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Safari at Sea
Cruise the stunning Baja coast, and commune with sea lions, dolphins and other ocean creatures.
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My husband, Lawrence, and I booked a trip on Cruise West's 102-passenger Spirit of Endeavour, which offered the outdoorsy kind of vacation we love. The brochures promised a casual atmosphere onboard, with no formal nights or casinos, and the weeklong itinerary included stops at various mainland ports for fish tacos and mission tours, and at the small islands just off the coastline. These tiny isles are the perfect places to commune with flora and fauna, and Cruise West hires area naturalists to guide passengers on tours. After a cold winter back at home, we were ready for the wildlife, as well as a rejuvenating week under the hot Mexican sun.
Outward Bound
Our trip began in Cabo San Lucas, where we boarded the ship. The open-air observation area on the top deck—a cozy outdoor space—instantly became our favorite spot. There, we staked out lounge chairs, and leaned back, margaritas in hand, to watch the ship pull out of the harbor. Looking like a fireball, the sun set over the water, dropping slowly behind the coastal cliffs. And with that, we were off.
We experienced our first animal sighting the next morning, just after breakfast. The captain announced over the intercom that dolphins were following the wake of the ship, so we ran up to the deck. We pointed and screamed in delight with all the other passengers as hundreds of dolphins leapt across the water. Some were so close to the ship that they arched upward, trying to get their noses into our outstretched hands.
After a few incredible minutes, the dolphins dived back into the water, and we caught our breath, still laughing from the adrenaline rush and hoarse from screaming. Just as we were getting ready to go back inside, the dolphins reappeared, leaping and diving in the surf once again. The natural display went on for hours as the ship navigated the eastern edge of the peninsula. Finally, Lawrence and I decided to take a nap and returned to our cabin. There, through our picture window, we saw dolphins swimming at eye-level: Our window had become a bedside aquarium. Though we'd booked the cruise in order to get close to the area's abundant wildlife, we had no idea we'd get this close to such beautiful creatures, especially on the first day.
Water Babies The next day, we made our first stop—on Los Islotes, which is technically more of a rocky outcropping than an island. Since a colony of sea lions lodge in those rocks, it's a must-see site for animal-lovers like us. As we anchored near the shore, the crew helped us into wet suits (so that we could stay in the Sea of Cortés' warm waters for several hours) and distributed snorkeling gear, then took us over in a motorized craft.
Paulino Perez, our area guide and naturalist, instructed us to stay away from the male sea lions, which have been known to threaten humans. (We took one look at their massive bodies and nodded.) Once we dived into the water, baby sea lions—each about the size of two large people—began to dart around us, diving up and down and around our bodies, and challenging us to play with them. "Please?" their puppy eyes seem to plead. Not even flippers could help us keep up with their acrobatics.
Call of the Wild
What could top swimming with sea lions? Nothing, we thought. The captain, however, knew better. The ship stopped at a different island every day after that, and each time there was a different animal to look out for in the surf or along the shoreline. Usually, we would dock in a small cove, and the crew would disembark to set up beach chairs, snacks and a protective tarp. Then, the passengers would be rafted over in small groups. In addition to snorkeling and swimming, passengers could kayak and follow along on guided nature walks of the beach and scrublands. The pace of activities was slow and easy, and we felt very relaxed.
On the day we visited Ensenada Grande, the group kayaked toward the sea coves, but Lawrence and I paddled away for some alone time. We made our way inland on a brackish stream running through a grove of mangrove trees. Knobby roots stuck out of the water, and minnows flashed by our paddles. Then the water got shallow, and I grew concerned that our kayaks would get stuck.
"No problem, honey!" said Lawrence, the more experienced kayaker. "We'll just portage!" I assumed that "portaging" was a paddle technique, but Lawrence explained that it's the act of picking up the kayak and carrying it—in this case, over the sandbars. On the way back to the beach I revised the plan, and sat in the kayak while Lawrence pulled me around. We passed pelicans as they skimmed across the water, then folded up suddenly to dive into the sea in search of fish. Lawrence and I were so near to the birds that we ended up drenched. We sat laughing in our kayak, wiping the water from our eyes—and planning a dry excursion for the next day.
The next morning, we chose to join a group nature walk on Espiritu Santo. This enormous island was acquired by The Nature Conservancy in 2003 and has the most intact ecosystem in the region. The variety of flora was mind-boggling. Towering cardóns—the tallest cacti in the world—stood next to fleshy prickly pear bushes and thorny chollas.
After learning about the plants from an area guide for a few hours, we headed back to the beach. As I sunbathed, I heard the guide mention that families of adorable black-tailed jackrabbits live on the island. I lifted up the rim of my sunglasses, keeping an eye out, while Lawrence snored under his hat.
Into Thin Air
On the last day of the cruise, Lawrence and I decided to join a mountain-biking excursion from the port town of La Paz. Once on land, we boarded a minivan for a drive into the parched hills. There, our guide patiently explained how to operate the bikes' gears.
Once we got the hang of the mountain bikes, we took off down a gravel road that twisted through the desert backcountry, picking up speed as we soared down the hill. Birds cried out to each other. Up and down hills we went, passing roadside altars to saints, and open-air wells where cattle drank, unbothered by the burrs clinging to their soft noses. Spooky, dark vultures swirled through the air, their wings wide and their swiftness menacing. For once, I was glad to see the wildlife from a distance.
When we returned to La Paz, the ship was waiting at the dock for our final adios dinner. Lawrence and I wanted one last hour up on the observation deck to cap off our wonderful week. Although it's not official ship policy, the crew agreed to deliver our meal there. With the wind in our hair, we sailed back to Cabo San Lucas. Together, we toasted to our vacation with flutes of champagne, shared plates of grilled steak, and watched the horizon for whales surfacing gracefully in the sea.
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