From La Paz, we headed north to explore some of the islands and anchorages along the east coast of the Baja California peninsula. Each place was beautiful and unique.

Isla San Francisco offered turquoise blue water, a fun hike and a nightly display of jumping manta rays:

San Evaristo was a charming fishing village with Lupe Sierra and Maggie Mae’s, a wonderful little watering hole where we enjoyed fresh ceviche and cold cervezas while watching the waterside activities and painting a seashell to be hung in the bar for posterity:

In Timbabiche we explored the beautiful mangrove lagoon and snapped a few pictures of the once majestic Casa Grande:

Aqua Verde was a treat with roaming goats, a quiet fishing village and a tienda (store) selling queso fresca (fresh goat cheese):

Puerto Escondido provided a stopover for laundry, provisioning and a place to park the boat while we took a day trip to nearby Loreto:

Our last stop was Isla Carmen, the main attraction of which is Bahia Salinas, where a now defunct salt mining operation once thrived. There is still a caretaker and an active hunting lodge on the island, and the remnants of what once was make for an interesting walk ashore:

There’s much more to see in the Sea of Cortez and we could spend years exploring the area but it was time for us to make the jump to the mainland.