Cabo San Lucas
A pale orange and yellow sunrise found the SEA LION heading south for Gorda Banks in search of humpback whales. Naturalists and guests could be found all over the ship binoculars poised as each individual searched the horizon for telltale signs of humpback whales moving through the sea. Our morning temperatures were very warm as we passed over the tropic of Cancer at approximately twenty-three degrees north, latitude and entered the tropical zone of the planet. The tip of the Baja peninsula lies just inside the northern area of the tropics and hence, climate, land and vegetation show the changes of moving into a warmer area. We had ideal conditions for whale observation, with only a slight breeze and great visibility. One of the first sightings of the morning was a red billed tropicbird flying over the bow of the SEA LION!! This was followed by announcements of whale blows in the distance. Slowly we positioned closer to observe two whales breathing, diving, and slowly returning to the surface. Our marine mammal specialist, Steve Zeff continued his elaboration's throughout the morning as the SEA LION continued south…..our eventual destination would be the town of Cabo San Lucas, the largest resort community on the Baja peninsula. At approximately 11:30 AM our vessel made a sharp right turn and began a slow approach into the main harbor of Cabo San Lucas. This bustling port was once a sleepy village located at the end of a dirt road, looking out to the Gulf of California on the left and the Pacific Ocean on the right! In 1925 this small fishing community of less than 500 people was visited by a group of Mexican businessmen, interested in finding a location for commerce. A fish processing location to be exact! The factory and processing ship named the Calmex was brought into Cabo San Lucas to begin what became a thriving business centered around the abundant waters of the Gulf of California. In 1927 a canning plant was built in Cabo, which was the first plant of its kind in Mexico. The plant processed tuna and mackerel, among other species and was a magnet that attracted many people to the area. This successful fishing business continued through the 1940’s, with most of the product being shipped to San Diego, California. In 1942, things began to change for Cabo San Lucas starting with a massive flood that nearly destroyed the entire town. By the 1950's sports fishing hit Cabo San Lucas and the impact of the first tourists who braved the grueling journey down hundreds of miles of dirt road to fish in the fertile waters of the Gulf of California. In the 1970's the Trans Peninsular Highway was completed and Cabo San Lucas was no longer an exotic and remote tourist destination for sport fishermen, but a new and budding resort town!
Today, we wandered through the crowded streets, of T-shirt shops and tequila bars and found hidden within those streets, inconspicuously small, charming, gallery quality shops that still hold a taste of the old flavor and spirit of Mexico, expressed through its art……
A pale orange and yellow sunrise found the SEA LION heading south for Gorda Banks in search of humpback whales. Naturalists and guests could be found all over the ship binoculars poised as each individual searched the horizon for telltale signs of humpback whales moving through the sea. Our morning temperatures were very warm as we passed over the tropic of Cancer at approximately twenty-three degrees north, latitude and entered the tropical zone of the planet. The tip of the Baja peninsula lies just inside the northern area of the tropics and hence, climate, land and vegetation show the changes of moving into a warmer area. We had ideal conditions for whale observation, with only a slight breeze and great visibility. One of the first sightings of the morning was a red billed tropicbird flying over the bow of the SEA LION!! This was followed by announcements of whale blows in the distance. Slowly we positioned closer to observe two whales breathing, diving, and slowly returning to the surface. Our marine mammal specialist, Steve Zeff continued his elaboration's throughout the morning as the SEA LION continued south…..our eventual destination would be the town of Cabo San Lucas, the largest resort community on the Baja peninsula. At approximately 11:30 AM our vessel made a sharp right turn and began a slow approach into the main harbor of Cabo San Lucas. This bustling port was once a sleepy village located at the end of a dirt road, looking out to the Gulf of California on the left and the Pacific Ocean on the right! In 1925 this small fishing community of less than 500 people was visited by a group of Mexican businessmen, interested in finding a location for commerce. A fish processing location to be exact! The factory and processing ship named the Calmex was brought into Cabo San Lucas to begin what became a thriving business centered around the abundant waters of the Gulf of California. In 1927 a canning plant was built in Cabo, which was the first plant of its kind in Mexico. The plant processed tuna and mackerel, among other species and was a magnet that attracted many people to the area. This successful fishing business continued through the 1940’s, with most of the product being shipped to San Diego, California. In 1942, things began to change for Cabo San Lucas starting with a massive flood that nearly destroyed the entire town. By the 1950's sports fishing hit Cabo San Lucas and the impact of the first tourists who braved the grueling journey down hundreds of miles of dirt road to fish in the fertile waters of the Gulf of California. In the 1970's the Trans Peninsular Highway was completed and Cabo San Lucas was no longer an exotic and remote tourist destination for sport fishermen, but a new and budding resort town!
Today, we wandered through the crowded streets, of T-shirt shops and tequila bars and found hidden within those streets, inconspicuously small, charming, gallery quality shops that still hold a taste of the old flavor and spirit of Mexico, expressed through its art……
