We decided to take it easy today…no rushing to see this or that.  After a much needed sleep in this morning (Clara slept until 7:45 a.m.  Yes, that’s late!) we decided to have a quick breakfast of cereal in our villa, and then we were off to the beach for some kayaking.  We used a 2 person and a single kayak from the hotel’s fleet, and took off down the coast.  You have to do this in the morning before the winds kick up.  Every day at about 11 or 11:30 a.m., the wind starts to pick up out of the east or southeast to the point that normally calm sea turns pretty choppy.  That’s us below.  Clara rode with Mardi and Sarah with me.

I mentioned yesterday about the birds.  There are lots of them.  Today on the kayaks, I was able to identify two different types of cormorants, one a "crested" type and the other plain, as well as the humorously named Blue Footed Boobie.  Yes, Sarah giggles every time I say it.

The mountains behind Mardi and Clara in the third photo are on the mainland of Baja, looking south from Loreto.  The peaks are jagged and rugged; just what you’d expect from the Baja lore.

After Sarah and Clara had had enough (it didn’t take very long!), We discharged all the girls, including Mardi, on the beach, and I took off for some solo paddling down the coast.  After battling some rising headwinds coming out of the southeast, I called it a day after only about a mile.  The water is amazingly clear and refreshing.  There are lots of bait fish in the shallows, and we always get a show from the pelicans and other diving birds.

We all retired to the pool for a couple of hours.  That’s the girls and me lounging in the sun.

We had gourmet for lunch…PB&J in the room…delicious!  And then we all were down for the count.  Everyone took at least an hour long nap…Sarah and Clara almost 2 hours!

For dinner, we headed into town to a recommended Argentinian restaurant.  On the way, we did a little more shopping at the "supermercado" for supplies for tomorrow’s adventure.  A little on that later.  There were some interesting and beautiful sites on a Saturday night in Loreto.

Have you ever seen a beer can this big?

Me either.  Notice the dueling beer ads?  Cerveza is big business here.

Finally, almost to our destination, we passed by the mission again.  The sun was setting, and the mission was glowing a nice golden color.  It is a very nice landmark in the town.

We’re off to La Isla del Coronado tomorrow morning.  Our limousine, um, I mean fishing boat, arrives at the hotel tomorrow morning at 9 a.m.  Isla Coronado is a marine sanctuary, and boasts schools of dauphin, sea lions and other marine life.  We’ll have our snorkel gear with us, as well as a kayak from the hotel.  We are looking forward to some seriously good sites along with pristine white beaches.

Photos on that tomorrow night.  Until then… Buenos noches, y hasta manana.

Jonathan