Took a tour out to Isla Espíritu Santo to see sea lions and couldn’t have had a more perfect experience. We did the private tour, as we had two small kids in tow, and the captain and our guide Katya took care of every little detail to ensure we saw the most amazing wildlife in the most comfortable way possible. The dolphins played next to our boat as the captain maneuvered to give them some good wake to jump in, rays skipped out of the water, pufferfish swam beside us, we caught glimpses of the blue footed boobie and other unique birds and of course the main event- the sea lions!
The water was freezing, but jumping into the ocean with sea lions circling around you, coral below with vibrant fish, and an island above with hundreds of sea lion families- it was something we’ll never forget.
Katya took every opportunity to help keep our kids safe and happy, from making them “beds” in the floor of the boat for naps (heaven when they fell asleep on the way out to the island and the way back), to getting them suited up, and even to letting them climb on her back in the water so mom and dad could enjoy the sea lions in peace. Amazing! Fellow moms will relate to the total relief we felt to have someone with us who went above and beyond for the care of our hijos!
The icing on the cake was pulling up to a private beach, only acceptable by boat, and sitting down to a scrumptious picnic lunch that she and the captain set up for us. The food was delicious, the views stunning, and we and the kids got to just take it all in.
We just got our Dropbox download of all the photos and video they took and … wow. Memories forever.
It was disappointing that the whale shark experience had to be halted for the season due to low count, but this team made sure we had a memorable day. And we’ll certainly be back.
Tips for parents: the ride out is fast and cold. Big puffy jackets are great for the kiddos, but I’d also recommend a winter hat that stays on the ears (as opposed to just the hood of the jacket, which flies back instantly). Also, warm socks/booties for after the sea Lion swim would have been helpful, in addition to the dry clothes we had.