 Day
2: Island Adventure Awaits!
After breakfast, we meet at the marina to board a boat to Espiritu
Santo Island. A strict packing list for the island will be enforced.
Personal supplies for 3 days will be all that you are allowed to take
on the journey. Your luggage will stay locked in our mainland office.
The boat ride to Espiritu Santo is approximately 1 hour. If we are
lucky, dolphins, manta rays...or other elusive mega fauna will be spotted.
Upon arrival, you will receive a quick tour of camp. Although the beach
camp is rustic, there are eco-friendly toilets (that flush) and cold
showers. Each tent will accommodate two students. We provide cots, bed
linens and towels. Before lunch, participants will learn basic snorkeling
skills and free diving techniques in the shallow bay in front of camp.
After lunch participants will use their snorkeling skills to explore
the rocky shoreline and inter tidal zone. Many different species of
fish and invertebrates can be found right off shore. After dinner we
will go over marine organism ID and survey techniques to prepare for
the next two days of underwater adventures.
Day 3 & 4 Island Marine Extreme
All afternoon of Day 2 through the morning of Day 5 will include snorkeling,
kayaking and study of the marine life common to the Sea of Cortez. We
will also do some hiking and exploration of the hills and desert terrain
where we will see a variety of plant life and incredible views and landscapes.
 We
will snorkel with a colony of 500 wild sea lions while thy streak past,
checking us out, blowing bubbles and performing all manner of acrobatics.
This is so much fun you will want to return a second time. Your friends
will not believe your pictures. Dolphins are easily spotted from our
boat, allowing up close encounters and great picture opportunities.
Manta rays and whale sharks inhabit the same area and are frequently
spotted. Large schools of colorful reef fish are abundant and provide
great photo opportunities.
 Island
exploration and hikes, especially to elevations for Sunrise and Sunset
offer the opportunity to study the rock and desert landscape as well
as the plants and animals that survive here. We will talk about the
geological history of the area and visit spectacular cliffs and sea
scapes by foot and sea kayak. Kayaking along remote shoreline will be
another highlight of this adventure. Kayaks allow us to explore remote
coastline and approach bird and sea lion rookeries without scaring away
the inhabitants.
These two and a half days of island adventure are action packed and
not nearly enough time to see every dive site or scenic hike. Day adventures
will provide thrilling experiences both below the water line and topside.
Nights will be quiet and still. You will have the option to sleep outside
your tent on your cot under a sky full of twinkling stars on your own
private beach.
As with our other programs, we will offer plenty of down time for exploration, swimming, volleyball or just plain relaxing. Each evening will include a class discussion and workbook activities and offer some time to work on our Spanish with our local guides and drivers.
Day 5 Mid-Day: Return to La Paz and Cultural Activities
We will motor back to the Marina, where we will board our vans and
explore the historic city of La Paz and learn about the people of Baja
and their culture. A special highlight for you and some deserving kids
will be a visit to an orphanage housing over one hundred kids of all
ages. If you'd like to help these kids, they need English workbooks,
art supplies, school supplies and clothing. The local priest running
the facility will even provide clothing sizes if your group wants to
bring something down. This is all voluntary, but a brief visit of an
hour of so, would make a huge difference and be very much appreciated.
If you plan ahead, you can learn to read a children's book written in
spanish to some of the kids and donate it to them when you leave. Let
us know if you are interested in this so that we can plan accordingly.
 We
will visit also visit with an anthropologist couple in their little
museum/shop, watch hammocks and blankets being woven on 100 year old
looms and visit a family owned pottery factory that produces beautiful
pieces, perfect for gifts. Artisan shops are everywhere. Great food,
colonial architecture, beautiful waterfront scenery, all provide a memorable
end to your great Baja adventure.
After a full day of exploring the cultural side of the city we will
depart in our vans to Cabo Plumo Beach Resort about 1 hour south of
La Paz. Your home for the next two days will be in eco-friendly beach
bungalows. Our host will give you a tour and talk with you about water
and electricity conservation. Access to the beach is just steps away
from the buildings. After dinner, for those with extra energy we will
do a short beach walk to search for crabs, birds, turtles and other
natural beach goers.
Day 6: Pulmo Reef and Fox Canyon
Plumo Reef is a natural marine preserve and the only coral reef in
the Sea of Cortez. Easily reached from shore, this site is a living
laboratory of marine species including. You will use your snorkeling
skills to explore and observe the varied beauty of these crystal clear
waters. After lunch and a short siesta, our group will travel to Fox
Canyon. During a short hike we will explore the desert trails which
lead through a variety of desert habitats include a canyon oasis with
a perfect pool and waterfall for swimming.
Day 7 Departure Day
(varies by each group's departure time)
After a hearty breakfast, we go over last minute travel instructions
and then load up the vans for your trip to the Cabo San Lucas Airport
located about 1 hour south of Cabo Plumo. This is always a sad day for
us but we are happy knowing that we were able to show you an amazing
adventure. Thank you for choosing Wild Studies. We hope you enjoyed
your trip! |
Day
1: Arrival to Cabo San Lucas and Journey to La Paz
