Tag Archives: kayaking in Baja

Summer Issue

Posted on by

Journal del Pacifico Summer 2013 cover by Laurie Pearce Bauer, Baja, MexicoThe new issue of “Journal del Pacifico” is on the streets in Todos Santos and Pescadero and in select locations in Cabo. We’ll be distributing in La Paz in the coming week. Already we’re getting great feedback on the beautiful cover photo of an air plant by Laurie Pearce Bauer and our Spa and Eco Adventure feature stories–such as Baja Rock Art, Swimming with Sea Lions and Saving Sea Turtles.

The water is warm here in Baja California Sur and there’s a lot to do from eco-adventures to being pampered at a day spa. Those who know me may be more accustomed to seeing me leading a yoga class, out running or riding a horse on the beach, but for a change I tried out the White Sand Massage and Day Spa signature facial for a feature story in this issue. Photographer, Laurie Pearce Bauer, provided the photos for the story. ‘Tiny Town’ also tells the hilarious tale of the author’s decision to get a fresh new look.

ÉTNICA is a new store in the historic district of Todos Santos, across the street from La Copa / The Todos Santos Inn. They have beautiful handmade Mexican blouses, dresses, leather handbags, sandals, belts, shirts and guayaberas for men, unisex hats and espadrilles.

Santo Vino in the Hotel California will only be open for another week, so hurry in to get one of Chef Dany Lamote’s special creations. Citlalli Martinez Cano of Santo Vino wrote an article for this issue on wine pairing.

If you’re looking for some Baja wine, La Bodega de Todos Santos will be open Wednesdays and Saturdays from 2 to 8 pm through June and July. La Licoreria is open all summer with over 400 wine labels from the US, Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Germany, France, Italy and Portugal.

Joseph Arthur, one of the very talented artists from this past year’s Todos Santos Music Festival, has a new album out. You can listen here:
http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/av/2013/06/album-stream-joseph-arthur—the-ballad-of-boogie.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

The children’s library at the Palapa Society of Todos Santos, Rincon de Cuentos, will be open at the same time as the adult library–Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 10 am to 1 pm. The children’s library is free and stocked with lots of great books.

There’s a new Mexican restaurant on the otro lado next door to Mercado Pinos, Restaurant Horizonte, serving breakfast and lunch daily from 8 am to 5 pm.

Royal Palm Property Management provides homeowners from Elias Calles to Las Tunas with professional and reliable service along with an exceptional vacation experience for travelers.

Efimiro Colectivo Mural at La Encantada, photo by Kat Bennett, La Paz, MexicoIf you’re in La Paz, stop in La Encantada to see the beautiful murals painted by young, Paceños artists. Kat Bennett of Allende Books shared her photographs, that show details of the murals, on page 42 of the current issue.

The Cortez Club in La Paz is fully equipped to take you on a variety of adventures in the world’s largest natural aquarium, the Sea of Cortez. Go SCUBA diving, snorkeling, kayaking, water skiing, windsurfing, wave running, sailing, a day of sport fishing or ‘Dancing with Sea Lions’!

Staying in an air conditioned room at Sr. Mañana in the historic district of San José del Cabo is a great way to start or end your visit to Baja Sur. Todos Santos and Pescadero have a variety of accommodations in different price ranges all with swimming pools! Check out Hacienda Todos Los Santos or Hotel Casa Tota in the historic district, Hotelito, just outside “downtown” on La Cachora road or Serendipity and Casa Rancho on the otro lado. In Pescadero you can relax on the beach or spend the day surfing at Rancho Pescadero, or hang out with fellow travelers by the pool at Pescadero Surf Camp. What could be better?

Thanks to our clients, contributors and our readers for making the second season of Journal del Pacifico–La Revista de Baja California Sur such a success! We’ll be back in the fall with more great stories about the best that Baja has to offer. You can follow us through the summer at journaldelpacifico.com and on Facebook at JournaldelPacifico.

If you can’t be in Baja to pick up the latest issue, you can always get the PDF online at: http://journaldelpacifico.com/blog/issues-online/summer-2013/

Baja Outdoor Adventures

Posted on by

Kayaking on the Sea of Cortez with BOAThe weather right now is beautiful in Southern Baja. It’s a great time to get out and explore! I recently took two mini-vacations—one trip kayaking on the Sea of Cortez and the other whale watching in Magdalena Bay.

Sea kayaking in the Sea of Cortez is such a pleasant way to explore the rugged coast line and access secluded beaches. Paddling over the rocky areas gives you a great view of the vast life below the surface—sea anemones and urchins, snails and clams, schools of fish swimming past and crabs scrabbling over the rocky points. There’s a variety of birds to see as well—pelicans, seagulls, frigate birds and cormorants flying overhead and diving into the water to fish, while herons and egrets stay close to shore. Kayaking around Espiruto Santo island near La Paz also allows a close up view of a sea lion colony.

Baja Outdoor Activities (BOA) is offering a 20% discount to Baja residents and Journal del Pacifico readers on selected trips this season. Contact them today for more information. Call (612) 125-5636 or email: paddle@kayakinbaja.com for more information.

BOA Baja Outdoor Activities

Whale watching in Magdalena Bay is a once in a lifetime experience. Living here for over 16 years, I can’t believe that I’ve never done it before, so when Todos Santos Eco Adventures offered me the chance to join in with one of their groups I jumped. Most of my group members were retirees in their 60’s.

Our overnight trip started with an 8 am pickup by Mauricio, guide extraordinaire. The comfortable van whisked us to Lopez Mateos where we enjoyed lunch before heading out in the channels to view mother gray whales and their babies. The calm, shallow area allows you to see these gentle giants close up. Mauricio spotted whales and pointed out how to tell mothers from babies, which are actually born black but turn gray as they develop white patches from a skin parasite and barnacles attach themselves to their upper body. I was in charge of counting how many whales we spotted, but I confess, after 20 or 30, I lost count.

As we were making our way back towards land, we spotted one last group and stopped the boat. JoAnn and I eagerly splashed the water inviting the whales to come closer and visit us. One young whale came closer to take a look—boy was I surprised when it came up out of the water right by my face!

petting a gray whaleWe were amazed as the young whales made repeated trips over to the boat, lifting their faces out of the water to touch our hands. Our boat of “seniors” quickly sounded like children as we excitedly stuck out our hands to get a chance to touch their soft noses. The huge mother whale stayed back, but lifted her whole head out of the water to take a good look at us and give us a close up view of her face. She then went under the boat to scratch off barnacles—looking down at her back you could see them so clearly. She also rolled over and laid under the boat showing her belly. It was incredible to see such a huge, graceful creature close up.

We had dinner and spent the night in Puerto San Carlos and then headed out the next morning in Magdalena bay where the juveniles and adults hang out and mate. This is where you can get views of jumping and rolling–lots of tail views and flippers.

Our tired, but happy gang enjoyed one last lunch before climbing back into the van and our return to Todos Santos. For more information on whale watching in Magdalena Bay, contact Todos Santos Eco Adventures at: tsecoadventures@hotmail.com

Mother and baby Gray whale in Magdalena Bay