Our friends Fredrik and Nancy are spending this winter navigating the rugged and beautiful coast of Baja California, Mexico! After more than a year living aboard their 17’ Salish Voyager, Wild Places, in the wilds of Alaska, they’ve set their sights on a warmer adventure. Once again, this capable rowing-sailboat serves as their home base as they immerse themselves in a new ecosystem, exploring, learning, and embracing life on the water.
A Hidden World of Birds and Tides
December found us in well-known territory, but Bahia Concepción still held surprises. With warmer waters and gentler currents, life was easier—until midday winds forced us to seek shelter. One afternoon, our best option was a mangrove swamp.
We hesitated at first, wary of bugs and mud, but our Salish Voyager allowed us to slip into places larger boats couldn’t. To our delight, there were no bugs—only a hidden world teeming with life. Snowy egrets, white ibis, night herons, and hundreds of pelicans surrounded us. As the tide receded, the birds moved in unison, harvesting the sea like a choreographed ballet. That night, they roosted in the mangroves around us, transforming the trees into a living Christmas display.
Following Ancient Paths: Pictographs and Phosphorescence
The next morning, we crossed the bay, working our way up the coastline in search of rumored ancient pictographs. Finding the right canyon was part of the adventure. When we arrived, the walls told a story—fish, a sea turtle, and other oceanic symbols painted in ochre. Who created them remains a mystery.
At dawn, we launched into waters alive with phosphorescence. Brilliant green swirled in our oar strokes, while flashes of fish beneath the hull mimicked the aurora borealis. Our journey had no strict schedule—just early morning rows, effortless afternoon sails, and the freedom to let the days unfold.
Hot Springs and Old Shipwrecks: The Gifts of the Norte Winds
With supplies running low, we rowed up the river to Mulegé, where we restocked food and water while drifting among bright blue cannonball jellyfish. Another Norte wind was coming. Where to wait it out? I voted for the hot springs.
We found a secluded pocket beach, where at low tide, hot water trickled into the sea. Soaking at eye level with the ocean, we reflected on our journey. When the winds settled, we moved to Isla Coyote, where we stumbled upon a shipwreck. Two sailors had been lucky to wash up there rather than into open water. Seeing the damage to their boat reinforced our own cautious decisions.
Lessons from the Locals: Adapting to Baja’s Coastline
Back in town, seasoned Baja sailors shared wisdom about surf landings—advice we eagerly absorbed after past missteps. They explained how to anchor bow-out and unload gear without getting swamped. Inspired, we adjusted our systems, ensuring we’d be better prepared for future landings.
With renewed confidence, we set off for Isla Danzante’s famed Honeymoon Cove. Overcrowded and over-loved, it had lost its charm. Instead, we slipped into a quiet rock cove, where we watched the light shift through an archway, a reminder that true wilderness still existed for those who sought it.
The Circumnavigation That Wasn’t
Christmas found us on Isla Carmen, where we feasted on barracuda tacos beneath a cactus decorated with fishing lures. Blue whales made their first seasonal appearance—a gift beyond anything we could have imagined.
Our dream was to circumnavigate the island, but the weather had other plans. When the perfect wind window finally arrived, I fell horribly sick. As I lay unable to move, Fredrik watched our chance slip away. It was a reminder of our guiding philosophy: the experience comes before the goal. Disappointed but undeterred, we turned back to explore new places. There was still more adventure ahead.
[To be continued . . .]
Stay tuned for the next chapter of Wild Places photojournal as they explore the Sea of Cortez. In the meantime, you can read the backstory on Fredrik and Nancy’s Alaska journey from the beginning here. You can also find their stories from that previous adventure in back issues of Small Boats Magazine.
Learn more about the 17′ Salish Voyager.