How many shades of blue are there in the world?
We were at a loss for words when we first saw Loreto Mexico. The Greek poet Homer described the sea as “wine looking” which might be within poetic license if he didn’t also describe oxen in the same way. There wasn’t a distinction in Japan between blue and green until Crayola starting importing crayons in 1917. Russians have two blues – light and dark. I needed those two and twenty more to describe the beach on the backside of Coronado Island. Turquoise. Aquamarine. Emerald. Beautiful. What else would you expect from one of the most spectacular couple’s adventures we ever took?
What Jose’ lacked in English he made up in patience and hospitality
We booked an island tour with Sea and Land Tours to tour the bay and explore Coronado Island in Loreto Bay. They provided us with snorkel gear, a sturdy boat and our trusty guide- Jose, aka- Tequila. Our crossing to the island was much less eventful than our ray and whale encounter earlier in the week. Even so, how can you complain about cruising on smooth, cobalt water? What Jose’ lacked in English he made up in patience and hospitality.
He showed us several stops along the way to our magical beach and was very helpful in trying (unsuccessfully) to get my mother comfortable in the water (happy 70th mom ♥). Snorkeling was fun and a good way to see the life under the water. We saw all kinds of fish and even had a Rafa sighting while we were snorkeling with the sea lions. I am not sure if he ever looked up from his dive to see us paddling at the surface. We didn’t miss our old dive master for long because soon we pulled into our azure paradise.
Everybody can have amazing adventures
The sapphire cove was calm and inviting, and our captain, Jose, was in no hurry to leave. He let us splash, snorkel and sunbathe as long as we wanted. Our first mission was to properly introduce mom to snorkeling. After convincing her that yes, you do get wet in a wetsuit. Yes, you will get a little water in your mask, and no, you won’t sink like a rock. We then applied a little coaxing, and after a few attempts, she put her face all the way in.
Soon, she was floating in her wetsuit and kicking out with us to some small rock islands in the bay. Good on mom for trying something new at seventy. Everybody can have amazing adventures and she definitely expanded her comfort zone that day. We returned to shore to a fantastic lunch of yummy burritos with fresh red tomatoes, green avocados and deliciously cold drinks. If they had a blender and margaritas we might have never left.
Savor the ocean’s colorful kaleidoscope
If you make it all the way down Loreto on a Baja California road trip, you owe it to yourself to explore the Islands of Loreto, a Unesco World Heritage Sites in Mexico. We went with a boat tour one day and a dive tour another. Both offered different experiences by their design, and you never know what the ocean has in store for you. There are options from sport fishing to multi-day kayak tours to get out on the water. You can find many ways to explore the waters of Loreto. Enjoy the rhapsody in blue and take time to savor the ocean’s colorful kaleidoscope.