Coming here by cruise ship and we knew we wanted to see the famous Arch located here.

Coming into Cabo:

I noticed that we were not alone in port today. This would be the first cruise that I didn't even bother to look up how many ships were in port with us. I don't know...for some reason I pictured us being the only ship cruising the Mexican Riviera. I don't know what I was thinking. LOL We would have a Princess ship with us today and it was already there. 

Our balcony was on the side of the Arch and I was happy that I had done my research and picked that side. I was able to get pictures of it as we pulled in. I had looked at a lot of pictures prior to this cruise and knew what land marks to look at (the Arch, Lovers Beach, Pelican Rock and so on). 

Lovers Beach (with Divorce Beach on the opposite side)

The large rock in front of Pelican Beach that people climb on and jump into the water:

Pulling into port and the ferry boats and pilot boat was coming our way.

It looked like it was going to turn out to be a beautiful day. The clouds today  😶  Oh my gosh they were so pretty!!!

Once the ship was situated, they started tendering people off. First the VIP people and those with Carnival excursions.

As we waited for our turn, we stood on our balcony watching the boats along the shoreline and noticed this...

Can you see them above my name?

 There was a VERY LARGE school of dolphins. Like really, so many of them!

 Look at this video and you'll be able to tell just how many there were. It was amazing!

So now I've seen whales and dolphins and my life was complete! Just saying...

 We decided to head down to deck 3 and wait for our number to be called. They called tender tickets 1 & 2 and then it was our turn. We were on the tender by 10:55am. We will consider this Karl's first real boat ride. LOL

It was a short tender ride over to the port and now we were headed to find our excursion.

So what are we doing today....none other than going on a Whale Watching tour of course!!!

After researching various companies for a tour, I had came across a vendor named Kelly Boat Cabo. We exchanged emails back and forth and they had good communication. I had told them I wanted to do a whale watching tour and also wanted to go to the Arch, see Pelican Rock and the Sea Lion area and then go to a beach afterwards for a little while. I had also mentioned maybe snorkeling if possible. 

Their website states they have 3 boats that can accommodate anywhere from 12-18 people depending on the boat. They offered regular tours and private tours. NOW.... according to their website, it said if you want a private tour they charged by the hour with a minimum of 1 hour. Included are pictures and bottled water. You can do a whale watching tour ($79), snorkel tour, or arch tour ($35) and then go to the beach offered as a group tour and they leave once the boats are filled up.  

When he gave me a quote on everything I wanted, he said $79/pp. I ask...is this a private or group tour and he replied "private" just us. Hmmm, that sounded weird to me. So I ask "Is this per hour or for the entire tour?"  He replied "79 dls for the tour arch and whale watching and beach time (optional) everything".  I still wasn't understanding and I quoted their website saying "I would really like to book this tour, but why does your website say private tours are by the hour with a 2 hour minimum? It states $79 per person for 1 hour. "  He said "Arch and whale watching tour plus beach time in 79 dls per person the price is for all the tour not per hour.. don't worry" and then threw in "But if you want to pay $79 per person per hour that is better to me"   LOL

So, we booked. I mean...why wouldn't we? Why wouldn't anyone? A private tour for all of this for only $79/pp. Others were offering the tour for more and it was a group tour. 

I kept thinking there had a to a catch some where. But, I read online reviews and they had great reviews and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves to I was taking that chance!

So just to give you a reference of how close Kelly Boat Cabo is to the dock... (I was researching multiple whale watching tours to use and this one was the closest to walk to).

We headed down the dock and to the right. I knew it wasn't very far. However, I will say it was a little further than what I had pictured in my mind looking at the map. There are little stores up and down the dock. I stopped to ask a lady if she knew where Kelly was and she said "That's me" and pointed at their place. She ask my name and said they were waiting on us. She called the owner (I assume the guy that I had been talking to via email prior to the trip) and then handed the phone to me. It was hard to hear with people all around and the reception didn't seem the greatest but I heard the words so and so "was going to take you out to see the whales and you're going to have a good time". 

We got off the phone and the lady said "That will be $400". Wait what? No, no it's not. It's $79 per person and that is $316!  I have the email confirming this. She called the owner back and put him on the phone. He explained that $79/pp was for a group tour and we were doing a private tour. The private tour was $100 per person. NOPE! I'm not playing that game. I specifically ask MANY TIMES about the price and if it was private. I have the email...and then I started reading it off. He states that for $79 he could put us on a group tour. NOPE! Not having it. You said $79/pp and private and either that's what we get or we will find someone else (even if it was a group tour with someone else for the same price, they would get my business). Once again, I started reading our conversation via email to him. "Ok, ok, we will do the tour for $79. No worries" he said. 

I honestly hate when they try to pull something like this. But I stood my ground, I paid the price I was told and down the dock we went to the boat at 11:14am. 

Then we were off...On the way out of the marina, we seen Poncho. If you don't know who Poncho is...he's pretty famous here. He follows the fishermen in and jumps on the back of their boats and rides back into the marina...waiting for a handout of freshly caught fish. Oh the life he has. He's so funny. There's so many video's online of him doing this that he has become famous. When we were heading out, he was on the back of a boat hitching a ride in. lol  I was too slow seeing him that I wasn't able to get a picture (not to mention I was on the wrong side of the boat). So I will give you a picture of this Pelican instead to tie you over. 

There were sealions just laying around on the docks.

We were headed to see the arch.

You can always tell where the Pelican's hang out all the time...you'll see the "snow covered" rocks...to put it nicely.

The rocks meeting the water was just beautiful!! Notice, not that crystal clear blue water you will get in the Caribbean but the rocks made it so pretty (not to mention the sky out today).

Here is Lovers Beach (or Playa de los Amantes in Spanish) in the distance. On the opposite side is Divorce Beach. It is the meeting of two bodies of water on either side (the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of California).

Legend has it that the name comes from a fated love story of a Japanese sailor who was rescued by a Mexican girl on Lovers Beach back in the 18th century and they fell in love. This beach is on the calm side and you can swim here.

Walk over to the other side and you will find Divorce Beach. It is rough and dangerous and you cannot swim on this side. 

This large rock protruding from the water is called Peninsula Rock. He said it was the furthest rock out from Cabo.

This is called the "Pacific Window"

This is a hole through a mountain of rock that joins the Sea of Cortez with the Pacific Ocean. It is referred to as the window because you can see all the way through to the other side. It's pretty cool and unique. The boats pull in really close for you to get a good view of it.

Getting very close to the rocks at the window.

Up next would be Los Arcos ( a Spanish word meaning Land's End) or the Arch as people call it. It is the most recognizable place in Cabo and is a natural wonder showing the beauty of tidal and wind erosion that shapes the rock formation into an arch.

Our tour guide took multiple pictures of us with the arch in the background.

Along the rocks you would see sea lions. This one was basking in the sun with not a care in the world.