Flying in and renting kayaks your choices are pretty much Loreto and La Paz. Nicest paddling in the La Paz area is probably Isla Espirto Santo just to the north. The outfitter will either take you and pick you up from the north end of the peninsula or for a larger fee take you across the 5 mile exposed open crossing out to the island. There is great paddling north, south and east of Loreto. The beaurocracy of the new park might be more of a hassle now. I haven't been there since that was instituted. The rules seem overly strict on where you can go on land now. To me one of the wonders of Baja was the freedom it offered. I'm afraid the park has probably ruined the Loreto area for me. I was at Espirto Santo a little over a year ago and had a wonderful time then. At some times of the year it gets pretty heavy use but I didn't see another kayak party for a week in December. Things to take with you in April include. Your own shade tarp, long sleeved T-shirts, Wide brim hat and plenty of sun-block. Plan on 1 gallon of water per person per day. A mask, snorkel, fins and waterproof (maybe a "returnable") cameras are nice. Good ankle high boots or walking shoes for hiking on the rugged rocky terrain. A bird identification book if you like identifying wildlife. Temperatures should be well into the 90's and the sun can become quite oppressive by afternoon. Water temperatures will probably still be colder than you might expect (est. 65F) so a Farmer John wetsuit can extend your comfortable snorkeling time and help prevent sunburn. I'd paddle in the morning and look for shade and snorkeling grounds in the afternoon. Winds usually are not a problem after mid-March (and before the summer hurricane season). Expect breezes up to only 15 knots in the afternoon rather than the 30 to 40 knots that are common in the winter (and you will be hopeful they show up to help relieve the heat). Be careful of cactus spines (and if gathering "wood" scorpions). If wading shuffle your feet to avoid stepping on a sting-ray, don't touch any spiny fish, or toxic coral. Baja is a fantastic place, take way more film than you think you will need. Matt Broze http://www.marinerkayaks.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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