Our Whale Watching Adventure

 One of the main reasons we wanted to go on this cruise was to see whales up close.  We went whale watching in Alaska, but there were rules there.  You couldn't get closer than 200 yards from a whale.  It was fun, but not as close as I was hoping.  But in Mexico- there are no rules.  Well, they probably have the same rules, but no one obeys them.  So we got off the boat in Cabo San Lucas and immediately hired someone to take us on a water taxi.  The salesman lead us to his boat on the wharf and then left to find more customers. There were many boats lined up, some with customers in them.  Each boat holds eight people.  So, we were sitting in the boat all by ourselves, though there were other customers waiting in nearby boats.  Gradually we realized we were moving.  We were going out to sea.  A guy in the boat next to us shouts, "You are floating away! " He gets the attention of one of the boat captains who leaps from boat to boat to get onto ours .  By then we had floated almost to where he couldn't have got on.  He started the motor and backs us back to the wharf.  They hadn't tied up the boat!  He tied up the boat.  But, by then,  I was in panic mode.  I am the LEAST adventurous person on the planet.  No, really I am.  It took a lot of courage for me to decide to go on this tour.  And then this happens. "I'm getting off."  "I can't do this."  I was in panic mode.  But just then the guy comes back with six more customers for our boat.  So I have to tone down my panic.  I was embarrassed.  Two of the couples were obviously together.  We asked where they were from.  "Gilbert, Arizona!"  We have family in Gilbert!  They asked where we were from.  "St. George, Utah" We know people there- the Hintons.  In fact, they are staying on our house right now."  "Mark Hinton?"  "Yes!"  "He's my brother!."  Both couples knew Mark and Kathy well and started telling all of their connections with them.   Now I was really embarrassed I panicked in front of them.

Well, our captain came back and we were on our way on our adventure.  And what an adventure it was!  Like I say, there are no rules in Mexico.  So, we go out to where the whales were.  There were about 20 boats like ours out there.  As soon as a whale surfaced, all 20 boats gunned their motors and surrounded the surfaced whales.  Everyone was taking pictures, of course.  The whale would go down, and all the boats just sat there waiting and watching.  Then another whale or whales would surface and all 20 boats would gun and go, drenching all the customers.  We were so close to those whales!  

This picture was taken in my miserable, panic phase.

These are the fun people from Gilbert.- the Jepsons and Ellworths They really were nice.

Look at this!  Can you believe how close!

Finally one of them showed us his tail.

Okay, I finally relaxed and enjoyed this adventure of a lifetime.

We had to laugh.  This was the advertised "glass bottom boat."

Our new friends.  It was so fun to get back on our ship and text Mark and Kathy these pictures!

The tunnel between the Sea of Cortez and the Pacific.

Tourists having a fun day on the beach.

Seals barked us welcome as went back to the wharf.  
What a great adventure!  But now I'm done.  No more whale watching for me!