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2008 - Mexico’s Sea of Cortés
San Carlos (Guaymas) to Loreto,
9-night / 10-day
Day 1 Arrive in Guyamas, Transfer to San Carlos, boarding
On arrival in Guyamas you will be meet and transferred to San Carlos where you’ll board the Safari Quest.
Day 2 San Carlos Area
Having crossed the Sea of Cortés to the eastern shore, today we’ll find remote spots to enjoy skiff rides and water activities. There is a large colony of sea lions at Isla San Pedro.
Day 3 Midriff Islands
The Midriff Islands are rarely visited because there are no cities and hardly any villages nearby. Boaters from America have to cruise down the Pacific Coast nearly a thousand miles to Cabo San Lucas – and then hundreds more miles north into the Sea of Cortés to get here! Today’s itinerary is flexible, but we may drop anchor off Isla Salsipuedes for a hike, or watch for sperm whales feeding in the sealife-rich waters. Strong currents aerate the water and bring nutrients up from the underwater basins, which reach 2,700 feet deep here. At Raza Island almost the entire world’s population of Heerman’s gulls and elegant terns make their homes, and we’ll enjoy skiff rides up-close to the shorelines. We may have a chance to snorkel with sea lions at Little Raza Rock.
Day 4 Exploring the Midriff Islands
We’ll make time today for all manner of water activities – skiff rides, snorkeling, sailing, swimming, beachcombing. This is enjoyment of a unique maritime desert environment at its finest.
Day 5 Santa Rosalía
Most unusually, Santa Rosalía’s hallmark is French colonial architecture, the legacy of a 19th century French copper mining project. A local landmark is an iron-walled church designed by Gustav Eiffel himself (that Eiffel). We’ll tour the area, with time for exploration on foot, before reboarding the yacht to cruise north. We’re heading for one of the most remote and rarely-visited parts of the Sea of Cortés.
Day 6 Rio Mulegé, Isla San Marcos
One of Baja’s very few freshwater streams, the Mulegé River feeds rare groves of figs, dates, bananas, olives and oranges. We’ll explore the mouth of the river and its estuary by skiff, an adventuresome introduction to this unique area. Later the yacht continues north to Isla San Marcos where we’ll enjoy snorkeling over a reef teeming with tropical fish.
Day 7 Bahía Concepción
Today is another great day for whale watching before we arrive in Bahía Concepción, a sweeping body of water sprinkled with pristine little islets. The entire vast bay is a national marine reserve, and commercial fishing is strictly forbidden. We’ll anchor in Coyote Bay for an afternoon of beachcombing, snorkeling and exploration by skiff.
Day 8 Snorkeling
Today should be an absolute delight, full of enjoyment above and in the water. After an introduction to snorkeling after breakfast, we’ll cruise to Punta Pulpito. Anchored in sheltered waters, we’ll launch the skiff and sailboat for casual exploration of the rugged shorelines. Snorkel above myriad colorful tropical fish and the occasional manta ray, swim the crystal-clear waters, or soak up the sun’s rays on the beach. Or relax on board and soak in the stunning beauty of the Sea of Cortés.
Day 9 Isla Carmen and Whale Watching
Today, we’ll explore the unpopulated eastern shore of Isla del Carmen. We plan to drop anchor at Ballandra Bay where you can enjoy a guided hike into the desert interior, lush with exotic cacti and succulent plants. Beachcombing, skiff rides, swimming and snorkeling are also possibilities. The sea has carved deep sea caves into the limestone cliffs are several points along the way. En route to Isla Coronado join the Captain on the bridge to search for pods of dolphins along with blue, fin, sei, orca and sperm whales as they spout and dive in the surrounding waters. Keep your binoculars close at hand to spot blue-footed boobies, pelicans, cormorants and an array of gulls that make this area their home. We’ll anchor at sunset in a secluded cove.
Day 10 Disembark Loreto
A transfer is included to your Hotel or to the Airport for your flight home.
