We awoke to one last gift from yesterday’s storm. A healthy swell was coming out of the southeast, making our early morning landings on the beach at Los Frailes a bit more of an extreme sport than was intended. The shuttle drivers opted for stern landings, which are generally reserved for such conditions, and all of our intrepid guests were eventually landed safely in time for the day’s activities. We had groups who opted for snorkeling, diving, and one large group that was bound for the Sol de Mayo rancho ecologico.
The drive to the ranch took us past a large resort that is currently under construction at La Riberos, and on through the town of Santiago of Baja California Sur, where we were privileged to see the famous oasis. Once at the ranch we quickly descended to a beautiful waterfall that was roaring with water from yesterday’s rains. The weather cooperated, and we all took advantage of the cool water to refresh ourselves.
After our swim we were treated to an audience with Don Prisciliano, the owner of the ranch. Don Prisciliano is no ordinary rancher though; he is the sixth generation of his family to operate it, and an accomplished naturalist and author. He runs the ranch as an eco-resort to raise awareness of local environmental issues and possesses an extraordinary depth of knowledge on the local flora and fauna.
Afterwards we went into town for a fine lunch at a local restaurant, and extended conversations on what we had seen and heard at this extraordinary ranch.
Communications with the ship revealed that the swell had worsened at Los Frailes, so a plan was drafted to go to the new resort at Los Riberos where we could meet with the Zodiacs for a safe trip back to the ship.
