ABOARD THE SAFARI ENDEAVOUR—I had mixed feelings when the skyline of La Paz came into view this morning. It meant that our cruise in the isolated reaches of the Sea of Cortez was over, and we had one more day and night on board. It’s so easy to become attached to members of the crew—a wonderful group of talented and caring young people—and to new friends from far-flung places that we’d probably never see again. And our …
ABOARD THE SAFARI ENDEAVOUR—The plan for today was to anchor off Los Islotes (tiny islands off the tip of Isla Partida) and spend the morning with the California sea lion colony living there. The crew had told us the dark brown males can weigh up to 600 pounds, and do a lot of posturing–baring their teeth and looking threatening. The lighter-colored females, weighing about 200 pounds, feed at night and would be sleeping when we approached the …
Read moreDay 6: Rough seas lead to an unexpected stop at the lovely Ensenada Grande
ABOARD THE SAFARI ENDEAVOUR — The captain told us last night at dinner that he intended to begin cruising in the wee hours of the morning, looking for the giant fin/blue whales and deep-diving sperm whales that frequent the Sea of Cortez in early November. He also warned us that there was a weather front moving in, so the rocking of the ship might be a bit more extreme. Our cabin’s storage areas are secure and the …
Read moreDay 5: We searched for whales, but for naught…maybe tomorrow!
DAY 4: ABOARD THE SAFARI ENDEAVOUR — Our destination this day was Captain’s Choice—a surprise for us passengers. Capt. Barrett did not disappoint. At sunrise we cruised into Honeymoon Cove on the uninhabited Isla Danzante, which translates to “Dancing Island.” No one seems to know why it’s called that, but we discovered that the setting and day’s activities were cause for joy. Like most of the islands in the Sea of Cortez, Isla Danzante has cliffs plunging …
DAY 3: ABOARD THE SAFARI ENDEAVOUR—A glorious sunrise greeted us as we approached the fishing village of Bahia Agua Verde and dropped anchor near a handful of sailboats bobbing gently on the calm waters off a fine beach. The Endeavour dwarfed the other vessels, and I remarked that their occupants were probably saying, “There goes the neighborhood.” This proved to be untrue, at least in one case, as we kayaked along the cliffs, nosing into small coves, …
Read moreDay 3: The highlight of today’s cruise was a horse-burro-mule ride into the desert
ABOARD THE SAFARI ENDEAVOUR — We awoke early and headed to the upper deck for our first view of Isla San Francisco, one of the many uninhabited islands along the coast of the Baja California Peninsula. The ship was anchored in a pretty half- moon-shaped bay with a ribbon of beach bordering clear blue water — and we had this idyllic setting all to ourselves. Michelle, the ship’s Wellness Director, was leading a yoga class on the …
Read moreDay 2: Snorkeling from the white beach of Isla San Francisco in the Sea of Cortez
ABOARD THE SAFARI ENDEAVOUR — Donnelle Oxley and I flew into Mexico’s San Jose del Cabo Airport yesterday afternoon. AdventureSmith Explorations, the booking agency for Un-Cruise Adventures, asked all passengers to arrive at the airport by 2:30 pm on Saturday, so we flew in early and booked a room at the Best Western Aeropuerto for Friday night so we didn’t have to worry about tight connections. This gave us an opportunity to catch up on email before …
Read moreDay 1: Embarking on an Un-Cruise Adventure in Mexico’s Sea of Cortez
My photographer and I are always searching for destinations with unique “critter encounters,” which has led us to swim with humpback whales in a sanctuary off the Turks & Caicos, dive Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, cruise Alaska’s wilderness areas, and explore the islands of the Galapagos. Our first experience with Un-Cruise Adventures (then American Safari Cruises) was in Alaska’s Glacier Bay, where the 18-cabin Safari Explorer was one of the small ships allowed to anchor in the …
Read moreUn-Cruise Adventures: Baja’s Bounty in the Sea of Cortez
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