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Sea of Cortez/Whales |
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Eskape
Sea Kayaking |
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SEA OF CORTEZ KAYAKING ADVENTURES |
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Multi-day
Kayak Expeditions featuring...
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T
R I P S F O R P A D D L E R S *
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| Sea of Cortez Trip Options |
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Sea of Cortez Kayak Expedition & Magdalena Bay Whale Watching Combo—8 days Top off a week of Cortez kayak touring, snorkeling and skills instruction with whale watching at either San Ignacio or Bahia Magdalena calving lagoons. Reservation/Payment Info |
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Trip Details Trip features small groups, single kayaks (doubles available on request), skills development, spectacular desert-sea scenery and wildlife, snorkeling, and trip to gray whale calving lagoon for guaranteed close encounters. More info Includes 5 days kayaking, 4 nights camping; all food while kayaking, kayaks and gear, and Mag Bay Whale Watching Trip: transportation, English-speaking naturalist-guide and whale watching/ boat fees. Cost: $1000
Reservation/Payment Info To make your own lodging arrangements: Info where to stay in Loreto 2008 Dates:
Feb. 10-17 & 17-24; Feb. 28-Mar. 6; March 23-30. |
Sea of Cortez Kayak Camping
Expeditions
| "We
stopped at a lovely beach between two points...with azure blue water...after
paddling through some heavy seas. We are all getting better at paddling.
It's fun to watch our improvement."
--Sarah Richards of Iris Publishing,
participant in January 1999, 7-day trip. Link to Sarah's BAJA PHOTOS & STORY with her personal perspective on the trip. Note: despite a few typos and slight errors (e.g. we use wetsuits and not dry suits for rescue practice, etc), we found her unsolicited testimonial did a fine job capturing the overall feel of our expeditions. Do Baja differently this winter.
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• Improve Your Paddling Skills Skills development is a trademark of Roger's tours. He is an American Canoe Association certified Instructor Trainer who has helped thousands to polish their paddling skills at every level from first-time beginners to instructor certification. Throughout the trip he offers informal instruction on a variety of topics. Fine tune your forward stroke for speed and efficiency; improve boat-handling skills with Dufeks, draws and other “fancy strokes"; work on braces, rolls, towing or rough water rescues; practice kayak navigation and trip planning. |
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• Our Itinerary: Options Abound The Basic Plan: On traveling days we typically break camp and get on the water between 8 and 10 am, and paddle until lunch time, stopping now and again to stretch our legs, gawk at wildlife, etc. After lunch we sometimes opt to take a hike (or a nap) or to work on paddling skills or snorkel before getting back on the water. We generally make camp between 3 and 5 pm, to leave time for optional activities like hiking, reading, relaxing, tide pooling, beach combing, and evening paddles in an unloaded boat, or working on kayak rolls and other paddling skills. After dinner we'll share stories and a mug of wine or cocoa beneath a sky full of desert stars. We usually take a couple layover days during the trip, so we can leave camp set up to explore by kayak and work on skills in unloaded boats. We know the area well, so options abound. • About the Boats During surf camp we'll have a mixture of single sea kayaks and river/surf kayaks. It may be possible for me to transport your surf kayak to Baja if you are open to letting others try it. Suggested Prerequisites: For Sea of Cortes: Beginning class with basic strokes and rescues or equivalent; suggested: a surf zone class or additional training will make you that much more prepared to work on more advanced skills if desired. For Surf Camp: Surf Zone Intro required; more experience desired. Pacific Coast Surf Camp and Whales!
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| • General Baja Gear List, Weather and
Travel Info.
Gear List: You bring--camping gear, clothes, snorkeling
gear, wetsuit. Complete list available w/ registration. All campsites
are beach front and scenic but primitive (i.e. with no "facilities”)
so some previous backpacking-type experience is suggested. • Weather Although warm, sun-filled
days are the rule, winter weather in Baja can vary. Expect cool evenings
in the mid 50s and pleasant daytime temps from the mid 60s to low 80s.
On rare occasion, storm systems passing to the north sometimes sprinkle
us with scattered showers, so we recommend bringing light rain gear
(which can double as windbreaker). Water temperature in winter averages
in the mid 60s, refreshing for a short swim, but we recommend wetsuits
for longer snorkeling sessions or for practicing kayak rescues or Eskimo
rolls. • Your Guides/Instructors Pancho Mayoral, grew up in San Ignacio Lagoon, and was literally born into being a whale watching guide under the legacy of his father's "first contact." He has also worked as a kayak instructor for 8 years, including working as the sea kayaking program coordinator for NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School) Baja. He, too, is a Wilderness First Responder. Please read the profile on Pancho in the Feb. '06 issue of Sea Kayaker magazine. • Shared Adventure |
| • Baja Travel Info/Logistics Overview |
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Getting to Loreto: There is usually only one flight each day
into Loreto Airport (LTO); it leaves from Los Angeles (LAX). You'll
need to get to Loreto at least one day prior to the start of the kayak
trip. We'll meet you at the Loreto Airport and taxi you to our hotel.
We'll have a brief pre-trip orientation and hand out dry bags, so you
can pack up your gear and have it ready to go in the morning. The hotel
that you stay at has a security room and they will let you leave luggage
and extra clothes for you to return to at the end of the trip. We usually
take our passports and money along and no one has ever had any problem
with their things.
TWO IMPORTANT TRAVEL REMINDERS Getting on the Water: We'll meet for breakfast the next morning, then head to the put in, pack boats (this always takes longer than you think it will), and launch. The first day is a short paddle to our camp, less than 5 miles, for a leisurely “now-you-are-really-in-Baja” start. Getting Home and Whale Watching: On the last paddling day, we'll pack up camp and paddle to the pick up site by early afternoon to give us time to sort gear and check into a hotel for a shower before going out to dinner in Loreto together. The next morning, those on the Sea of Cortez/ Whale Watching Combo will be picked up by van for the 2 hr. trip to Magdelena Bay, for 2 hours of whale watching in a small skiff or panga. The last morning you're on your own to breakfast and shop in town before
catching your plane. The taxis are easy, plentiful, and inexpensive.
Often people like to take a couple extra days to explore the area on
their own, arrangements can be made for mule rides or a tour of a beautiful
mission in the mountains or to see cave paintings. Re-entry to the work-a-day
world is sometimes easier after being in town for a day or two. Moving
too quickly from the magic of the desert beach to the demands of 21st
century USA can strain the recharging process. Que será. |