Before dawn, we arrived into the protected harbor of Puerto Escondido where our ship docked for the morning. The rising sun soon painted the nearby mountains of the Sierra de la Giganta in warm rosy hues. Our morning outing took us northward by van along the Peninsular Highway to the town of Loreto, the site of the first permanent mission in the Californias. Here we visited the old mission, originally founded in 1697 by Padre Juan Maria Salvatierra, and its adjacent museum. Loreto certainly felt like a pleasantly sleepy town as we strolled along tranquil streets and pedestrian walkways lined with arcing trees. Some people helped out the local economy, buying gifts from local shops. A special delight was marveling at the Huichol beaders practicing in their craft. Others found the local ice cream shop even more alluring. By midday we headed back to the National Geographic Sea Bird.
The ship got underway once again after lunch as we made our way southward amid a raucous sea. We were very fortunate that the swelling seas were coming from the north, rolling along with us. After welcome time for a siesta, Rikki Swenson gave us a presentation about creative ideas of ways to share and enjoy our many photos from this voyage. Patrick, our video chronicler, treated us to a preview of the voyage DVD footage, reminding us of the many extraordinary sights we've enjoyed during the previous days of this expedition. By late evening, the ship reached a calm anchorage in the bay of Ensenada Grande on Isla Partida Sur.
