BAHIA DE LORETO PARQUE NACIONAL (National Park)

We choose to spend our winter months introducing others to our favorite places to paddle. 

The Sea of Cortez is one of the most unique ocean ecosystems in the world. The Sea of Cortez produces between 50 – 60% of Mexico’s total national fisheries, and produces more protein per square inch then any other sea in the world.

But like all other ecosystems in the world, the Sea of Cortez is under a huge amount of pressure from over fishing, human introduced invasive species, and developments that are encroaching on it’s coastline.

The Sea of Cortez is home to a countless number of endangered and endemic species. It provides a perfect habitat for animals such as the Blue Whales and Sea Turtles to birth their young. They also use this area as a staging ground for their newborns to gain strength and skills before venturing out into the colder and less salt rich water of the Pacific Ocean.  

Even the islands and mountains that backdrop our trips are home to hundreds of endemic species. The islands off of Loreto are some of the most unique and beautiful in the world. The Mexican Government has worked hard over the last 20 years to create a series of National Parks to protect its coastal ecosystems.

One of them is the Bahia de Loreto Parque Nacional, which encompasses the islands of Coronado, Carmen, Danzante, Santa Catalina and Monserrat and the waters that surround them. In 2005 the park was inscribed to the United Nations list of World Heritage Sites. The park offers a safe location for the animals and good location to explore these beautiful islands and observe the wildlife as they should be, free! 

Other organizations have taken notice of the park since it’s creation. The US based Nature Conservancy have offered their help in protecting this area. The Nature Conservancy created a special group called the GEA or Grupo Ecologista Antares, a non-profit group whose programs and efforts over the last 10 years have made them the most effective organization in addressing the environmental issues of the area. Currently the GEA has plans to open an Eco-Center specializing in the education, research and protection of the sea and desert in Loreto.

We feel it is our responsibility to help protect the area in which we work and insure that it remains the same for future generations. Our guides are passionate about the Flora and Fauna of the area and work hard to insure that our impact on the area remains as low as possible. We are strongly committed to running our company in a way that keeps our ecological footprint as small as possible.

While on trips we use Eco-friendly products such as eco-safe soap and bleach in our dishwater, and we pack out all of our garbage and human waste. On the other side of the operation we run our office from our house and are careful to limit the use of paper and other unnecessary products. We are also working with a local family to set up a Eco-Resort where we can base our trips from, we plan to be “off the grid” and use solar power and composting toilets in our facility.

Thanks to all of our clients who help support our collective desire to keep beautiful Baja clean and pristine. We respect the work of the Bahia de Loreto Marine Park and other local organizations that make it possible to offer these great tours in this amazing ecosystem.

For more info on the Marine Park and what you can do to help, check out these websites:

Grupo Ecologista Antares, A.S.
www.geantares.org.mx This is a good site for info on the marine park, what programs are underway to protect it and what you can do to help.

United Nations Environmental Program – World Conservation Monitoring Center www.unep-wcmc.org/sites/wh/gulf_calif.html
An excellent site on the Loreto park and others throughout the Baja Peninsula, it is also linked to pages on the other UN protected areas worldwide.

Grupo tortuguero
www.grupotortuguero.org
This site contains heaps of info on the Sea Turtles in the Sea of Cortez

Leave No Trace – Center for outdoor ethics
www.lnt.org
The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and inspiring responsible outdoor recreation through education, research and partnerships. Leave No Trace builds awareness, appreciation and respect for our wild lands.