Los Cabos
Michelle made a gentle wake up call at 0700 hours, as usual. What came a minute later was not so usual: “Pajamas would be appropriate attire for joining us on the bow.” A humpback whale calf had just begun breaching nearby. Off another side of the ship, several humpback whales swam quickly and closely together – males in a competitive group. We dropped the hydrophone and heard faint bits of whale song. Sipping coffee and watching whales is a wonderful way to wake up.
After breakfast, we continued watching humpbacks. A very large mother and her very tiny calf (‘tiny’ = 15 feet long), swam with an escort (a hopeful male?). We passed by a breaching humpback and a sea turtle. As we continued toward Cabo San Lucas, we headed below to see Berit’s underwater video from the first days of the trip.
Before lunch we arrived at the southernmost tip of the 800 mile long Baja peninsula. We paused at The Friars, the famous and picturesque granitic rocks and arch off Cabo San Lucas. We were not alone. In fact, it was downright crowded with jet skis, glass bottom boats, dive boats, tour boats. The setting was beautiful, but. . . it was being loved to death. The shoreline was lined with hotels and new buildings under construction. Two large cruise ships were at anchor. Some of us couldn’t help but think of Joni Mitchell’s song, Big Yellow Taxi: “They paved paradise and put up a parking lot, with a pink hotel, a boutique and a swinging hot spot.”
After lunch, birdwatchers visited an estuary near San Jose del Cabo for bird watching, and snorkelers swam at Playa Chilenos. Shortly before sunset we departed town and revisited the famous arch. It was a totally different scene: peaceful, dramatic, beautiful. Sea lions barked, while dozens of frigatebirds soared above, about to roost for the night. Cormorants and boobies perched on narrow ledges of the rock pinnacles. We sipped margaritas and enjoyed the peaceful beauty. The ship turned to the west, and as we entered the Pacific Ocean we watched for the green flash at sunset.
Tomorrow morning when we wake we will be near Magdalena Bay: gray whale country.
Michelle made a gentle wake up call at 0700 hours, as usual. What came a minute later was not so usual: “Pajamas would be appropriate attire for joining us on the bow.” A humpback whale calf had just begun breaching nearby. Off another side of the ship, several humpback whales swam quickly and closely together – males in a competitive group. We dropped the hydrophone and heard faint bits of whale song. Sipping coffee and watching whales is a wonderful way to wake up.
After breakfast, we continued watching humpbacks. A very large mother and her very tiny calf (‘tiny’ = 15 feet long), swam with an escort (a hopeful male?). We passed by a breaching humpback and a sea turtle. As we continued toward Cabo San Lucas, we headed below to see Berit’s underwater video from the first days of the trip.
Before lunch we arrived at the southernmost tip of the 800 mile long Baja peninsula. We paused at The Friars, the famous and picturesque granitic rocks and arch off Cabo San Lucas. We were not alone. In fact, it was downright crowded with jet skis, glass bottom boats, dive boats, tour boats. The setting was beautiful, but. . . it was being loved to death. The shoreline was lined with hotels and new buildings under construction. Two large cruise ships were at anchor. Some of us couldn’t help but think of Joni Mitchell’s song, Big Yellow Taxi: “They paved paradise and put up a parking lot, with a pink hotel, a boutique and a swinging hot spot.”
After lunch, birdwatchers visited an estuary near San Jose del Cabo for bird watching, and snorkelers swam at Playa Chilenos. Shortly before sunset we departed town and revisited the famous arch. It was a totally different scene: peaceful, dramatic, beautiful. Sea lions barked, while dozens of frigatebirds soared above, about to roost for the night. Cormorants and boobies perched on narrow ledges of the rock pinnacles. We sipped margaritas and enjoyed the peaceful beauty. The ship turned to the west, and as we entered the Pacific Ocean we watched for the green flash at sunset.
Tomorrow morning when we wake we will be near Magdalena Bay: gray whale country.
