Overnight we rounded the southern end of the Baja Peninsula. As day’s first light rose over the Sea of Cortez, we found ourselves at the entrance of Cabo San Lucas. The fine, cream-colored sand of this resort lays in the company of several large craggy islets known as Los Frailes (The Friars), which serve as markers for vessels coming in and out of Cabo San Lucas.
Our ship continued along the eastern coast of the peninsula until we reached San Jose del Cabo. Many of us walked the streets of the town, shopping for gifts and enjoying ice cream and other local fare. Others spent the day at an estuary to catch birds feeding in the muddy river bottom. Brightly colored dragonflies flitted from twig to twig as photographers shot away at the Ospreys diving for fish near the mouth of the river. Our goal was to find rare and endemic species occupying this part of Baja, including gray thrashers and the Belding’s yellowthroat. We were not so fortunate as to spot the Xantus’ hummingbird, but this gives us all the more reason to return!
Back on board, the sun was out, the winds temperate and steady as we spent the afternoon searching for humpback whales off the ship’s bow. As the cocktail hour drew near, we had a breaching humpback just off our starboard! The light of the day was now headed to other horizons, and we gathered on the sun deck to recount our experiences and to witness the colorful display of sun retreating to the next day.
