April 20, 2023 Baja Bound 2023 (Part 16) By Simon J. Lau Today, I saw gray whales at the lagoon. 🐳 These whales come from Alaska to mate and breed in Baja, then return to Alaska for the summer. Despite being late in the season, we got to spend a great deal of time with a pair of mothers and calves. It was remarkable! We also came across this group of sea lions sunbathing. 🦭 The colors, especially the background, […]

April 19, 2023 Baja Bound 2023 (Part 15) By Simon J. Lau Today, I bid farewell to Rancho Espinoza (first photo) and returned to Guerrero Negro (second photo) so that I could go whale watching mañana. 🐋 It wasn’t a particularly long trip (less than 100 miles), but this corridor, for whatever reason, has very strong winds. In fact, when I arrived at Guerrero Negro, it was still very windy (third photo). For lunch, I tried a little taco stand […]

April 18, 2023 Baja Bound 2023 (Part 14) By Simon J. Lau Today, I kayaked through an estuary. It was high tide and we were able to paddle through what otherwise would’ve been impassable channels. There were a tremendous variety of fish and bird species, and it was neat to see them up close and personal. Following our kayaking trip, we dropped by Punta Abreojos, a fishing town nearby, for lunch. My guide and host, William, has been visiting this […]

April 17, 2023 Baja Bound 2023 (Part 13) By Simon J. Lau Today, I conquered Cuesta del Infierno, or Baja’s “Highway to Hell.” I woke up at the crack of dawn, and as expected, there were no RVs or big rigs ahead of me on this epic hill climb. However, I didn’t anticipate the crazy crosswinds on the other side of the mountain pass. 😰 It was so intense that I felt as if I were being kicked around in […]

April 16, 2023 Baja Bound 2023 (Part 12) By Simon J. Lau Today, I visited Mulegé on my way to Santa Rosalía. Mulegé is a lush oasis town located at the northern tip of Bahía Concepción. Jesuits founded a mission here that overlooks the river. It’s the best view in the area!  Fun fact: The palm trees found here are not native to this region. 🌴 The missionaries ate dates and fed dates to their animals, and upon passing these […]

April 15, 2023 Baja Bound 2023 (Part 11) By Simon J. Lau Today, I took portraits and photos for my friends at Nomadico. They recently opened, and I thought they’d appreciate pictures of the team when they first started. Included are Delmar, Laura, and Daniella. Joel (far right), the Frenchman and regular Nomadico patron, had a particularly interesting history. He’s originally from the mountain region in France, moved to the US, but has been visiting Baja since the 70s. He’s […]

April 14, 2023 Baja Bound 2023 (Part 10) By Simon J. Lau I made it back to Bahía Concepción and checked into an Airstream! I couldn’t help myself. The owner, Francesca, is from San Diego, and she manages the property with her brother. It’s a cute space and I liked it so much that I already extended my stay! They had a lot of animals on the property, including Trixie (dog) and Charlie (cat). Trixie made her first appearance in […]

April 13, 2023 Baja Bound 2023 (Part 9) By Simon J. Lau Today, I focused on some self-care. This included a boat trip to Carmen Island and light snorkeling. I saw tremendous sea life, including dolphins, starfish, and many reef fish. I’m not totally recovered from my fall yesterday, but I’m feeling much better now! Afterward, I researched mission history in Baja. I realized that the oldest mission on this peninsula is the one in Loreto. Loreto was too arid, […]

April 12, 2023 Baja Bound 2023 (Part 8) By Simon J. Lau Today, I had my first road spill. I was on my way to San Javier Mission, the second oldest mission in Baja. There were several modest water crossings, this being one of the smaller ones, and the last one before reaching the mission. Unfortunately, as I was crossing, I didn’t see the algae in the water until it was too late. By then, I lost control. As I […]

April 11, 2023 Baja Bound 2023 (Part 7) By Simon J. Lau Today, I visited Isla Coronado. This island, and the surrounding region, is a protected area and is home to many sea lions, birds, and other plants and wildlife. In fact, we saw a ton of sea lions. The water was also unbelievably clear and warm enough to swim in. On my tour, there were two groups: A Mexican-American couple from LA, and a Filipino family. The Mexican couple […]