Camp Pufferfish

 Much of the last few days was spent at a place called Rattlesnake Beach, a long stretch of beach where quite a number of boondockers have set up residence for the winter.  This is a beach with no amenities, so it's a bit hardier bunch than some of the other beaches around Baja.  We found a nice secluded spot and quickly raised our aquatic standard: two dried up pufferfish.

 

 The other view away from the water was an incredible mountain range called the Sierra de la Giganta.  We spent a long morning hiking up a narrow slot canyon that dramatically rose in a series of waterfalls and small cascades amid incredibly lush high rockwalls on both sides.  Towering spires of rock loomed hundreds of feet above us while we scrambled over huge boulders as we climbed our way up the drainage.  Unfortunately, we forgot to take the camera that day.  Pictures couldn't have truly captured the magic of the place in any event.  We later learned that the canyon is nicknamed "Steinbeck's Canyon" because when John Steinbeck explored Baja in 1940, apparently he took a liking to this canyon.

Today we drove to La Mision de la San Francisco de Javier.  It is one of the original missions that the Jesuit priests built (this one in 1701).  The road has been much improved in recent years but it still is an adventure getting there!

 

Although the mission is over 300 years old, it is still used for religious services.

Aside from the mission, the drive through the mountain range was incredibly beautiful.  A hurricane a couple of months ago have made the mountainsides really lush.  We stopped along the way to take a short hike up a streambed to see some rock art in the side of the canyon. 

Long live Camp Pufferfish!!!