Punta Chivato to Santa Rosalia

After several days at Punta Chivato, we picked up anchor and headed to Sweet Pea Cove, Isla San Marcos. This island plays host to a gypsum mining operation at the southern end, and just a few fish camps at the northern end. Sweet Pea Cove is just one of three anchorages at the northern end. The cliffs fall right into the Sea here, with just a few small rock beaches tucked in, and some sea caves in other places. A couple caves are big enough to enter by kayak or dinghy. The area surrounding the coast is littered with boulders of all sizes, from pumpkin to house sized, and so the snorkeling is very interesting. We really wished we had diving gear with us. We saw some of the biggest game fish here (and the biggest octopus) that we have seen snorkeling. But no luck with our spears. We haven't gotten the knack yet.

The beaches on Isla San Marcos are some of the more remote that we have seen and so there were all sorts of interesting finds on them. I found pieces of sea turtle shells bleached white in the sun, the vertebra of a sea lion (a dried flipper was nearby), and even the jawbone of a dolphin, judging by the size and teeth. Jack found one of the prettiest, biggest pieces of old blue sea glass that I have ever seen. We have collected beach glass from Vancouver Island and all over the Pacific Northwest, but it is pretty rare to find down here, for some reason.

Our next stop was a marina at Santa Rosalia. We have a few minor repairs to attend to and cleaning. We have been off a dock for about two months and it is time for laundry facilities for for our clothes, and a hose, copious amounts of water, and a brush for our boat. We are salt encrusted from bow to stern.