Sea Of Cortez: Rosie Visits The World's Aquarium

Another incredible recce gets us even more excited for our upcoming 2025 departures…

It's not been a bad year so far for the staff at SwimTrek HQ. First, we had Reggie diving into the waters of Costa Rica, then Nikki island-hopping in the Bahamas, and, more recently, Ash going full pirate in Saint Vincent.

Of course, our staff go wherever they're needed, and new locations always require first-hand experience and knowledge. That said, Rosie Canby must've been secretly thrilled when she was called up next to fly to Baja and the shimmering Sea of Cortez.

Together, these UNESCO-protected locations offer clear waters filled with marine life, including the famous Baja sea lions that love to frolic with our swimmers. You can also explore pristine beaches on uninhabited Espiritu Santo and stargaze at night with dark skies and trailing luminaries, undimmed by any light pollution.

We spoke to Rosie after her recce, when she returned to our main Brighton office. She told us about the many different species of wildlife she saw (a breaching whale made an appearance too) and all those sunbaked islands and slowly ebbing sunsets that make this part of the world so special:

SEA OF CORTEZ

BAJA PENINSULA

Rosie: “On my recent trip to finalize and prepare everything ahead of our trips in Mexico this summer, I landed in La Paz and was met at the airport by our partners at Red Travel. We headed straight out on the water to Espiritu Santo to see the swim locations on our Baja Peninsula trip."

"On the journey to the island, our partners at Red Travel shared their knowledge of the local wildlife, pointing out brown pelicans, turkey vultures (known locally as zopilote), and frigate birds before we reached the island. We visited the largest sea lion colony in the Sea of Cortez, watching them play in the water."

"We visited the largest sea lion colony in the Sea of Cortez, watching them play in the water...'

"After visiting a few of the swim spots, we pulled up to a quiet beach for lunch to enjoy some homemade local food including cactus ceviche, quinoa salad, fresh fruit and Agua de Jamaica (iced hibiscus tea). Heading off again to the to see the remaining swim spots and the beach locations where we set up camp, we spotted some mobula rays, as well as a turtle."

"Just as we were on our way back to La Paz, we were lucky enough to spot a humpback whale, and were able to catch sight of it breaching to breathe and see the tail disappearing beneath the surface on its journey through the Sea of Cortez."

"Not only did our partners at red travel have an extensive knowledge of the local wildlife, the admiration and respect was clear to see. On this short trip, I got a taste of what it would be like join our camp for a week - what better place than this incredible UNESCO protected area of natural beauty to immerse yourself in a true off-grid experience and reconnect with nature."

"After a busy few days in La Paz with our local partners, and seeing some of the incredible things the area has to offer, it was time for me to travel to the next location. The 5-hour bus ride north presented almost uninterrupted desert views as we travelled to Loreto, where we are based for our sea of Cortez trips. Loreto is an amazing place, a small welcoming town, with incredible wildlife, stunning sunsets and excellent food."

"I stayed at Hotel 1697, which is tucked away in the corner of the square, right in the center of town but in its own peaceful bubble. For our 2025 trips, we are based here for some weeks, and others we are in Hotel Oasis, which is situated right on the beach with incredible sunset views."

"I also spent some time out on the water with our local boat partners, exploring the area and recceing some of our swimming spots. The islands off the coast within Loreto Bay National Marine Park have some stunning shorelines and incredible marine life, making it the perfect location for our swims. Whilst exploring some of the bays on Carmen Island, we were joined by a pod of inquisitive dolphins, playing in the shallows and following part of our journey along the coast."

"The variety of marine life here is incredible, and it is clear to see how the sea of Cortez got its nickname 'Aquarium of the World', even from above the surface, you can see the water is full of life. Everywhere I turned there was something exciting to see; sea lions cooling off in the water, pod after pod of dolphins, even a rare sight of a sunfish basking at the surface! But the real highlight of the wildlife here was the migrating whales that pass through the area during the winter for their mating season."

"We were surprised with a visit from a humpback whale passing directly next to our boat, and after spotting some tell-tale spouts, on moving closer we were able to see a blue whale breaching the surface and flicking its tail before disappearing back into the depths. The incredible size of these creatures and the grace with which they move through the water is absolutely breathtaking."

"The variety of marine life here is incredible, and it is clear to see how the sea of Cortez got its nickname 'Aquarium of the World'..."

"If you are looking for a trip with an incredible diversity of marine life, fantastic food and a welcoming town, our Sea of Cortez trip is the perfect option."

Don’t miss your chance to follow Rosie's lead and swim both the Baja Peninsula and Sea of Cortez with us this year...