Our Adventure Into No Man’s Land with UnCruise Adventure

Deep in the heart of the Sea of Cortez, we found ourselves retracing—loosely, and with far more comfort—the path made famous by John Steinbeck and Edward Ricketts during their 1940s expedition. Their story of curiosity, observation, and reverence for the natural world has always stayed with me, and stepping into that same wild seascape felt quietly powerful.

We didn’t collect tide pool samples like Ed and Steinbeck once did, but many of our stops were in the very same places where they encountered Indigenous communities and documented life along the shores. Instead, we played—swimming in waters that are now protected, part of UNESCO World Heritage sites, and hiking ridgelines laced with cactus, unusually green thanks to a rainy December. We snorkeled among vibrant corals and sea creatures, kayaked and rode skiffs close to sea lions and nesting birds, and explored the dramatic cliffs of islands and peninsulas that still feel largely untouched.

Along the way, we made friends—with the crew and with our fellow travelers. We ate well, slept well, and listened to lectures led by passionate naturalists. Some of those talks were heavy. Truth often is. One moment that still sits with me was learning that roughly 100 million sharks are killed each year, and the devastating ripple effects that creates throughout marine ecosystems. Apex predators matter. Every creature has a role, and when one is removed, the imbalance echoes far beyond what we can easily see.

Another sobering theme was coastal overdevelopment—mangrove regions destroyed, small fishing villages slowly overtaken (or attempted to be overtaken) by massive resort chains. But there was hope, too. Several places we visited had successfully halted illegal development and are now protected by the Mexican government and UNESCO. Those moments felt like small victories for the future of the Sea of Cortez, even as the global appetite for all-inclusive beachfront resorts—with sanitized, shark-free waters—shows no sign of slowing.

The Biggest Takeaways

#1 The Guides & Crew

The guides were truly exceptional. Knowledgeable about flora, fauna, and regional history, they answered questions effortlessly and enthusiastically. Their backpacks were always well-prepared—ready for anything, though thankfully no one needed assistance. They led our hikes, snorkels, kayak outings, and skiff explorations with confidence and care, calling out species names in both English and native tongues as we encountered them. You could feel their deep respect for this place.

From the open bridge—where the captain and mates welcomed curious guests—to the stewards and skiff operators, the entire crew felt genuine. Not polished-for-show, not performative. Just real people who cared about their work and were as inquisitive as we were. By the end of the journey, it felt less like a cruise and more like a temporary floating community—friends, even family.

#2 The Wildlife

We knew going in that wildlife sightings are never guaranteed. Nature doesn’t work on a schedule. That said, small-ship sailing dramatically increases your chances, and UnCruise proved that over and over again. Seeing whales, birds, and dolphins directly from the ship—without paying extra for excursions—was incredible.

One day, we experienced something truly rare.

We encountered hundreds of dolphins swimming alongside a large pod of sperm whales, including calves. Our captain and crew stopped the ship for 30–45 minutes, giving us time to fully absorb the moment. Dolphins leapt playfully around us while the whales lingered at the surface, almost as if they were curious about us. Blowholes stretched from horizon to horizon. It felt surreal.

Our onboard hotel manager, TK, has been sailing the Sea of Cortez for ten years and had only seen a sperm whale once before. To witness dozens in a single day was extraordinary—a true phenomenon.

We stopped and explored the world's largest blue footed booby colony here at Isla San Pedro Martir by skiff. Saw dozens of bird species here. Pure joy for us birders!

Over ten days, we also saw sea lions in massive numbers, humpback whales, another large dolphin pod, countless birds, lizards, and sea life both big and small. In that time, I saw more wildlife than on my last five large-ship cruises to the Caribbean and Alaska combined—even with paid wildlife excursions included.

#3 The Food

Three thoughtfully crafted meals a day—beautifully presented and far more indulgent than our usual routines. Add to that daily 3 p.m. cookies and an appetizer served during cocktail hour before the 6 o’clock news (more on that soon). Locally sourced ingredients, often the orders for produce are placed the year before, to ensure UnCruise will have their supplies. Local fresh seafood was a highlight. We mostly chose fish as our meals the entire trip. Breakfast had had two options, an early riser served in the lounge that started at 6:30 am and offered cereals, overnight oats, fresh fruits and juices. Or- the main breakfast buffet, a self served hot breakfast with different styles eggs served daily, from scrambled to eggs Benedict, potatoes, fresh mixed fruits, hot oatmeal and sausage of bacon. A very pleasant surprised was them serving the cantalope in a separate bowl because a guest had noted they had an aversion to cantalope in the pre cruise notes in the guest portal. I thought it was a clever way to please everyone.

Sunday brunch featured the best fish chowder I’ve ever had—hands down.

The BBQ lunch was another favorite, with ribs cooked perfectly. Ashley, the pastry chef, created two desserts every day—one for lunch and one for dinner—plus fresh bread nightly that somehow got better as the trip went on. Her home town treat, a key lime pie with a mango swirl over the top, really hit home for me as one of my favorite desserts of all time!

Our favorite lunch? A turkey sandwich on soft focaccia so good that Chad, my husband asked for seconds—the only time he did so all trip.

Another shout out to the crew, Kyle our bartender was a master at crafting daily drinks. A true Kyle original each day. Though we weren't always as adventures as the other guests in trying them all, he had a lot os praise and fun while creating his magic.

Sourced image from vintage bookseller.com - note that Edward Ricketts gets dual authorship for this book

Adding to the magic, we were sailing through remote waters during the annual Geminid meteor showers. By pure luck, our trip coincided with the peak of this celestial event, gifting us a few late-night and early-morning moments that were nothing short of awe-inspiring. Out at sea, far from any light pollution, the sky felt endless—brilliantly illuminated by stars you rarely, if ever, get to see—reminding us once again just how extraordinary it is to be truly off the grid.By the end of the trip, I felt deeply connected—to the ship, the crew, and our fellow guests. There were 31 crew members and 53 guests, plus the two of us, happily along for the ride.

#4 The Places We Went

but often, our stops weren’t even listed on the UnCruise website.

The itinerary stayed flexible, guided by weather, wildlife, and opportunity.

Most of the places we visited were unpopulated, untamed, and unforgettable. No ports. No docks. No crowds. Some locations were known only as sheltered anchorages for private sailboats or quiet beach days—

## Other Notable Details

Every evening at 6 o’clock news, the captain joined us briefly before handing things over to Nicole, one of the head expedition leaders. This is when we learned where we were heading the next day and what activities were available—hiking, snorkeling, kayaking, skiff rides, or beach time. We signed up afterward, choosing what felt right for us.

Snorkeling and kayaking could be guided or open, depending on the day. Guided snorkels launched from skiffs; open ones were straight from the beach. All hikes were guided (no one gets lost on their watch), though beachcombing was always open.

They kept community boards where we could list the wild life and plants we saw. And changed the daily spot light info throughout the week.

Our room—a Navigator cabin with a queen bed—was cozy but perfectly comfortable, complete with a picture window. One of our fellow travelers had a leak in her solo room and was later moved into a Navigator cabin near us. She was thrilled with the upgrade, joking that in her original room she could stretch her arms and touch both walls—and she wasn’t very tall.

This journey wasn’t just a vacation. It was grounding, eye-opening, and quietly transformative. The Sea of Cortez has a way of reminding you how small you are—and how deeply connected we all are to the natural world, whether we choose to acknowledge it or not. It began well before we left, I'd recommend reading the book this trip was influenced by. It's wonderfully witty, informative and nearly 90 years later, there is still some untamed charmed left in the world's youngest sea between Main land Mexico and the Californian Baja Peninsula.

Spending 9.5 days removed from nearly all signs of civilization did wonders for a full system reset. Returning to the port of La Paz on our final day was genuinely jarring—cars, bicycles, crowds of people, restaurants everywhere. I wasn’t ready for that abrupt reentry into reality, and I certainly wasn’t ready for the 5 o’clock DFW traffic waiting for me the very next day. The contrast was stark, and it only underscored just how rare and restorative that time away had truly been.

I’d highly recommend everyone to save for a trip like this at least once in your lifetime, it was worth it in every way imaginable.

My husband and I are both artists, this trip has provided an abundance of inspiration. Hoping you can find some artwork inspired by this trip someday in the near future at our art website here, hudsonstreetart.com

I first heard about UnCruise when I started selling on the side nearly ten years ago. I've been planning and saving for a trip ever ever since. You can read about my excitement leading up to this trip here and some tips on packing for this trip here. If you're interested in working with a travel advisor for your next trip, reach out me mention this blog for an agent only special!

My Gallery - SEA OF CORTEZ 2025

All images in this blog were taken by Chelsea Hoberer