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Baja road trip, with kids
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Our typical morning starts with loading up snorkel gear in kayaks, both sit-on-tops and closed-hull boats, and paddling off to one of the numerous islands to spend the day. We have renamed each island in the bay according to what we discover there. One small rocky island where we find stingray and turtle carcasses on the beach instantly becomes "stingray island."
On a clear, calm morning (we hardly see a cloud in two weeks) we paddle to Isla Luz, about three miles out in the bay. Our small pod of boats glides over the placid, glassy waters while the warm sun pierces the jagged ridge across the bay. We pass a barnacle-covered reef stacked with roosting cormorants and pelicans, and our stealthy kayaks enable us to get within mere feet of the birds without disturbing them. Closer to the island we spot what appear to be dolphins swimming farther out in the bay. Earlier in the trip we spotted a whale, and whale sharks have been sighted in the area, too.
Isla Luz is stunning, a cactus oasis perched on a canvas of blue and green. This rocky isle, about the size of a football field, has an idyllic sandy beach, transparent aquamarine waters, and a virtual aquarium of brightly colored fish swimming nearby. Numerous varieties of cactus, including lofty cardons, cover the island in a spiny blanket. Yellow-footed gulls nest in the rocks. We watch the downy chicks wobble near their nests, while the brightly colored adults hover, constantly squawking.
The snorkeling is fabulous. With no wind this morning, the visibility is the best we have seen. Schools of black-and-yellow Panamic sergeant major fish weave through the rocks, while in the distance larger orange-colored parrot fish lurk in deeper water. An inch below the surface, small schools of pencil-thin California needlefish dart in the water, wary of pelicans in the sky above. Cree finds a large hole under some rocks loaded with yellow snapper. She tries her luck at spearfishing, but the fish quickly take cover deeper in the shadows, virtually disappearing; these fish have seen fishermen before. Later in our trip we will have better luck spearfishing, catching yellow and dog snapper for tasty dinners on the beach. The kids find huge piles of brown clam and spiny scallop shells on the beach, and even a seahorse skeleton. On the paddle back, Eric, a friend from Seattle, finds a live seahorse, which is a high point for all the kids (and adults).
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Tom Bol / Canoe & Kayak Snorkeling and sea kayaking in emerald waters. |
"Dad, can we look for crabs along the way?" Skyler asks as we glide over the sandy shallows.
"Sure," I reply. "Let's see how many we can see." I want his sea kayaking experiences to be positive ones, so we start by searching for crustaceans via kayak. Skyler seems to enjoy riding in the bow. Unlike canoeing, kayaking gives him his own space, and he settles right into the boat. The water temperature is 82 degrees, and the air temperature is 90. Since we are staying close to shore, we are not wearing spray skirts. Skyler has his own kid-sized Werner paddle, and he obviously enjoys being able to actively contribute to the paddling. He feels like an adult. I'm trying to match his pace stroke by stroke, which is a little tough considering our different sizes.
We cruise along the rocky coastline, watching small blue wrasses dart in the coral below, while vultures lazily soar in the thermals above. I closely watch Skyler in the bow as we paddle. He seems to slowly wind down from a frenzied crab-hunting state to a euphoric, contemplative mood, methodically paddling in the bow. He stops talking, instead watching the fish swimming below our kayak. The first shafts of orange sunlight reflect off the cliffside, bathing the whole scene in warm light.
Skyler has a content, serene look on his face. Suddenly it hits me. He is not just enjoying this paddle with his dad, he is loving it. This is one of those childhood moments that is ingraining itself in his impressionable mind, and will help form the person he will become. He is absorbing a love of the ocean and sea kayaking right at this moment, and no doubt he will want to paddle for years to come. I get a warm, fuzzy feeling all over. I'll remember this moment for the rest of my days.
"Dad," Skyler quietly says, "I love Baja."
Mission accomplished.
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