We could not have imagined a more perfect final day in Baja. The morning began with dolphins, fin whales, and a humpback whale that gave us an exuberant display of acrobatic behaviors. This wonderful whale put on a spectacular show, leaping into the air numerous times at close range, thrashing its tail at the surface, and performing a splashing repetition of magnificent head-lobs. Amazingly, all of this happened before breakfast!

Throughout the morning we encountered additional groups of dolphins, including two immense aggregations of a thousand or more long-beaked common dolphins churning the surface of the sea. We watched in delight as these groups cavorted around the ship, and raced at high speed in pursuit of fish. We especially enjoyed seeing several extremely tiny calves leaping alongside the larger adults.

In the afternoon we anchored at Isla Santa Catalina. There was time for a final snorkel outing in the relatively warmer waters of the southern gulf. By late afternoon we ventured ashore to admire, and photograph, the beautiful array of cactus and other desert plants in the golden light before sunset.

Once again, exploring Baja and the Sea of Cortez in April proves to be a magical experience.