Cabo San Lucas & Gorda Banks
Throughout the night and early morning the National Geographic Sea Bird was being rolled softly in the swells of the Pacific Ocean. She was headed south along the western side of the Baja peninsula, towards our morning destination of Cabo San Lucas, a resort community located at the tip of the nearly 900 mile long peninsula.
Our Captain made a slow pass in front of Friar rocks or Lands End, an enormous granitic formation located at the tip of the peninsula. There was tremendous surge moving enormous waves through the arch, one of the most well known landmarks of the Baja peninsula. Once our photo session was complete the National Geographic Sea Bird made a slow right turn and headed into the main port of Cabo San Lucas. After tying up at a small fuel dock, and clearing with the port authorities, we were free to pursue our morning activities. Two Zodiacs of intrepid snorklers headed out to Pelican Rock, for our first look under water. After a short ride out of the harbor and a quick safety briefing, nearly twenty people entered the waters of the Gulf of California in search of a few good looks at the underwater tropical fish population! Moorish idols, Yellowtail surgeonfish, Butterfly fish, Goatfish and large school of Spotted puffers were all taking refuge from the strong surge behind several rock formations near Pelican rock. Our water adventure was about an hour long and rather quickly, our snorklers climbed the ladder back into waiting Zodiacs ready to get warm in the sun, return to the National Geographic Sea Bird and take some time to explore a Mexican resort town! This large, bustling community was once a sleepy fishing village of less than 500 people. Our arrival was lucky as there were no large cruise ships docked in the harbor, so it seemed we had more than enough space to move around the sprawling town center. In the 1970s sports fishing started the tourism, but the most important change was the paving of a once extremely rugged dirt road that became part of the Trans Peninsular Highway that runs the length of the Baja peninsula. This opened up a remote, and exotic area to tourism for both land and the productive waters of the Gulf of California and the Pacific Ocean.
Our group made their way out of the harbor, down a small side street making stops into shops that still held the old flavor and spirit of Mexico through it’s well-known folk art. Whether that be obsidian and fire opal earrings, embroidered blouses and shirts and even a tiny yet cavernous shop that held many, many antique masks telling the ancient stories of Mexico in a myriad of materials. Our good luck pieces wrapped carefully and tucked under our arms we returned to the National Geographic Sea Bird in time for a lunchtime departure.
We left Cabo San Lucas behind and headed east and then north into the Gulf of California. In less than an hour we encountered our first Humpback whales. Our afternoon destination was Gorda Banks, a well-known winter mating and birthing area for Humpback whales. As if on queue, a baby Humpback began breaching next to its mother and continued to breach 44 times! One of our smallest and youngest guests continued his vigil at the bow of the National Geographic Sea Bird… he called more of our fellow guests to the bow to watch and then turned to the water and said, “Fly baby whale!” Offered the microphone as encouragement once again, this pint-size guest took his duty in stride, reached for the microphone and repeated, “There she blows!”
The late afternoon light began falling to the west, changing to yellows and pinks as our vessel continued to encounter more and more Humpback whales, all very active. The mountains of the peninsula took on the layered light of early evening with backlit blows, flukes and occasional breaches in sunset colors. Another beautiful day in Baja California, Sur!
Throughout the night and early morning the National Geographic Sea Bird was being rolled softly in the swells of the Pacific Ocean. She was headed south along the western side of the Baja peninsula, towards our morning destination of Cabo San Lucas, a resort community located at the tip of the nearly 900 mile long peninsula.
Our Captain made a slow pass in front of Friar rocks or Lands End, an enormous granitic formation located at the tip of the peninsula. There was tremendous surge moving enormous waves through the arch, one of the most well known landmarks of the Baja peninsula. Once our photo session was complete the National Geographic Sea Bird made a slow right turn and headed into the main port of Cabo San Lucas. After tying up at a small fuel dock, and clearing with the port authorities, we were free to pursue our morning activities. Two Zodiacs of intrepid snorklers headed out to Pelican Rock, for our first look under water. After a short ride out of the harbor and a quick safety briefing, nearly twenty people entered the waters of the Gulf of California in search of a few good looks at the underwater tropical fish population! Moorish idols, Yellowtail surgeonfish, Butterfly fish, Goatfish and large school of Spotted puffers were all taking refuge from the strong surge behind several rock formations near Pelican rock. Our water adventure was about an hour long and rather quickly, our snorklers climbed the ladder back into waiting Zodiacs ready to get warm in the sun, return to the National Geographic Sea Bird and take some time to explore a Mexican resort town! This large, bustling community was once a sleepy fishing village of less than 500 people. Our arrival was lucky as there were no large cruise ships docked in the harbor, so it seemed we had more than enough space to move around the sprawling town center. In the 1970s sports fishing started the tourism, but the most important change was the paving of a once extremely rugged dirt road that became part of the Trans Peninsular Highway that runs the length of the Baja peninsula. This opened up a remote, and exotic area to tourism for both land and the productive waters of the Gulf of California and the Pacific Ocean.
Our group made their way out of the harbor, down a small side street making stops into shops that still held the old flavor and spirit of Mexico through it’s well-known folk art. Whether that be obsidian and fire opal earrings, embroidered blouses and shirts and even a tiny yet cavernous shop that held many, many antique masks telling the ancient stories of Mexico in a myriad of materials. Our good luck pieces wrapped carefully and tucked under our arms we returned to the National Geographic Sea Bird in time for a lunchtime departure.
We left Cabo San Lucas behind and headed east and then north into the Gulf of California. In less than an hour we encountered our first Humpback whales. Our afternoon destination was Gorda Banks, a well-known winter mating and birthing area for Humpback whales. As if on queue, a baby Humpback began breaching next to its mother and continued to breach 44 times! One of our smallest and youngest guests continued his vigil at the bow of the National Geographic Sea Bird… he called more of our fellow guests to the bow to watch and then turned to the water and said, “Fly baby whale!” Offered the microphone as encouragement once again, this pint-size guest took his duty in stride, reached for the microphone and repeated, “There she blows!”
The late afternoon light began falling to the west, changing to yellows and pinks as our vessel continued to encounter more and more Humpback whales, all very active. The mountains of the peninsula took on the layered light of early evening with backlit blows, flukes and occasional breaches in sunset colors. Another beautiful day in Baja California, Sur!
