12/27-28/24-Friday & Saturday-Days 21 & 22 “Red Tide”

With the date of our ferry crossing quickly approaching we decide to spend two days on this secluded, rocky beach hoping to soak up what little bit of Baja remains for us while we can. We all talk about our eagerness to explore mainland and Josh quips that he’s ready to drive to the ferry terminal immediately, clearly the most anxious of us all! 

At one point Michele breaks out a large paper map of Mexico to discuss potential routes and destinations and it really sinks in just how big mainland Mexico is. Traveling through Baja is relatively simple by comparison, you just head south, while occasionally detouring east or west depending on which coast you want to be on. We look at our options departing Mazatlán and it is a bit daunting. We can drop south and stay along the Pacific coast, go east and into the mountains towards Durango, and less of an option but still an option none the less is the gorgeous Copper Canyon to the north. We decide not to decide at all, we’ll figure it out when the time comes!

On Saturday morning the surf is much calmer than it has been and I decide to see how the snorkeling is around the rocks that flank both sides of our camp. After changing into my swim trunks and grabbing my gear I wade into the water and put my fins on. I very quickly feel a familiar twinge on my wrist but it’s minimal enough to ignore so I continue swimming. Shortly after I spot a couple of jelly fish and then a couple more. Not wanting to push my luck I conclude it best to exit the water. 

While I was in the water Heather was busy in the camper. After making herself a café mocha (the Starbucks withdraws are real!) she busted out our little Fuji Instax printer and started running off photos to hang on our back wall, something we’ve both been wanting to do for a while. 

Back on shore Mark returns on his paddle board asking if anyone else has noticed the red tide that now abounds the shore line. After some discussion Heather and I are both giddy at the prospect of seeing bioluminescent algae and being under a new moon with such a large algae bloom afloat, the conditions seem right for at least a potential sighting. Once the sun drops beyond the horizon we walk out to the rocks in hopes of a show. It takes a minute for our eyes to adjust to the pitch black darkness after extinguishing our head lamps but once they do we see it! The algae occasionally lights up like tiny blue fireflies darting around amongst the rocks and crashing waves.