Sea of Cortez Eco-Adventure: Baja Sur, Mexico

Eco-Adventure with the Seacoast Science Center

October 4-11, 2015

Find out why Jacques Cousteau called the Sea of Cortez the World's Aquarium!

On this exclusive adventure, you’ll learn about island ecology, culture, and conservation issues through fun outdoor adventures led by local naturalists. You'll get up close to some of the ocean’s coolest creatures, decompress under the desert sun, and unplug on a remote beach.

You will:
•    Frolic with wild sea lions, swim with whales and dolphins, and possibly whale sharks!
•    Kayak, swim, snorkel or SCUBA* in turquoise bays; explore rocky shorelines and shallow coral reefs
•    Stay at the absurdly beautiful island camp on Ensenada Grande beach, on the uninhabited Isla Parida
•    Enjoy desert and mountain landscapes, spectacular sun rises, and brilliant starry night skies

Our group will travel from Boston together, and after arriving at the Los Cabo Airport, we'll head north toward La Paz to travel by boat to Espiritu Santo Island, your home for the next five nights! We will arrive at camp before dark, just in time for a fabulous dinner!

Our tent resort offers amazing views of the bay and has all of the creature comforts, including flush toilets and solar showers, a covered lounge, classroom and dining area, as well as electricity, refrigeration, and purified water. Here, you will experience all that nature has to offer 24 hours a day. This uninhabited island offers a truly exclusive experience. During free time, you will enjoy soaking up the sun on a kayak or paddleboard while spotting marine life in the crystal clear water. We'll enjoy spectacular sunrises and sunsets and the night sky, which is unhindered by light pollution, is clear and filled with the unfiltered brilliance of the stars and planets.

Our adventure continues with snorkeling at the Ensenada Grande Reef and kayaking to Los Islotes to observe the sea lion rookery. A cross-island hike will bring us to Isla Partida and reveal stunning views of the eastern side of the island. After our hike, we'll escape the heat and jump into the cool water at Isla El Candelero. This tiny island serves as a small rookery and is a great spot to get up close to birds like cormorants, gulls, and pelicans.

We'll travel to San Gabriel Bay to see its large expanse of continuous hard coral reef known as the carpet of corals. No trip to the Sea of Cortez would be complete without a visit the sea lion colony at Los Islotes. Here, we'll will learn about and identify the sea lion’s distinguishing features and the role of commonly displayed behaviors.

We'll experience more of the natural beauty while hiking El Cardonel, and enjoy an afternoon snorkel at the coral reef at El Corralito. We will travel to the Los Islotes Sea Lion Colony to snorkel with the sea lions; those who choose to SCUBA will have the opportunity to do so.

During the evenings, we'll enjoy programs to learn more about the ecology and culture of the area.  We'll learn how to identify reef fish, enjoy a presentation by a local artist, and even learn about and sample tequila.

Just pack your bags and leave the rest to us! SSC Naturalist Henry Burke will greet our group in Boston for our flight to Mexico and lead you on your adventure of a lifetime.

Cost $2,700 per person. Price reduced to $2,500!
Cost includes 7 nights lodging, domestic travel, gratuities, meals, tours, and activities*.
A discount is available for families with children. 
$500pp deposit due by July 15 required to reserve your spot. Full payment due September 15, 2015.

For more information, including a full itinerary,  please contact Henry at 603-436-8043, ext. 16 or h.burke@seacentr.org.

*Does not include SCUBA diving option. Airfare is not included. 

Here is what participants had to say about past Seacoast Science Center Eco-Adventures:

"Fantastic! The most incredible wildlife expereince I have ever had and will never forget. I pinched myself at one point to see if I was dreaming, and then I realized, my dreams aren't even that good!"

"We were incredibly impressed with all of our (local) guides. Their knowledge and passion was evident each and every day. Henry was fantastic and fun to be with."