Baja Cruise

By far the most time consuming event I have ever organized for Sunscape RV Resort was this cruise to Catalina Island and Ensenada, Mexico. A group of 97 boarded the Carnival Inspiration at Long Beach, CA on March 13, 2017.



Some of the people weren't from the park but the majority were.

This is my first cruise but I was with experienced cruisers.  Upon boarding, I headed up to the lido deck to the lunch buffet.  Amazing, no line!

The purple tubing was sure an interesting design idea.

The pool was occupied and some yahoos were hanging out on the top deck....

Oh no!  They're Sunscapers and I have been spotted.

The atrium was where we entered the ship.

Looking up to the fully sky-lighted ceiling.

My roomie Carolyn taking a breather once we got our cabin.

The first night everyone showed up for dinner.  The group was spread out around the dining room where we had the same assigned tables for the entire cruise.

Another group of Sunscapers preparing for dinner.

A towel dog joined us that evening.

The second evening we were joined by a towel lamb?  The animals were assigned the table for a berth.

After a full day at sea, we entered Avalon Bay off Catalina Island, CA

This is a tender port which means we got to shore by boarding one of the tenders.  See the hole in the side of the boat?

That was the boarding port.

This is the Casino.  It is not a gambling casino.  Built in 1929 by chewing gum magnate William Wrigley Jr, it has a theatre on the main floor and a ballroom and promenade on the upper level.

The main city of Avalon rises from the bay.  The yellow vessel is a submarine

The fish restaurant on the dock was closed when we were there.

A tender headed toward the Inspiration.

Tender at dock.

The following photos are of items spotted on the island.

Beautiful lamp

Think this is sea fig.  Actually an invasive species from southern Africa.

Pretty flower though.

The Casino is 11 stories high.



A little wandering located this Angel's trumpet bush.

Looking NNW from the Casino grounds.  I was there with a group on Segways.

Beautiful plantings at the Casino.

Another angle on the Inspiration

Next up was parasailing.

I took photos as I rose up in the air.

Let's just say it was a ways up.  Notice the Inspiration to the right and another parasail at the middle top.

Getting reeled back in.

Another couple of gals from the park going up.

The next day we were in Ensenada, Mexico where we went off to the main shopping district for a look see.

After lunch back on the ship, I headed out on a trip to La Bufadora, the second largest marine geyser in the world.

Headed to the bus.

See Ensenada toward the bottom of the map and La Bufadora is left and a little lower.

The windows on the bus were extremely filthy so it was hard to get any clear photos.

Ensenada from the boat dock.

The Hotel Riviera del Pacífico was one of the most prestigious and luxurious hotels in Mexico when it was built in 1930 and it is the birth place of the margarita cocktail.

Saw these Pemex gas stations everywhere.

Hard to get a photo through all the utility lines.

We were headed out of Ensenada and the further we got, the more rundown the buildings got.

Intersecting roads became dirt and gravel.

Then we got to the San Quinton agricultural area south of town where  strawberries and tomatoes are some of the main crops.



A little further south there were fields of flowers.



Looks like some were being harvested

Finally getting close to La Bufadora

After the bus parked we had 1/4 mile of vendors to scurry past.

A lot of them wanted us to sample their pina coladas.  I'm sure they didn't put the alcohol in yet but I tried several.

The toilets were a pay affair that entitled you to a couple strips of toilet paper.

Finally made it to La Bufadora but I had to get closer.

Not much to see looking down at it.

But then a wave came in.

 

Of course I had to get a selfie.

Just thought this fisherman made a nice photo.

It was pretty at La Bufadora

This gull was a poser.

High tech way to warm the food.  Not sure how sanitary it was

Having drinks with friends.  Not the best tasting pina coladas on the strip but they had one table with seating for four.

Prickly pear cacti planted on the hillside.  Maybe they made jelly or sold the pads.

Fishing nets on the Bahía de Todos Santos.

Back through the agricultural area.

I saw military several times.

In 1999, President of Mexico Ernesto Zedillo started a program erecting giant flags across the country.  These flags measure 47' by 82' and are raised on flag poles that are 164'  high.  Ensenada didn't get one when the program started but had one made later.