The Gorda Banks, southern Baja California, Mexico

Cabo San Lucas! A small community then (1580), a bustling tourist center today (2003). The Manila Galleon had orders to make landfall here, during her return voyage from the Philippines, Manila, loaded with ivory, silk, precious woods and spices. Possibly the most interesting item brought back from China by the Spaniards were the candies, of which the Chinese excelled. All these were fetched and purchased from the Chinese with silver.

All night long we had travelled from the Gray whale lagoons on the Pacific side of the Peninsula to Cabo San Lucas. By sunrise we were in sight of the Friar's Rocks, and the famous arch in the rock, at Lands's End. We slowed down there and enjoyed the lovely views, and then sailed on to enter the Bay of Cabo San Lucas. Here we tied to a dock and enjoyed all morning doing different activities: snorkeling at Pelican Rock, diving in the vicinity, and walking along a lovely desert walk, with the naturalists: Karen and William.

Upon our return to San Lucas, we had some time off for shopping in the myriad small shops, where a great variety of Mexican handicrafts were to be seen. At midday sharp, we sailed out of the Bay of San Lucas, and on north, now into the Gulf of California, seemingly trying to emulate that fantastic and best pilot/captain of Cortes, Francisco de Ulloa, who shortly after Cortes had been on this peninsula (1535) was ordered to explore what today we know as the Gulf of California. Cortes had originally called it the Mar Bermejo (the Vermillion Sea). Our principal hope for the afternoon was to find humpback whales at or near Gorda Banks, a quite shallow seamount, coming up very near the surface. Even before arriving there, we had already seen our first humpback whale, which we observed for a while, then sailed on north to the banks. Here we found a group of seven individuals, males and females, all swimming back and forth, the males fighting (and even bleeding), to be the one in position when the female chose. So we saw young adults as well as adults, and were even capable of identifying the female, by her wider body and her position during the fighting bouts of the males.

After our satiation was complete, we set off to reach the inside of the Gulf of California, by travelling north all night long!