Around the Horn

Day 45: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Another exquisite day and beautiful sunrise greeted us in Cabo San Lucas. After catching an early morning tender boat, we waited on the pier for our 'ride' for the morning....a 72-foot yacht named the Marlin Master 5.

After being given a few guidelines by the tour coordinator, we stepped onto our home for the next 3 and 1/2 hours. Being told by the crew member that we were welcome to sit at the bow of the boat, Dave and I headed for a padded bench in the prime location. followed by 2 other couples.

The sun was glorious and the sea calm, as we headed out to our snorkeling destination off Land's End, a bay several miles away. Our course was abruptly altered, however, by the appearance of whale spouts off the bow. We headed in that direction and were rewarded with the sightings of several whales rolling and displaying their flukes. We were also taken out to see the sad sight of a dead whale floating in the bay, and while it was not a nice thing to witness, it did give us an excellent opportunity to see the real size of these giants.

Again we were alerted to whales ahead, and raced toward a smaller zodiac-type whale watching vessel. All of a sudden we were thrilled to see whales breach out of the water directly ahead, and stayed for several minutes watching the breathtaking spectacle, snapping photos and taking as much video as we possibly could. A mother and calf swam in front of us, with the baby putting on a great show as Mom glided though the water beside him. This was an unexpected bonus, as the tour was not designated as a 'whale-watching trip'.

After the excitement of the whales, we headed to the bay, and were again thrilled to have dolphins  race along beside us, darting back and forth under the bow. Once we reached the cove, the anchor was dropped and we enjoyed several rounds of margaritas and a snack while the snorkelers and swimmers enjoyed the calm waters. We stayed for about an hour and a half, and then reluctantly were taken back to the pier.

Once on land we shopped a bit and then went off to find Solomon's Landing, a local restaurant where the Hornblower fisherman were to meet with their catch for lunch. The freshest fish one could possibly get were then cooked up and served to about 30 of our friends, along with margaritas and lots of laughter. A great day in one of our favourite Mexican ports.

The fun continued long into the night and ended eventually at the Dragon's Lair disco......or so I am told :)

Tomorrow: At Sea