To escape the rain and the cold, we signed on for a 6 day kayak trip in the Sea of Cortez just east of Loreto (see map). We went with an outfitter Bob and Pat had gone with before, Pacific Rim Paddling.

We left Portland on a wet Friday morning and by 2:00pm (after a quick plane change in L.A.) we were touching down in Loreto, BCS. Loreto was originally to be a resort like La Paz or Cabo San Lucas, but never got off the ground. Consequently, it has retained a quaint feeling. You can walk to just about every place in town. It is a great place to hang out, eat fish tacos, and drink margaritas.

Very early in the morning on the Sunday, all of us and our gear was motored out to the east side of Carmen Island by local fishermen in their pangas (fishing boats). On most mornings we got up just after dawn, since the wind was calmest in the mornings. After breakfast we packed the boats and were off for about 4 hours of paddling along the shore of the islands, in beautiful weather.

We camped for 3 nights along the east coast of Carmen Island and took a day trip to an abandoned salt factory. We then crossed over to Danzante Isle and spent the fourth and fifth days exploring that island. Finally we returned to the mainland (through 3 foot swells) at Puerto Escondido .

We sighted grey whales, porpoise, frigate birds, pelicans and sea otters. We explored a sea cave the size of a small house. We took pictures of cactus, collected dead things, and sometimes we just laid in the sand and soaked up the sun.