Page 275 - Mexico Diving From the Caribbean to Pacific Isles

here are numerous islands on the Pa- he first people came to the peninsula on the Gulf of California and explored the
at least 11,000 years ago. At that time peninsula’s west coast at least as far north
T Tcific shore. Guadalupe Island is located
in the extreme west of the state’s bounda- two main native groups are thought to have as Cedros Island. Hernando de Alarcón re-

ries and is the site of large colonies of sea been present on the peninsula. In the south turned to the east coast and ascended the

lions. Cedros Island exists in the southwest were the Cochimí. In the north were several lower Colorado River in 1540, and Juan

of the state’s maritime region. The Todos groups belonging to the Yuman language Rodríguez Cabrillo completed the re-

Santos Islands and Coronado Islands are lo- family, including the Kiliwa, Paipai, Kumey- connaissance of the west coast in 1542.

cated off the coast of Tijuana and Ensenada. aay, Cocopa, and Quechan. These peoples A fter the Spanish conquered the Mexi-
All of the islands in the Gulf of California, were diverse in their adaptations to the re- can mainland early in the 16th cen-
on the Baja California side, belong to the gion. The Cochimí of the peninsula’s Cen-

municipality of Mexicali. Baja California tral Desert were generalized hunter-gath- tury, they began searching westward for a

obtains much of its water from the Colora- erers who moved frequently; however, the fabled island of gold. In 1532, the conquis-

do River. Historically the river drained into Cochimí on Cedros Island off the west coast tador Hernán Cortés dispatched two fleets

the Colorado River Delta which flowed into had developed a strongly maritime econo- of ships to look for the island. When they

the Gulf of California, but due to large de- my. The Kiliwa, Paipai, and Kumeyaay in the failed to find it, Cortés decided to lead the

mands for water in the American South- better-watered northwest were also hunter- search himself. In 1535, he landed north

west, less water now reaches the Gulf. The gatherers, but that region supported denser of La Paz (near the southern end of the

Tijuana metropolitan area also relies on the populations and a more sedentary lifestyle. Baja California peninsula) where he discov-

Tijuana River as a source of water. Much The Cocopa and Quechan of northeast- ered black pearls but no gold. Cortés and

of rural Baja California depends predomi- ern Baja California practiced agriculture in his men returned to the mainland, only to

nantly on wells and a few dams. Tijuana also the floodplain of the lower Colorado River. launch another expedition in 1539 under

purchases water from San Diego County’s E uropeans reached the present state the leadership of Captain Francisco de Ulloa.
Otay Water District. Potable water is the of Baja California in 1539, when Fran-
largest natural resource issue of the state.

cisco de Ulloa reconnoitered its east coast