A rocky peak rises from the sea. This is Pilón de Azúcar the Pile of Sugar. One of the Coronados Islands it’s a small islet just off the coast of Baja California.
For centuries Pilón de Azúcar has been a silent witness to history. Explorers like Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo and Sebastian Vizcaino saw it. They were sailing near San Diego. They gave the islands their names. Vizcaino called them Los Cuatro Coronados the Four Crowns.
Pilón de Azúcar is one of the smaller islands. It’s just a rocky peak about 100 feet high. There’s no bay there only craggy cliffs. No fresh water means no permanent Indian settlements. Only temporary visitors left behind a shell midden.
Pirates sought shelter in the Coronados Islands. Legend says Jose Arvaez used one of the coves as a base. He allegedly killed the crew of the British ship Chelsea. His crew was caught. They were hanged from their own schooner.
Smugglers also used the islands. In 1911 ten Chinese nationals were abandoned. Two San Diego smugglers left them there. They were stranded and starving. They were rescued but the political implications delayed their return.
During Prohibition rum runners stopped at Pilón de Azúcar. Gambling speculators built a casino. Mexico cracked down on gambling. The casino was abandoned. Later soldiers used it. Their water and provisions came by boat.
Even L Ron Hubbard had a brush with Pilón de Azúcar. In 1943 he shelled the islands. He thought they were uninhabited and American. The Mexican government protested. Hubbard was relieved of command.
Today Pilón de Azúcar is part of a wildlife refuge. Humans aren’t allowed to go ashore. Sea lions seals sea otters and elephant seals visit. Gulls pelicans petrels and sea ducks nest there. The islands host the largest colony of the rare Xantus’s Murrelet.
Pilón de Azúcar the Pile of Sugar remains a mysterious landmark. It’s a place of adventure smuggling and even a little bit of naval history. It’s a reminder of the rugged beauty and fascinating past of the Coronados Islands.