Cabo San Lucas, San Jose, & the Gorda Banks
Finisterra, the "End of the Earth"! We approached it from the West when it was still dark, the sky off to the East desperately to lighten. Birds were already flying, and off to port we could already see the lights of the False Cape and beyond, the lights of Cabo San Lucas. This is where the English privateers (read pirates) hid from the Manila Galleon as she approached the Cape for water and fresh fruit, for human companionship after such a long time at sea.. And then they sprang from behind Friar’s Rocks and attacked the slow, lumbering galleon, loaded with tea, sandalwood, silk, ivory and candies, as well as many spices. The most valuable of this material ended up in England!
In Cabo San Lucas, after docking, we boarded a bus that took us to San Jose del Cabo, where some of us enjoyed a morning of bird watching along the Estero (Estuary). Land birds as well as shorebirds were present, ospreys and great blue herons… but also the rare endemic peninsular yellowthroat! Many interesting plants were seen, including such exotics as the looffa and the water gourd, as well as castor bean; the three originate from Africa! Meanwhile, the snorkelers were having a ball watching a good series of semitropical fish, including the rare Clarion angel fish.
And off we went, leaving this old port behind, making our way East, then North into the Gulf of California, watching humpback whales en route!
Finisterra, the "End of the Earth"! We approached it from the West when it was still dark, the sky off to the East desperately to lighten. Birds were already flying, and off to port we could already see the lights of the False Cape and beyond, the lights of Cabo San Lucas. This is where the English privateers (read pirates) hid from the Manila Galleon as she approached the Cape for water and fresh fruit, for human companionship after such a long time at sea.. And then they sprang from behind Friar’s Rocks and attacked the slow, lumbering galleon, loaded with tea, sandalwood, silk, ivory and candies, as well as many spices. The most valuable of this material ended up in England!
In Cabo San Lucas, after docking, we boarded a bus that took us to San Jose del Cabo, where some of us enjoyed a morning of bird watching along the Estero (Estuary). Land birds as well as shorebirds were present, ospreys and great blue herons… but also the rare endemic peninsular yellowthroat! Many interesting plants were seen, including such exotics as the looffa and the water gourd, as well as castor bean; the three originate from Africa! Meanwhile, the snorkelers were having a ball watching a good series of semitropical fish, including the rare Clarion angel fish.
And off we went, leaving this old port behind, making our way East, then North into the Gulf of California, watching humpback whales en route!
