Pricing
Departures: Mar through May 2010.
Price:
Charter the entire 12-passenger Safari Spirit for $89,995
SPECIAL 2010 PRICE:
Charter the entire Safari Spirit on the Sea of Cortez departing 27 Mar; 3, 10, 17, or 24 Apr; or 1 May 2010, and enjoy 25 percent off the regular charter price. That's a savings of $22,500. Your price: $67,495.
For more information, to book, or to speak to an R. Crusoe & Son tour specialist, please call us at 800-585-8555.
Local Flavor
In the spring of 1940, John Steinbeck and his pal, marine biologist Ed Ricketts, stepped aboard a rickety, 75-foot sardine boat, the Western Flyer, for a journey around Mexico's Sea of Cortez. Despite a less-than-reliable outboard motor and some dicey negotiations with customs officials, Steinbeck and Ricketts had the time of their lives.
It would prove to be a life-changing experience.
Now it's your turn. What draws us here is the same thing that attracted Steinbeck: this narrow body of water is home to a rich and unique ecosystem. Whales, dolphins, porpoises, sharks, and other creatures call the sea home. But unlike Steinbeck and Ricketts, we cruise in style aboard the lovely12-passenger yacht Safari Spirit.
Sea of Cortez Rediscovered. Aboard the Safari Spirit. 8 Days.
It isn't called "the world's aquarium" for nothing. The Sea of Cortez, that narrow body of water wedged between Mexico's Baja California and the Mexican mainland, is a unique, life-filled ecosystem. There are more species of whale here than you can imagine—blue, sei, fin, orca, sperm. And a wonderful assortment of dolphin and porpoise species, including the rare vaquita marina, a diminutive porpoise that looks to be wearing a black ninja mask like your six-year-old son's.
Charter a delightful 12-passenger yacht, the Safari Spirit, for a cruise around the most spectacular regions of the Sea of Cortez. Fly into La Paz, on Mexico's Baja California peninsula, where we meet you and take you to the yacht. A six-member crew, including a naturalist and an executive chef, see to your every need as we ply the crystal clear waters.
From La Paz, head for Ensenada Grande, a cove on Isla Partida with a lovely crescent beach at its head. Swim, snorkel (the yacht comes equipped with snorkel gear), kayak, hike among the world's largest cacti species. Get comfortable with your newfound freedom from schedules and your chance to enjoy wide-open space.
Next, two glorious days of wildlife viewing. Whales, dolphins, sharks, and such under the water. Sea lions on the rocks. Boobies, pelicans, gulls, and cormorants overhead.
Isla Carmen's waters are home to abundant fin whale and blue whale pods. The bird life here is rich, too. Ospreys nest on the headlands, brown pelicans congregate on partially submerged reefs.
Then Bahía Agua Verde, where we take a mule ride along a footpath into the arroyos. Chat with locals rancheros. Explore the canyons. The scenery is something else.
Step onshore at Isla Coyote, the only permanently inhabited island in the Sea of Cortez. Population? Twenty—and all are members of the same family. Stroll through the whale bone yard. Get to know the family. Hike through a cactus forest.
Hike "the hook," a beautiful bay on Isla San Francisco. Kayak. Snorkel. Swim the untouched white-sand beaches. Then on to Los Islotes, a rocky outcrop that supports a large sea lion colony. Get a close look—or an even closer look, if you don a wetsuit and snorkel and swim with these incredible beasts.
Take a guided hike around Isla Espíritu Santo, perhaps the region's most diverse environments. Think tidal pools, beaches, deserts, cacti forests, and more. Keep your binoculars handy for the myriad bird species that live here.
We wrap up the cruise with a farewell dinner. Then disembark back in La Paz. No one said leaving would be easy...
To request a detailed itinerary for this
journey (and others), click here.