Cruise West offers an intimate cruise experience to its customers, with ship capacities ranging from 52 to 102. Recently Cruise West began offering cruises in Mexico's Sea of Cortez.

Setting for a Great Adventure
Often referred to as the Galapagos of Mexico, the Sea of Cortez is a protected habitat for whales and other marine life and is also home to some spectacular flora and fauna.

Special Experience
I was a passenger on one of Cruise West's first Baja Cruises. It was apparent right from the start that this would be a special experience in terms of encounters with marine life and a series of breathtaking Baja landscapes.

The startling proximity of the tawny desert to the brilliant blue waters of the sea makes for some remarkable contrasts and the cloudless days insure excellent photos of landscapes and seascapes.

Amidst the Gray Whales
Among the high points of the cruise was a whale watching excursion on six passenger pangas (open boats) amidst the gray whales in Mahia Magdalena. Every winter, these giant yet graceful denizens of the deep migrate from Alaska where they mate and give birth in the warm waters of this protected bay off the Baja peninsula.

Great Crew Enhances Experience
Special kudos also go to the ship's tireless crew and especially the ever-enthusiastic, multitalented cruise coordinators who along with making sure that everything runs smoothly onboard, also lead nature hikes onshore and educated us all with their knowledge of the native flora and fauna.

During one hike through a Baja canyon our guide explained the intricacies of cactuses' survival, while on another desert walk we learned everything you ever wanted to know about the hiding places of scorpions and the mating habits of tarantulas.

For more information about cruises in the Sea of Cortez contact your travel agent.

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