Trip
Information
Dates:
April 28 - May 6, 2007 (9 days)
Optional extension - Birding the Cape District May 6-9, 2007
Our Vessel: M/V
Sea Voyager
Price: starting
at $2995 CDN / $2849 USD Click
here for details.
Tour starts in Guayamas and ends in Los Cabos.
Highlights
•
Great coastal birding
• Excellent diving and kayaking opportunities
Featured birds:
•
Heerman's Gull
•
Blue-footed Booby
•
Yellow-footed Gull
•
Red-billed Tropicbird
Summary
•
Includes all meals from dinner on day 1 to breakfast on day 9
•
Shore excursions by zodiac
•
Includes onboard educational program by a diverse resource team
•
Easy to moderate walking
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Come
along with us as we embark on a voyage to the pristine wonderland of
the Sea of Cortez. We explore uninhabited islands and beaches
in comfort aboard our ship and at elbow-height by kayak. A more active,
yet very flexible, itinerary allows us to explore the haunts of the whales
and wildlife that make Baja “Mexico’s Galapagos”. April
is a perfect time to go, as the birdlife is unmatched any other time.
We encounter thousands of nesting Blue-footed and Brown
Boobies, Red-billed Tropicbirds, Elegant Terns and nearly half a million
Heerman’s Gulls! This area is well known for whales; fin, sperm,
and orca whales, as well as common and bottlenose dolphin can be seen.
Snorkeling, diving and kayaking – what better way to appreciate
the sea than by playing in it!
Click
here to download a registration form
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Itinerary
Guaymas, Mexico
Arriving in the small town of Guaymas, we will enjoy a typical Mexican
lunch
before boarding the MV Sea Voyager.
Islas San Esteban and San Pedro Martir
In the morning we’ll land
on Isla San Esteban for a walk up a desert wash in
search of birds and the endemic pinto chuckwalla — a fat, harmless
lizard. In the
afternoon we’ll visit Isla San Pedro Martir, where thousand-foot
guano-covered
cliffs are topped with cactus while thousands of blue-footed boobies,
red-billed
tropicbirds, pelicans and frigate birds dot the sky. From either a Zodiac
or a
kayak, we’ll circumnavigate the island, as sea lions bark from
natural caves, seabirds
dive for fish, and wispy jellyfish float by.
Canal de Ballenas and Isla Angel de la Guarda
The Canal de Ballenas (Canal
of Whales) could hold up to its name: fin, sperm,
and orca whales, bottlenose and common dolphins are among the species
we
may spot while we explore its waters. Isla de la Guarda (Guardian
Angel Islands)
is the longest and second largest island in the Gulf of California
with rugged
mountains composed of ochre, orange, olive and saffron layers.
The shores are
lined with stands of centuries-old cacti which are some of the
highest and most dramatic in Baja California. This makes for a
spectacular backdrop to our afternoon
kayaking or cruising experience. From Puerto Refugio, on the north
end of the island, we’ll visit Isla Granitos, which is home to a
playful sea lion colony that
often comes out to greet us as pelicans and osprey fly overhead. Fin whales,
yellow-fin
tuna and Humbolt squid are also often spotted here.
Isla Rasa
On the Baja California peninsula, just south of the Bahia Los Angeles,
we find the
Bahia de las Animas (Bay of the Spirits). Here we’ll hike up an arroyo,
past fragrant
plants and spiky cactus, rewarded by views of the surrounding desert countryside.
Along the way we may find the California jackrabbit and coyotes among the
impressive
scenery.
In the afternoon,
we’ll experience the seabird colony at Isla
Rasa. From miles away we
can hear the calls of nearly half a million Heermann’s Gulls and
Elegant Terns nesting
on this tiny, 142-acre island. We’ll see the Heerman’s gulls
nesting, guarding their
clutch of eggs from the hot sun. Almost 100,000 Elegant terns nest in
among the gulls
as protection from the yellow-footed gulls that hover nearby. A pair
of peregrine falcons
also nest in the area, setting great numbers of birds aflight when on
the hunt.
Isla San Marcos
At Isla San Marcos there is a beautiful cove for swimming, snorkeling,
scuba diving
and kayaking, and a broad arroyo leading into the interior, with intriguing
desert
plants and good opportunities for bird watching. In the afternoon we
are again in
whale-rich waters, near the mouth of Bahia Conception where we stand
a good
chance of sighting several species of whales, particularly fin or sperm.
Santa Rosalia
This afternoon, we’ll dock in the small town of Santa Rosalia,
and explore this
unique Mexican community, originally established in the 1870s. There
is a small
church that was designed by Gustave Eiffel and shipped from France in
pieces,
to be reconstructed in town. We’ll visit this church and a museum
with exhibits
from the mining days, and then our afternoon with cocktails and “botanas” on
the deck of the Hotel Frances.
Isla Santa Catalina
This morning we’ll search for whales in the waters south of Isla
Carmen, an area
that has proven to be one of the best for finding blue whales, and often
bottlenose
and common dolphins. In the afternoon we visit Isla Santa Catalina, famous
for its giant barrel cactus and the peculiar arboreal rattle-less rattlesnake,
which is found nowhere else on Earth. The protected bay is also an excellent
site
for snorkeling.
Islas Los Islotes and Espiritu Santo
At Isla Los Islotes, snorkelers have one of life’s great opportunities
- swimming with graceful, curious sea lions. This is an experience not
to be missed as they welcome us to their underwater
world! With a deeply indented shoreline and dramatically eroded
cliff faces, Isla Espiritu Santo is perhaps the most beautiful island
in the
Gulf of California. We have a leisurely afternoon for swimming, scuba
diving,
snorkeling, kayaking, and in the evening a beach barbecue under the
desert sky.
La Paz – Todos Santos - San Jose Del Cabo
This morning after breakfast we disembark in La Paz and drive to the
little
town of Todos Santos, which has become a haven for artists in recent
years.
We’ll tour a few of the galleries, meet the artists and even stop
into the
Hotel California, rumoured to be the inspiration for the Eagles song
of the
same name.
We’ll end the day over dinner and cocktails on the beach
in the quaint old town section of San Jose del Cabo.
We’ll make our connections home the following
day.
What
To Expect
For
most activities, a relatively low level of exertion is required.
Our program
features activities such as walking, kayaking, snorkeling, wildlife
viewing and Zodiac cruising. Assistance and instruction is provided
for
all activities. You will need to climb into and out of Zodiacs (assistance
is
provided) for excursions onshore, and some of our landings will be ‘wet’,
requiring you wear waterproof shoes or sandals. A reasonable level of
mobility
is required to fully enjoy this travel program, and participants
must get a medical form completed by their physician confirming
they are fit to participate. We have designed shore excursions to
accommodate both those who wish moderate strolls and those who
prefer more active hikes. A few of the excursions may have rough terrain,
with rocky beaches.
In
May, temperatures are fairly warm, and we tailor our shore excursions
to the mornings and afternoons to beat the heat of midday. Average
temperature at this time of year ranges from a low of 16¾C/61¾F
at night to average highs of 27¾C/81¾F. Water temperatures depend on
the depth of the water we are in, and vary from 18 to 24¾C (65 - 75
¾F). “Shorty” wetsuits are provided onboard.
Flexibility
is a must, as itineraries are subject to change, and landings, kayaking
and diving may be tidal or weather dependant. We will provide
you with a complete list of recommended clothing, essentials to
bring, and a suggested reading list upon registration. Meals are a
great
opportunity to meet new friends and recount the day’s adventures,
and
special diets can be accommodated with advance notice. We have a
relaxed dining atmosphere and a menu featuring local dishes.
Everyone
travels for different reasons, however, one common element is a thirst
for knowledge and authentic experience. This desire drives
us
to ensure the highest quality learning experience on our trips, by
taking
time to carefully design each trip we offer.
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