La Paz to Loreto Cruise on the MV Westward – A Special Program with Sergio Jáuregui

2018-04-03T06:58:22-05:00September 6th, 2016|

A very exclusive opportunity awaits with Todos Santos Eco Adventures next April. This is a special invitation to join us on the MV Westward as we cruise from La Paz to Loreto, April 13-21, 2017.

Sergio will be leading the adventures, Bryan will be manning the margaritas, and Captain Bill Bailey will be at the helm of the Westward, built in 1924 and still powered by her original Atlas Imperial Diesel Engine. The Westward has only 4 cabins so it will be an intimate and wonderful small group trip.

Bryan and Sergio – the owners of Todos Santos Eco Adventures – are leading this amazing journey aboard the MV Westward as they explore the coast of Baja Sur between La Paz and Loreto.

The Ship:

The Westward was designed by the renowned northwest naval architect L.E. “Ted” Geary and built at the J.A. Martinolich Shipyard in Dockton, Washington. The Westward was modeled after a salmon cannery tender and constructed around a 1923 Atlas Imperial Diesel Engine. She was launched in 1924 as the flagship of the Alaska Coast Hunting and Cruising Co. and pioneered hunting, fishing, and adventure travel in the remote regions of Washington, British Columbia and Alaska.

During WW II, Westward served as a patrol boat off the California coast before returning to the Pacific Northwest where she operated another twenty years, as both private yacht and charter vessel, for two different owners. Now owned by Captain Bill Bailey, the Westward is listed with the US National Register of Historic Places. Our itinerary for the trip is listed below. It is dependent on the weather and the tides and may change at the captain’s discretion.

The Experience: 

We’ll start the trip in La Paz, swimming with the largest fish in the world, the whale shark. We’ll then board the Westward and spend the rest of the days cruising through the scattered islands between La Paz and Loreto. Along the way we will kayak under rugged cliffs and into quiet mangrove-lined lagoons, snorkel in impossibly clear water while cataloging myriad fish that seem to fly beneath us, and gather to enjoy truly gourmet meals prepared by Chef Tracie Triolo.

The Itinerary: 

April 13: One of our crew will meet you at the door as you exit the customs and immigration check at the Los Cabos Airport. You will be escorted to our van, which will transport you to La Paz. Our van will be leaving the airport at 14:00 (2:00 PM) for the drive to La Paz, so please plan your arrival time accordingly. Upon your arrival at our boutique hotel in La Paz, you will have time for a stroll along the bay-side malecon before we gather for dinner at a restaurant near the hotel.

April 14: Following breakfast around the hotel’s pool, you will be outfitted with snorkeling equipment for your swim with whale sharks. A van will provide transport to the panga landing where you will board your small, open launch, that will take you into the whale shark viewing area. There are strict regulations in place to protect these magnificent animals, including time limits within the viewing area. Once your time is up, you will be returned to the hotel, where you can shower and pack before meeting our crew for the walk to the marina, where the Westward will be moored.

Getting underway after a short safety and shipboard systems orientation, we will set
a course to our first night’s anchorage. Lunch will be served underway.

April 15-20: We will spend these six days cruising through the scattered islands between La Paz and Loreto. Along the way we will kayak along rugged cliffs and into quiet mangrove-lined lagoons, snorkel in impossibly clear water while cataloging myriad fish that seem to fly beneath us, and gather to enjoy truly gourmet meals. Weather and sea conditions play a huge part in how we select our routes and anchorages, but with thousands of miles of experience in and among these islands, we will show our guests the very best of what is available during the duration of our time together.

In these waters we have seen blue, humpback, sperm and fin whales, orcas, common and bottle nose dolphins, pilot whales, and acres of leaping manta and mobula rays. We have had striped marlin swim right next to our boat, and taken so
many sunrise and sunset pictures that we have struggled to choose our favorites.

April 21: Raising our anchor after breakfast and perhaps a final kayak paddle, we will make the short transit from our night’s anchorage to Puerto Escondido, located on the peninsula shore. Our van will meet us at 10:30 for the twenty minute drive to Loreto’s International Airport. Our crew will accompany you to the airport for final goodbyes and to provide help if it is needed.

Price and Reservation Policies:

  • US$5,250/person
  • Please note that pricing is based on double-occupancy. There is a 50% supplement for single-occupancy and a 50% discount for the third person in a cabin.
  • Deposit due to confirm reservation: 15% (50% refundable if cancellation is more than 150 days prior to trip; non-refundable if cancellation is less than 150 days prior to trip)
  • Balance due 90 days prior to departure (non-refundable if cancellation is less than 90 days prior to trip)
  • Cancellations may be called in, but need to be confirmed in writing.
  • We strongly recommend that you obtain travel insurance.

Cabins and Amenities:

  • All cabins on the MV Westward have a double and a single bunk, settee, sink, toilet and shower.

Note: A valid passport is required for this trip.

Space is extremely limited so contact Bryan with interest today! 

About the Author:

Kusini

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