Sea of Cortez
2010 |

We took a cruise on a small ship - the M/V Spirit of Endeavour, the same ship we cruised in Alaska's inside passage in 2006.
On this trip, we spent a week with 82 other passangers in the Sea of Cortez, between Baja California and the Mexican mainland.
|
 |

Sunset at Finisterra (Land's End), the southernmost point on the Baja peninsula...
the Pacific Ocean to the west and Sea of Cortez to the east

Birds at Finisterra
|

Humpback whale at sunset |
 |

Humpback whale at sunset

Sunset at Finisterra

Sunset on the Pacific Ocean side

Sunset off Cabo San Lucas

Sunset on the Pacific Ocean side

Magnificent frigate bird (male)

Emily on the beach at Isla Espiritu Santo

Isla Espiritu Santo |

Pataya cactus

Emily about to take the plunge
|

Flycatcher

Emily takes the plunge
|

Puffer fish

Tan sea star and urchin

Butterfly fish, king angel fish and brilliant sergeant major fish in the coral

Butterfly fish

Juvenile damsel fish

Juvenile king angel fish and juvenile damsel fish

Crown of thorns sea star - often disparaged because they eat coral

Another variety of sea star

Mature damsel fish

Mature king angel fish

Coronet fish

Brilliant sergeant major fish

Great blue heron at Bahia Magdalena
|

Our painted panga boat

Note the three noses ---
|

Pacific bottle-nose dolphins in Bahia Magdalena

-- and they surface
|

Pacific bottle-nose dolphins in Bahia Magdalena

Pacific bottle-nose dolphins in Bahia Magdalena

Pacific bottle-nose dolphins in Bahia Magdalena

Pacific bottle-nose dolphins in Bahia Magdalena

Male magnificent frigate bird in Bahia Magdalena |

Youth rodeo in Constitucion
This is an 8 year old boy |

Young senoritas riding sidesaddle |

Ah, Spanish eyes....

Superb horsemanship

Early morning over the sea

A fin whale - second largest creature on earth - note the eye and mouth (left) under the water line

Approaching Loreto at sunrise

Loreto

Loreto was the original capital of all the Californias

Misión de Nuestra Señora de Loreto Conchó
Founded in 1697, considered mother of the Spanish missions in California and the start of the Camino Real

Loreto Mission sanctuary

Chapel of the Virgin of Our Lady of Loreto

Another small chapel

Exterior of the mission

Mission grounds |

Bell tower |

Figure in main sanctuary |

Loreto


|

These cell towers are found all over Baja California |

Island in the Sea of Cortez

Island in the Sea of Cortez

Blue boobies

Juvenile brown booby

Brown booby

California sea lions

Kayaking with the sea lions

Pacific bottle-nose dolphins

La Paz - capital city of Baja California Sur

La Paz

La Paz

Misión de Nuestra Señora del Pilar de La Paz Airapí - 1720 |



Keeping up to date...
|


Dancer in La Paz

Not sure how "Since 1359" can be, nor what
a "bar and clothesline" are...
|
Back to the Mexico page
Back to the Travels page |