Text by Mary Peachin with photos by Norma Frasher
Vol. 29, No.10/11
July/August, 2025
Gruffly, the Loreto immigration comandante said to me, “Where is your pilot?” I replied, “I am the pilot.” He went on to explain that I should not be flying alone in Mexico. A favorite destination of mine to fish and dive, Loreto was a Mexican port of entry within range of my Cessna T-210. In the 80s, Loreto, Baja California Sur, was a small village with unpaved streets, a bar and hotel, a dive shop that was frequently closed, and a bakery. It was a great destination for fishing dorado and scuba diving.
Its beautiful coastline offers views of Santa Catalina Island,
Coronado, and the smaller Danzante island.
Today, Loreto is a charming village with paved streets, some covered by shade trees. Americans and more Canadians enjoy the city as a getaway from colder climes. There is an option of staying in the historic city or going south of the city to golf and upscale resorts.
Choosing the former was like a trip down memory lane, I found the historic city to be more interesting than I remembered. Cobblestone streets, some covered by trees, surrounded a plaza. We stayed at the historic Posada de los Flores. It was built with high ceilings, Saltillo tile, numerous interior plants, a restaurant bar, and a pool with a glass bottom on the top floor.
Founded in 1697 when Jesuit Juan Maria de Salvatierra built the Misión Nuestra Señora de Loreto, the village became the capital of the Province of the California until 1777 when the capital was moved to Monterey, California. It remained the capital of Baja California until 1829. Franciscans expelled the Jesuits in 1767 and took control for several years until departing to build more missions in the northern frontier.
Located on the Gulf of California or Sea of Cortez, the city is bordered by the Transpeninsular Highway on the east and the Arroyo Loreto to the south. The Sierra de la Giganta mountains provide a scenic background.
Hiring Captain Alfredo Alicia for three days our goal was admiring Blue, Humpback and Finback whales,in our own small private panga. Most tourists opt for larger tours offered by many travel companies to view Gray whales along the Pacific Coastline surrounding Magdelena Bay.
The Blue whale is the largest of the baleen whales and there is great concern about its longevity in North America. The Humpback offers the best entertainment with its breaching, finning, and rarely seen “bubble-up” feeding. The small boats around us all respected keeping a distance from the whales, yet we were closer than most tour boats.
Aside from our daily whale watching, we made time to visit the many tourist shops and dine at authentic Mexican restaurants. We were also able to visit several missions.