The crew that takes you out is a fishing family of these waters — their family lived on Espíritu Santo itself. They don't read the island off a script; they grew up on it.

Round-trip hotel transportation, certified marine biologist guides, and ceviche made on board with the morning's catch.

This is the Gulf of California, the sea Jacques Cousteau called the world's aquarium.

Sea lion swimming is regulated to protect the colony: in-water encounters run September through May. From June to August, during their breeding season, we observe the colony from the boat and add extra reef snorkeling time, when visibility is at its best.

We close the day at Balandra. Access is limited by the protected-area authority, so this is a 25-minute stop at Mexico's most photographed beach — time for the view and your photos, not a swim. Balandra deserves its own day, and we run one.

Wildlife is wild — dolphins, whales, mobula rays and sea turtles appear often, but no sighting can ever be guaranteed.