For years I had seen photos of “El Arco,” the Arch of Cabo San Lucas on destination-inspired calendars. Finally, in January 2007, on a Mexico cruise aboard the cruise ship Dawn Princess, my wishes came true to see the arch and the other rock formations in real life.
Cabo San Lucas is a small town at the Southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula, known for its sandy beaches, world class scuba diving and excellent fishing. At the tip of the Land’s End Peninsula are the world famous arches, a magnificent natural rock formation.
The City of Cabo San Lucas has a large marina and beautiful bay where the sea of Cortez meets the Pacific Ocean. As our ship arrived, we observed a school of dolphins happily jumping besides Dawn Princess. What a heartwarming way to be welcomed.
Once we left the cruise ship, it was easy to find a boat to take us to the arch. We packed our swim suits, camera and a picnic lunch and boarded a water taxi at the city harbor. Within minutes our boat was navigating around the arch, giving us an opportunity to take pictures from all angles before anchoring in a sandy cove. Standing next to the massive granite rock formations was even more overwhelming. What an impressive once in a lifetime experience.
We spent the next couple of hours snorkeling around the coral reefs and finally decided to eat our picnic lunch while still devouring the impressive view. As our boat returned to the harbor of Cabo San Lucas, my husband put his arms around my shoulders and together we watched the sun setting behind “El Arco.” This was one of the most romantic moments of my life.