The Pearl of San Lucas

The Pearl of San Lucas

To every city, there is a hidden gem, or pearl, that swashes between obscurity and notoriety; it's a niche restaurant, a seedy bar, or maybe a gallery. They are never easy to locate and the only people qualified to talk about them are the locals. Pez Gato falls into this category. However in Cabo, word has leaked amongst its tourism industry and it is slowly emerging from anonymity.



But how can one expect a 45 dollar snorkeling, food-and-booze cruise to remain privy?

It was my third time boarding the Pez Gato I; the water was a little shaky and its clarity slightly muddled, but it was a warm June morning and the conditions would drastically improve. What earned my patronage wasn't necessarily an affinity for the open waters, because that's not entirely the case, but for the crew and the amount you get for the amount your pay.

On this most recent outing, we had Beto and Alejandro as our guides and to say that they are two of the most colorful and personable guys to have on board would be an understatement.

Besides the lively atmosphere, another perk of the Pez Gato cruises were the finger-foods and drinks; hence why I refer to it as a food-and-booze cruise. Nothing breaks the ice or engages the passengers with the crew and water better than a quenched appetite and a few beers.

My last Pez Gato expedition was quite possibly the most memorable, not because we made a close pass of the Land's End rock formations; or even that, while snorkeling, a shark skimmed over my head, whisking my hair; no, it was the surreal experience of seeing a gray whale poke up into the air and glid back down into the deepest blues of the Cortez waters.

At 45 dollars a person, and charters and equally lowball prices, I can imagine Pez Gato will continue the trend of highlighting future trips to Cabo.