marina with winds touching 20 knots. Who says you can’t sail in the Sea of Cortez? After getting One World safely to airport, we met up with our friends on SV Nani Ola who we had buddy boated with from Ensenada to San Jose del Cabo in December. It was great to catch up with them.

Unfortunately, soon after arriving here, Shelly had to head home again for family health issues. While she’s been gone I’ve been enjoying the area around the marina. There are some great hiking trails around here along with marina amenities including pool, jacuzzi, and a good restaurant. Life could be worse. After my iPhone died, I had to make a quick run to San Diego to get a new one. It’s amazing how dependent we are on smart phones these days. I tried to buy one here in Loreto but after a disaster with the SIM card flying across the store, never to be seen again, I was forced to head back to the US in order to get one and maintain my current phone number. It was an easy flight from Loreto to Tijuana where I crossed at the Cross Border Express (CBX) to enter the US. This allows one to use domestic airlines in Mexico which are significantly cheaper. The CBX is a super convenient way to travel to San Diego. Once Shelly returns, we plan to leave here and head north over the next month to arrive in San Carlos, MX where we will base out of for the summer.