Baja BOW Island Adventure

Baja BOW is 8-sun-filled days and 7-starry nights

of action-packed outdoor experiences that will

immerse you into the ecology and introduce you

to the people of Baja and the Sea of Cortez. This

unforgettable trip contains just the right amount of

R&R with structured activities. You will learn

snorkeling, free-diving, flat water kayaking, and

stand-up paddle boarding by expert guides in a

supportive atmosphere. Whether or not you have

snorkeled, or if you are a certified diver this

adventure will be tailored around your interest and skill level. -- Participants love our flexibility and

attention to detail.

Itinerary: March 15-22, 2014

Day 1: Arrival Day and Transfer to La Paz Flights arrive to San Jose del Cabo which is the airport that services Cabo San Lucas. Participants are transported via 15-passenger air conditioned vans to La Paz. Trip duration is about 3 hours with a stop halfway in San Bartolo for a light lunch and bathroom break. Check into hotel in La Paz. Dinner and socializing. Day 2: Transfer to Lopez Mateos for Whale Watching at Magdalena Bay Depart the hotel in La Paz at 6am. Stop for bathrooms about 1.5 hours into the trip and then stop again for breakfast in the town of Constitucion . The transfer is 3 hours from La Paz to Puerto Lopez Mateos. The group will go whale watching in the morning and again after lunch. Overnight in eco-bungalows in Puerto Lopez Mateos. Seafood dinner feast that evening. More About the Gray Whale Watching at Magdalena Bay This is a whale watching trip like no other! Here, the Gray Whales come from Alaska to give birth and to mate in the shallow waters of Magdalena Bay. Our guides will take us into the lagoon in a 20ft panga (traditional fishing boat). You will learn about and see gray whales displaying a variety of behaviors like spy hopping, breaching, tail lobbing in their natural habitat. The whales are very use to people here and curious too. They often come so close to the boat that you can reach out and touch them. It is not uncommon for a 45ft mother whale to let her 15ft calf come over to the boat to interact with cheerful tourists reaching into and splashing the water for its attention. Your friends will not believe your pictures. If you are lucky, you may be able to get close enough to kiss a whale that comes up to our boat. It is important to note that no one trip out on the water is exactly as the last day. These are wild animals and we do not chase or harass them to get close enough to touch. The probability is high that you will be able to interact with them, but can’t be guaranteed.

Gray Whale Calf Passing By Kissing a Baby Gray Whale Panga Boat with Momma Whale

Day 3: Transfer to Island Camp Depart from Puerto Lopez Mateos after breakfast. Return to La Paz. We will stop at the grocery store for participants to pick up personal supplies, then we will have a lunch of fish tacos downtown on the boardwalk. There will be a stop at the marina to load our gear onto the boats. The trip from Costa Baja Marina to our camp on Isla Partida (adjacent to Espiritu Santo) is 26 miles by boat. We arrive at the beach camp before sunset. The crew will already have camp set up for us. Dinner will be served and we will settle into our home for the next few nights. About Camping on Isla Partida Our island camp is located on Isla Partida in the Sea of Cortez. Espiritu Santo and Partida islands are a UNESCO World Heritage Site – a world class natural park. This camping is not roughing it at all, not even close to it. It is more like a tent resort or “glamping”. Each tent accommodates two women, has an amazing view of the turquoise bay, and is equipped with two cots, two sleeping bags; linens, bath towels, and a night stand. The tents are large enough for average height people to stand up in. Other camp creature comforts include manual flushing toilets and solar showers in private bamboo stalls, beach lounge chairs with umbrellas, covered dining and classroom area, purified fresh water, soda, coffee, tea and an honor bar for alcoholic beverages, a refrigeration system and generator powered electricity. A chef and 3-person crew will prepare delicious meals and tend to camp while you are away exploring during the day.

Here you will experience all that nature has to offer 24 hours a day. The island is uninhabited and the beach camp is available by permit only. This is truly an exclusive experience only few have done. Enjoy soaking up the heat on the beach chairs or comb the waters edge as the sand sinks between your toes. Take out a kayak or paddle board and cruise around the calm bay looking for marine life in the clear water. We often see Brown Pelicans and Great Blue Herons feeding right on the water’s edge. The sunrises and sunsets are spectacular. The nigh sky, unhindered by light pollution, is clear and filled with bright stars and planets. Snorkeling in the Sea of Cortez Learn to snorkel in one of the most biologically diverse marine systems in the world led by local, expert, and patient guides. There are over 900 species of fish to see here as well as marine mammals and diving birds. You will explore a variety of habitats from shallow turquoise bays, to rocky shorelines, and shallow coral reefs. During this program we’ll help you become comfortable with snorkeling through personalized instruction, proper gear fitting, and education about the surrounding environment. Those who are already experienced with snorkeling can try free-diving. We will give you a weight belt and teach you the proper form to maximize your bottom time on a single breath which will allow you to get gill-to-snorkel with fish and other marine creatures to witness unique behaviors to get that perfect underwater photo. There are dozens of snorkeling sites to choose for all skill levels. The main event will be snorkeling with a colony of 500 wild sea lions at Los Islotes. Again….your friends are not going to believe your pictures!! Day 4: Introduction to Snorkeling at Ensenada Grande Beach & Sea Kayaking at the Sea Lion Colony Morning: Introduction to snorkeling and Ensenada Grande Reef. Afternoon: Kayaking trip at Los Islotes to observe the sea lion rookery. Evening: Reef Fish ID Presentations Day 5: Hiking and Snorkeling Morning Hiking at El Cardonel Afternoon: Snorkeling the coral reef at El Corralito Evening: Tequila Talk Program Day 6: Snorkeling with Sea Lions & Optional SCUBA Diving Morning: Snorkeling at Los Islotes Sea Lion Colony Afternoon: To be determined by the participants’ interests. There are dozens of other snorkeling sites and other places to hike. Those who choose to SCUBA will do so this afternoon. Evening: Local Artist Presentation

Ensenada Bay and the camp

Kayaks on the beach at camp

Flushing toilets!

Playing with wild sea lions

Kitchen area where meals are prepared

Day 7: Depart Island for La Paz. Overnight in La Paz at the Hotel Marina. Participants will shop for souvenirs and explore the La Paz. Evening we will have dinner in town. Day 8: Group Transfer to the Airport. After a delicious breakfast buffet at the hotel, we will load the vans to start our journey to the airport in San Jose del Cabo. Note: The above itinerary can be modified without prior notice as practical considerations arise to protect the safety of the participants or as weather and tides dictate. Skills: Must know how to swim. No prior snorkeling experience necessary. Physical Demands: Easy to moderate and will be modified to the participants’ interest and skill levels. This is an active vacation. All activities are optional, but you should be expecting to get wet, sweaty, and have a lot fun! Accommodations: All accommodations are double occupancy. The hotel room and bungalows may be triple occupancy if we have an odd number of participants. Each participant will have

her own bed. Requests for single rooms are accepted on a space-available basis and for an additional fee. 2 nights at the Hotel Marina 1 night in eco-bungalows in Puerto Lopez Mateos 4 nights tent camping on Espiritu Santo Island (A World Heritage Site and marine preserve). Program Cost: $2250 which includes ground group transport from Los Cabos Airport (SJD), group meals from lunch on arrival day to breakfast on departure day, all activities, lodging. Not included: airfare from your departure city to San Jose del Cabo Airport (SJD) $650-850+, alcoholic beverages, personal spending money, and gratuity ($130), travel related costs or delays, and optional travel insurance. Payments: $600 due upon registration with $825 due January 15th and February 15th How to enroll? Go to www.greenedventures.com/bajawomen or visit the BOW Destinations Website. Feel free to contact: Tara Short Green Edventures 715-252-1238 tara@greenedventures.com Peggy Farrell International Becoming an Outdoors Woman 715-346-4681 pfarrell@uwsp.edu What other participants have to say… “Had a super time. The trip met my expectations for excitement, tranquility, and camaraderie. Food and accommodation were delicious and comfortable.” – Elain, OR “I have been sharing my pictures with friends and telling them about our incredible week in Mexico. They can’t believe all we did and how flexible and patient the staff was.” Chris, MA "The guides were really fun, had great senses of humor, and made me feel safe and relaxed." - Monica, CA "A trip well worth taking. To be in such close proximity to the gray whales and the sea lions was a true adventure! Highly recommended. Very organized trip, but not overly restricting. Loads of fun!!" - Sandy, LA.

Giant stride off of the boat. There is a fleet of well maintained boats that can accommodate 10-25 people. Each has a bathroom and comfortable seating.

Painting class led by a local artist.

Tequila Talk evening program.

Snorkeling in the Sea of Cortez.