Our morning focused on exploration at Isla Ildefonso, first by Zodiac, and then through snorkeling. Brilliant orange cup corals and creatures with names like chocolate-chip sea stars decorated the undersea garden that unfolded beneath the surface.

Afternoon found us a short distance away at Pulpito on the Baja peninsula. Rock walls laden with fossilized shells embraced the sandy beach where a myriad of activities awaited us. Kayakers and Zodiac cruisers skirted the water's edge, while others swam or relaxed near the landing site. Hikers negotiated a steep gravelly climb up to a plateau. One participant suggested that an insect trapped in an ant-lion's lair might feel as we did, sliding two steps down with each step forward. One group wandered through the dry desert. A few reached the skyline ridge for spectacular views. The kayaks looked like small toys in the turquoise bay (see photo) far below. Back on the beach, half of a kayak paddle transformed into a bat for a spontaneous game of softball. Shadows lengthened as evening approached, and the last shuttle returned to the ship after an action-packed day.