Eager for a sunny adventure in the gloomy depths of winter, I planned a trip to Mexico with Uncruise. My previous voyages with the company — to Alaska and Hawaii — were filled with epic scenery and splendid wildlife. On its Baja California’s Whales & Sealife expedition, Uncruise sails without a set itinerary, acting more like a private charter with like-minded strangers than a traditional cruise.

After embarking in La Paz on Baja’s east coast, high winds and rough seas kept our ship, Safari Voyager, in port for the next 36 hours. Impressively, Uncruise pivoted quickly, organizing whale watching on the west coast in sheltered Magdalena Bay, three hours away by bus. The breaching gray whales were almost close enough to touch, and some passengers said it was their favorite excursion of the trip.

Once we left La Paz, the real adventure began. We spent a week island-hopping in the Sea of Cortez, stopping at remote beaches to hike, kayak, snorkel and sunbathe. We never saw any cruise ships, only an occasional private yacht or sailboat. Each day revealed stunning unspoiled landscapes. On land, I explored an arroyo scented with copal and hiked through salt flats studded with briny pickleweed. The beaches, ranging from rocky inlets to seashell-dotted strands of white sand, provided opportunities for beachcombing and birdwatching.