Gorda Banks and San Jose del Cabo
Again we waited for the elusive green flash. It was not to be, there were too many clouds. We had travelled all night in a southerly direction, towards Land’s End, the southern tip of the peninsula of Baja California. As we approached this southern part of the peninsula, we began seeing whales, humpback whales. We slowed down to observe them, but these first whales were quite far. Eventually we approached them and watched their antics, as the waters off this point are the breeding grounds of these interesting behemoths. Females also migrate down here to calve, as the waters are warmer than those of the northern climes, where food is plentiful but the water is colder.
We spent a good part of the morning watching the whales, but eventually we had to proceed on our planned route, into the new marina at San Jose del Cabo. Once tied up there, and shortly after lunch, we boarded our buses that were to take us to the center of this quaint little town, and to an arroyo near town, where we had the marvelous opportunity of watching many water birds. We even had the opportunity of seeing a small water snake, endemic to Baja California.
Shortly after three o’clock we boarded our buses and were taken back to our ship. Here we cast off almost immediately and headed out into the open waters, toward Cabo San Lucas and the rocks of Land’s End. But we were promptly distracted by a number of whales frolicking in these deep waters, and we spent some more time watching them. They breached a series of times, and we could hear all the sounds of the cameras clicking away. Yes, eventually we had to leave them, to see the rocks of Land’s End, and continue or trip to the west, and then north, up to Bahia Magdalena and the gray whales.
The rocks of Land’s End are granite, and there is a lovely arch under which the ocean crashes loudly. Great numbers of magnificent frigatebirds, pelicans and turkey vultures, as well as cormorants, were seen circling these rocks, where they would eventually stop to rest for the night.
On we sailed into the Pacific, enjoying the lovely sunset, with margaritas in our hands!
