Our day began with calm waters, a rising tide and a fleet of kayaks ready on the beach for exploring and adventure. The mangrove channels along the shores of Isla Magdalena are a habitat with a wealth of bird life. Herons, egrets, cormorants, kingfishers and warblers all vied for our binoculared attention. After a morning of placid paddling of kayaks, we boarded National Geographic Sea Bird for transit of the Canal de Soledad. Our local pilot, the third generation now, skillfully maneuvered our vessel through the narrow, shallow waterway.

We dropped anchor just north of the town of Lopez Mateos and a pack of coyotes from the shore soon serenaded us by yipping and yelping in the fading light of a neon-parfait sunset. Once again, it was a beautiful day in Baja California.