The strangest ecology of these Mexican islands lies not on these cactus-riddled shores, but underneath. Lucio pulls the skiff to a sandy break and we anchor there. These waters - filled with brilliant fish, whale sharks and hammerheads, pacific mantas and giant tuna in the deeper water.

Much of the diversity of the Sea of Cortez comes because of massive volcano-like underwater sea mounts, strewn about and acting as magnets for life. It is simply amazing then, to surface from the water again and see, just a few miles away, a number of shrimp trawlers, their nets scarring along the bottom, grabbing everything.