In the popular tourist destination of Los Cabos – the gem of the scenic Baja Peninsula – sailing has long been one of the most popular activities for visitors and locals alike. The teeming azure waters off Los Cabos are well suited to hosting both pleasure cruises and more adventurous snorkel and diving tours, boasting incredible biodiversity and stunning geological formations. For centuries, men have dominated the sailing profession in Los Cabos…but Karen Zaragoza is doing her part to change that.
At only 28 years old, Zaragoza has become the only female sailor with the famous Cabo Adventures fleet. After getting her start as a tour photographer, Zaragoza translated her passion for the ocean and freediving into a career pivot to sailing and learned everything she could from Cabo Adventure’s Captain Juan. Now leading between one to three tour groups daily, Zaragoza is responsible for overseeing all elements of the experience, providing information and guidance between mixing up cocktails and maintaining the course of the ship. Talk about a dynamic skillset!
Speaking on the challenges of being the only female sailor, Zaragoza noted that she has had to contend with “…[breaking] the taboo and stereotype that this job is exclusively for men, [and demonstrating] that we can carry out the same activities and that we should be recognized equally.”
With Cabo adventures now seeking to continue to diversify its team, Zaragoza hopes she can inspire women in Los Cabos to pursue their own professional dreams. “Every goal set, we can achieve if we have the courage to take the next step,” said Zaragoza. “It’s difficult at first but everything falls into place and if you’re passionate about it, you’ll never see it as a job.” For a full list of catamaran tours and sail boating cruises in Los Cabos, click here. Or, you can use the following link to reserve your spot on a Cabo Adventures excursion with Zaragoza.
