BAJA KAYAK TOURS

Sea of Cortez Expedition

2008-09-02T15:45:00.000-07:00

8-DAY TRIP OVERVIEW

Our Sea of Cortez adventure begins in the historic mission town of Loreto on the Baja Peninsula's undisturbed and sheltered eastern shore. From Loreto's beaches, one can see the uninhabited desert islands of Danzante and Carmen rising steeply from the deep blue waters of the Sea of Cortez.

For one exquisite week, we paddle these pristine islands of the Loreto Marine Park, camping on remote beaches and filling our days with kayaking, exploration and just plain relaxing. Secluded white sand beaches, azure seas and brilliant blue skies are home to frigate birds, osprey, pelicans, blue-footed boobies, dolphins, sea lions, rays and a myriad of tropical fish. We may even catch a glimpse of a spouting whale or surfacing sea turtle on this remarkable journey.

Our experienced guides have traveled extensively in Baja and have intimate knowledge of the area's rich natural history. As skilled kayak instructors they also provide training for those guests interested in developing their paddling skills. Whether you want to study the unique bird, fish and plant life, work on your roll, or relaxing in the sun; this Baja expedition will be a memorable adventure.

ITINERARY

Day One Our friendly local transportation service greets you at the airport to transport you to your hotel in the charming town of Loreto. To help you prepare for the next leg of your adventure, our guides gather with your group in the evening to answer questions, discuss trip details and offer packing tips. Participants are free to join each other for dinner out on the town and take a stroll along the palm-lined waterfront of Loreto.

Day Two After breakfast, we board the van and journey 30 minutes south of Loreto to our launch site at the foot of the Sierra de la Giganta. An orientation to kayaks, paddling and safety procedures includes practicing our skills on the water at a fun and relaxed pace. In the early afternoon we pack our kayaks and begin our paddle to the islands for our first night under the brilliant Baja stars.

Days Three – Six For the next glorious week we surrender to "Baja time." On mornings of travel days, we paddle to our next island beach campsite. These incredible desert islands offer exceptional mountain and sea vistas making them a perfect place to experience the area's abundant marine life. Our afternoons and layover days are filled with birding, fishing, beachcombing, skills training or simply lounging around.

On the mornings of travel days, we paddle to our next island beach campsite. These incredible desert islands offer exceptional mountain and sea vistas, making them the perfect place to experience the area's abundant marine life. During our afternoons and layover days, we spend our time birding, fishing, beachcombing, skills training, or simply relaxing.

Day Seven The last day we break camp and paddle to our take-out where a van awaits to transport us to our Loreto hotel in time for a hot shower and an evening on the town.

Day Eight Depending on your departure arrangements you may find time for a leisurely breakfast, visiting the mission or a stroll through the lovely shops of Loreto. Our van picks you up at the hotel and takes you to the airport in plenty of time for your flight.

Sea of Cortez

2008-09-02T14:29:00.000-07:00

The Sea of Cortez is a partially enclosed sea that lies between the Baja California peninula and the Mainland of Mexico. In 1540 the Spanish explorer Francisco de Ulloa named it El Mar de Cortes (the Sea of Cortez) after his leader, Hernan Cortez. However, the official name is El Golfo de California (the Gulf of California).

The Baja peninsula is the second longest isolated peninsula in the world, only the Malay peninsula is longer. The peninsula extends over 1,070 km (about 700 miles) and varies in width from about 100 to 200 km.

Because the coastal areas on both sides of the sea are mostly arid with few resources for development, the area surrounding the Gulf has been relatively unspoiled by human activities. The islands within the Gulf are probably one of the most pristine archipelagoes left on earth. They are consequently of enormous biological and ecological value, with the Sea and its islands considered a great natural laboratory for the investigation of speciation and island biogeography. (Case and Cody, 1983).

Information from MEER research projects.

Whale Watching Details

2008-09-01T14:17:00.000-07:00

Every year Gray Whales migrate from Alaska to one of the 4 lagoons in Baja to give birth. The Mexican government allows registered pangeros (local fisherman) to take people whale watching in their 10-12 person capacity skiffs (motor boats). This is a very unique an humbling experience.

The whales are gentle and swim in close proximity to the skiff, sometime the whales even allow us to rub their heads. The mothers often push their young up to the skiff. From camp you are sure to see the males breaching out of the water.

Whale Watching excursions are from one to two hours and typically always in the morning when the wind is calm and the water is glassy. After breakfast the pangeros arrive at the camp to take the group into the birthing lagoon.

We have chosen the Magdalena Bay birthing lagoon for several reasons. The major reason being that it is the only lagoon with an extensive mangrove estuary, which provides for some of the best kayaking and birding! The mangrove estuary is calm and provides a safe environment for fish and dolphins. In addition, there is very unique sand dune spit, which protects the lagoon from the Pacific Ocean. We visit the area for a fun day of beach walking and enjoy a picnic.

The SCOOP on Sleeping Accommodations, Restrooms and Booze

2008-09-01T11:13:00.000-07:00

There is a reason we pitch the slogan, " Comfort & Adventure Tours," to describe all of our tour options. Camp comfort is high on our priority list. For us to best serve you please make sure you discuss any special needs or concerns with our Baja Trip Advisors.

Sleeping Accommodations - Hotel, Camp Tents & Sleeping Pads:

The first and last night will be spent at a lovely, clean and quiet hotel in the town of Loreto overlooking the Sea of Cortez. When available, participants may upgrade to Ocean View Suites. At our private Island Base Camp in Magdalena Bay participants have the option of sleeping in a camp tent, which comes equipped with inflatable Dream Time therm-a-rest sleeping pads or participants can upgrade to our deluxe tent, which comes with 2 cots and room to stand up in. To make your beach stay more comfortable we provide doormats and sand dusters to help keep your tent free of sand. To find out more about our sleeping pads, visit therm-a-rest.com.

Need a little more comfort? Our combination tours include three nights on the pacific for whale watching and three nights on the Sea of Cortez based out of the Tripui Resort. This tour offers the best of both sides of the Baja Penninsula. For more information please visit: Combo Tour: Whale Watching and the Sea of Cortez

Restrooms & Booze:
The hotel rooms offer reliable hot water and have private restrooms. At the Island Base Camp we set up two camp toilets. They are privately situated, have privacy walls and probably have the best view than any facility you have ever been in :). Camp toilets have regular commode seats and are only designed for solid waste.

Blue Waters Kayaking does not provide alcoholic beverages, soft drinks or potable ice. Participants will have the opportunity to stop at a mini-mart for such purchases. We do provide a cooler to keep your drink on ice, plenty of drinking water and flavored waters.

Current Weather - Loreto

2008-08-31T18:31:00.000-07:00

Itinerary: 8-Day Whale Watching & Birding Tour

2008-08-31T17:24:00.000-07:00

8-DAY TRIP OVERVIEW

Your first day and night will be hotel-based in the quaint seaside town of Loreto. The next 5 nights will be spent at our uniquely situated Pacific Coast Whale Camp, located in the heart of the whale calving area on Magdalena Bay, or Magdalena Bay. You’ll return to Loreto for your last night at the hotel and your final day in town before departure.

Your group will be hosted by our experienced naturalist guides, who all either live in or have traveled extensively in Baja, and have intimate knowledge of the area’s rich natural history. As skilled kayak instructors, they also provide training for those guests interested in developing their paddling skills. Whether you want to study the area’s unique bird, fish and plant life or work on your kayak roll, our guides will be at your service.

ITINERARY

Day One: Our friendly local transportation service greets you at the airport and transports you to your hotel in the charming town of Loreto. To help you prepare for the next leg of your adventure, a Blue Waters representative will meet with your group in the evening to discuss trip details and answer any last-minute questions. Participants are free to join each other for dinner and an evening on the town or a relaxing stroll along the palm-lined waterfront of Loreto.

Day Two: After breakfast, you’ll be transported by van from the hotel through the desert toward Baja’s picturesque Pacific coast. In the late morning, our guides greet us at the edge of Bahia Magdalena. We load our gear into our kayaks and accompanying panga (motorized fishing boat), then have an introductory paddle lesson. We then paddle off through the beautiful mangrove to our beach island home, where we settle into camp and surrender into Baja time.

Days Three – Six: We spend much of these four days in the presence of gray whale mothers and calves. Mornings, we’ll visit the whales by panga, thrilling to the proximity of these majestic creatures. Afternoons, we’ll have opportunities to walk the expansive sand dune beaches and paddle in the extensive mangrove estuaries, observing bird life at every turn. Our guides are excited to share their knowledge of the area’s natural history and marine ecology, and are ready to help you develop your kayaking skills. You can even have your own private self-rescue training sessions right off our camp’s beach! Evenings, after a delicious Mexican home-style dinner, kick back into your camp chair and enjoy great company as oranges, reds and golds splash across the sky and water in another magnificent Baja sunset. Browse the camp library in our spacious geodesic dome, or sit outside by the quiet evening waters as we identify early spring constellations, marvel at the water's bioluminescence, and listen for the sound of whales blowing off-shore.

Day Seven: On our final morning at camp, the group may choose to go whale watching one last time. Afterwards, we pack up and paddle back to the peninsula, where a van awaits to transport us to our Loreto hotel in time for a hot shower and an evening on the town. On our final night, we’ll enjoy exploring Loreto’s quaint streets and local culture, filled with shops, restaurants, cafés, and friendly local people.

Day Eight: Depending on your departure plans, you may find time to enjoy a leisurely breakfast, visit the mission, or further explore the myriad shops of Loreto. Our van will transport you from your hotel to the airport in plenty of time for your flight.

Island Base Camp - Whale Watching

2008-08-31T13:40:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our home away from home on Katalena Island in Magdalena Bay - one of four lagoons where the Grey Whales migrate to from Alaska to give birth. The whales are in the lagoons from January - mid March. We offer the only whale watching experience where you can be in the presence of these majestic mammals from sun up to sun down.
During the day you can see the whales breaching in the distance and in the evening you can often hear them breathing. In addition, we will have access to an expansive estuary of mangroves that provide us with the best sea kayaking and nature viewing opportunities on the Pacific Coast of the Baja Peninsula! You can plan on seeing flocks of white pelicans, bottle nose dolphins, green and blue herons and more.

Blue Waters Kayaking arrives in Magdalena Bay one month before the arrival of the first Grey Whales and before the first tour in order to set up our exclusive island base camp. We clean the beach of driftwood that has collected along the fine sand beach and begin the exciting task of setting up what will be our home for the next three months.

The first task it to set up our two 17-foot domes. Lala, our head chef of twenty years, quickly begins converting one of the domes into her kitchen.

There are two everlasting memories that our customers retell us year after year. The first being their unforgettable and amazing whale watching experiences and the second being the mouth watering cuisine produced from Lala's kitchen.

"Lala, our cook, was outstanding. The food was always delicious, plentiful, and on time. Her grand smile and pleasant presence were a bonus," Brenda Walker, 2006.

We understand the importance of having a space where you can retreat from the sun, sand and wind and that is why we convert the second dome into a community space with reed mats, chairs, and a bright lantern for evening reading or late night conversation.

Other amenities include solar electricity to charge your camera batteries, beach umbrellas and chairs and in the evening you can enjoy the option of a hot solar shower.

Tour participants will have the option of staying in one of our 2-person camp tents, which are equipped with an inflatable dreamtime therm-a-rest mattress pads or upgrading to a deluxe tent, which come with cots and room to stand up in. Therm-a-Rest claims the three-inch thick DreamTime sleeping pad is the most luxurious camping mattress ever made, and we happily agree.