A short hike took us to the top of a ridge where we looked out over a desert landscape of jumping cholla, cardon, torote, mesquite and ocotillo. This rugged terrain is peppered with species that thrive in a world of extremes. As one discovers the adaptations of each plant and animal that calls this isolated southern extension of the Sonoran Desert home, you will be drawn into a remarkable world of survival. A land of twenty meter taproots, centuries old active pack rat nests, photosynthesizing tree bark, tarantula hunting wasps and coral eating parrot fish are just some of the surprises that this “desert by the sea” reveals to us as we take the time to explore the Baja peninsula.

Our twenty-eight day paddling trip took us from San Lucas to San Bruno along the Eastern coast of the Sea of Cortez. To take advantage of the calmer conditions in the morning, we were up by 4:00 for a weather check and on the water at first light. Each day we were entertained by acrobatic manta rays leaping out of the water, flying fish flapping their fins, sometimes traveling just above the surface for thirty feet or more and schools of jack bounding in unison in front of our kayaks as they fled from predators like the rooster fish. Some days we were joined by a traveling pod of dolphins, escorting us along the coastline for hours at a time. Swimming very close to us, they  periodically would turn on their side and look up at us. Their sleek bodies, perfectly designed for swimming, would  glisten as they drafted in the slipstreams created by the dolphins just ahead of them. Each new encounter with dolphins is a spiritual connection, I laugh about my initial skepticism abandoned long ago. A number of years ago on a different trip, we had an amazing encounter with dolphins. As we enjoyed calm wind and sea conditions, we had made a significant move around Punta Pulpito. Late in the afternoon we paddled into San Basilio, a gorgeous bay with kilometers of white sand beach that extend well into the shallow waters, making it easy to look down through the turquoise water.  Behind us, moving right into the bay was a large pod of dolphins in hot pursuit of a swarming school of jack, above were dozens of brown pelicans attracted by the commotion. All three groups headed straight towards us, we stopped paddling and drifted together in a fairly tight group. When they reached our kayaks the feeding frenzy started. We sat in awe as we watched dolphins catch their fish, sometimes surfacing within arms reach off us, we could watch the pelicans tuck their wings back and dive into the school of fish, their huge bills opened as they scooped fish that were confused by the dolphins sophisticated hunting techniques. This went on amongst our boats for what seemed like fifteen minutes, the frenzy moved off towards the west and we sat frozen for a good half hour, throughout the scene we had shared smiles and looks of wonder, but nobody spoke a word. Later that night in our daily debrief, as each of us described our experience, we spoke in hushed tones, some were moved to tears.