San Jose del Cabo and Gorda Banks
The National Geographic Sea Bird continued her night voyage, heading south for Friar Rocks and the tip of the Baja Peninsula. Our sea conditions continued to be lovely and calm, providing a wonderful, gentle cruise for our entire vessel. Just before sunrise the National Geographic Sea Bird was just off one of the well developed areas along the western side of the Baja Peninsula. We were slightly behind schedule, so our passing of the southern tip of the peninsula at Friars Rocks, or Land’s End, was brief!
Turning left, the National Geographic Sea Bird passed the well-known tourist mecca known as Cabo San Lucas. Two large cruise ships were anchored out, with many large and small yachts moving in and around the large harbor. We passed this over-populated area and continued around the peninsula’s tip, heading for a quieter, smaller and older settlement called San Jose del Cabo. We would be docked at the new marina, Puerto Los Cabos, located at the entrance to a natural estuary where fresh water has drawn settlement for thousands of years.
Spanish galleons first visited Estero San Jose – the mouth of the Rio San Jose –.to obtain fresh water near the end of their lengthy voyages from the Philippines to Acapulco in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. As the area became well known, pirates also began to frequent the area, creating a necessity for a military presence. Along with the military came Jesuit padre Nicolas Tamaral, traveling from the north to establish Mission Estero de las Palmas de San Jose del Cabo in 1730.
As soon as the National Geographic Sea Bird was docked inside Puerto Las Cabos, our group boarded two busses and headed into town. One group would be visiting the local estuary, where excellent birding was available. The other group headed into town to explore both the local municipal market and several of the well-known artist galleries in and around town. San Jose del Cabo has approximately 25,000 inhabitants, most of whom are associated in some way with the tourist industry of the Cape region of Baja.
Both birders and those exploring the many quiet streets enjoyed the brief visit to this tropical region of Baja! Vermillion flycatchers were a highlight for birders while town exploration led to mole paste from Oaxaca and many a long pause over ethnic art from all over the country of Mexico.
Busses returned everyone to the National Geographic Sea Bird by 1:00 p.m., just in time for lunch and a quick departure, cruising to an area just north of San Jose del Cabo called Gorda Banks. This is a well-known birthing and mating area for humpback whales. The winds had been building while we were in town; the whitecaps were gaining height and their tops were being blown off in long strands of sea water in the wind. The National Geographic Sea Bird continued north keeping a watchful eye for humpbacks. Within the hour, whales were spotted...breeches, tail lobbing, pectoral flippers slapping the water; all were seen as we slowing explored the southern waters leading into the Gulf of California, or Sea of Cortez. The officers on the bridge maneuvered the National Geographic Sea Bird expertly, in slightly rough seas, for excellent looks at the whales.
As the sun began moving west over the mountains of the Baja Peninsula, we headed north in seas that continued to drop and lay down for the evening. We had a long journey heading for our next day’s destination...continuing our exploration of the eastern side of this uniquely unusual peninsula where the desert meets the sea.
