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WHALE WATCHING mexIco: SEA OF CORTEZ 00 • 000 @@ ee o Baja California extends south long and crookedly from near the US- Mexico border, looking like ET's fin· ger on the map. That appendage, running parallel to the Mexican coast, protects a 700- mile-long stice of water known as the Sea of Cortez, creating a Shangri-La for sea life. Surrounded by red rock cliffs, undulating dunes and come-hither beaches, this giant bath- tub of plankton attracts whales-most notably the migratory gray-along with a who's who of other cetaceans, fish, and birds. And although this marine incubator faces over- fishing, it thankfully remains largely undeveloped and clean. The peak time to see wintering gray whales, who travel 6,000 miles from the Bering Sea and north Pacific to feed and calve in Baja's lagoons, is February to late March. Spring is when the sea is rich with plankton. Other whale sightings usually include a wide array of species (fin, humpback, sperm, orca, pilot) and dolphins (bottlenose, common, Pacific white-sided). Tours concentrate on the eastern edge of the Sea, viSiting the raw coastline of the Sierra de la Giganta and the iSlands (mostly uninhabited) sprinkled offshore. You can choose to be as inter- active as you want-from observer aboard a ship to hard core kayaker exploring lit- tle-visited inlets and camping out under a starry night. Popular day trips include Isla Partida, where you can see osprey, peli- cans and yellow-footed and blue-footed boobies (and if the timing is right, their goofy mating dance); Isla Santa Catalina, which is famous for its elephantlike rock formation, cactus forests, and good snorkeling; and Magdalena Bay, where besides the formidable whales, you'll also find mangroves and clear blue water teeming with colorful subtropical fish. Experienced outfitters know where the wildlife hotspots are and include seasoned biologists on staff, people you'll no doubt be asking lots of questions of as you explore what's known as the Galapagos of the North.-Lesa Griffith OUTFITTERS LINDBLAD EXPEDITIONS, USA For 20 years, Lindblad has led ship-based tours in the Sea of Cortez. You'll find natu- ralists on board and motorized Zodiacs to take day trips to places like tiny Isle de Rasa, a breeding sanctuary for the elegant tern, where you might meet biologist Enriqueta Verlarde, who has been studying the bird for the last 24 years. Kayaking and snorkeling day trips are also available. 8 to 15 days; $2,290 to $6,040; maximum number of passengers 70; December-April; 800-397-3348, www.expeditions.com.explore@expeditions.com RIVERS & OCEANS TRAVEL, USA Established in 1986 by veteran Grand Canyon river guides, Rivers & Oceans Travel, based in Arizonia, lets you do some serious paddling. The company's ship-based "Whales & Birds" expedition follOWS the course explored and documented by John Steinbeck in his book Log from the Sea of Cortez. The itinerary includes frequent anchoring for hiking, kayaking, swimming, and snorkeling on and around the islands. 8 days; $1,795-$1,995; maximum group size 14; April; 800-473-4576, www.rivers- oceans. com, info@rivers-oceans.com TOFINO EXPEDITIONS, USA Founded in 1988 by former mountaineer and current kayak enthusiast Grant Thompson, Tofino, based in Washington State, runs skiff·and·kayak trips that offer an up·close and personal view of gray whales. The "Magdalena Bay" trip takes paddlers along the eastern shore of Isla Magdalena. A biologist and local whale·watching guides fill you in on marine mammal details. 7 days; $1,050; maximum group size 12; February, 800-677-0877, www.tofino.com.info@tofino.com 000 @C9 o o e From bolero, mambo, and rhumba to salsa, tinga and son, Cuba's vibrant rhythms make it a perfect location to learn about music, percussion and dance. Music and the arts also provide travelers with a different lens through which they can explore Cuban culture. Whether walking in Havana or driving through the countryside, Cuba pulses with music. Rhythms and beats drift out of open doorways and windows; it is nearly impossible to pass a day in the city without being drawn into a dance lesson or jam session. Music is an essential part of the Cuba travel experience-exploring the classy, upscale salsa clubs of Miramar; moving to the exotic, sweaty beats of a rhumba in Centro Havana; or dancing under the stars at the Cas a de la Musica in a smaller country· side town, all yield new perspectives on Cuban tradition. Wherever there's music, travelers find the old, young, and everyone in between, grinding, swaying, and shaking ... and ready to teach how it's done. Resistance is futile. For visitors who want a more formal learning experience, there are organizations in Havana that will arrange classes with professional Cuban percussionists and dancers. who teach conga, bata, salsa, rhumba, and traditional Afro-Cuban dance techniques and rhythmic patterns. While you could easily spend an entire trip to Cuba immersed in the music scene, try to spend at least a day or two exploring other aspects of the country. The countryside surrounding Havana offers cycling routes through mountains, cave and continued on page 70 OUTFITTERS GLOBAL EXCHANGE, USA "Reality Tours" aim to engage you with the social and cultural realities of a destination. They have been running their "Cuba Rhythms Dance & Percussion Workshop" in Havana since 1990. This trip offers workshops with qualified Cuban teachers from the Teatro America, visits to cultural sites and community·development projects, as well as weekend excursions outside of the city. 14 days; $1,805 (includes airfare from Cancun, Mexico); no maximum group size; January, February, April, May, July, August, November, and December; 800-497-1994; www.globalexchange.org/tours/, alvaro@globalexchange.org PLAZACUBA, USA Offering programs for beginning to professional level dancers and musicians in an effort to generate and promote cultural and artistic exchange between Cuban and American artistic communities. Annual programs include Summer Folklore and Salsa Workshops Ouly), Popular Music and Dance Program (February), and Havana International Jazz Festival (even number years in December). 7 to 14 days; $1,1195-$2,900; maximum group size 75; custom-tailored trips for groups of 15 or more; year-round; 510-0872.-9505, www.plazacuba.com. plaza- cuba@yahoo.com CROSS-CULTURAL SOLUTIONS, USA Cross-Cultural Solutions, based in New York, is a volunteer organization that promotes people-to-people cultural exchanges, and has run programs inCuba since 1999. Their Cuba Insight trips include special programs in music, jazz, and percussion, or the "Cuban Music Exploration" covers a/\ three. 4 to 7 days; $1,499-2,799; maximum group size 20; year-round; 800-380-4777, www.crossculturalsolutions.org.info@crossculturalsolutions.org cuba: