Los Islotes/Punta Dispensa, Isla Espiritu Santo
After a quiet night at anchor, the National Geographic Sea Bird cruised south toward our morning destination on our final day of the expedition. The rocky volcanic remnants known as Los Islotes that jut up out of the ocean created a lee for our vessel to anchor. The Zodiacs took us closer to view the California sea lions, blue-footed and brown boobies, and Sally lightfoot crabs. Yellow-footed gulls stood like sentinels on pyramids of rock. Playful young sea lions did flips and somersaults around the Zodiacs, to the delight of everyone aboard. The quacks and whistling sounds of the boobies added to the incessant chorus of barks and yells from the sea lions. It was a busy place!
Later in the morning we had the opportunity to slip into the watery realm of the sea lions. Speedy and graceful, they excelled in their environment, but we were entertained and thrilled to share a few minutes in close proximity to this marine relative. Animated anecdotes of this exhilarating experience of a lifetime gushed out as people emerged from the water.
Following this exciting morning, the National Geographic Sea Bird headed south once again along Isla Partida and Isla Espiritu Santo and anchored in a protected location known as Punta Dispensa. A few people had another kayak venture here, but most opted for a final walk among the desert vegetation. An intrepid group scrambled to the top of a peak for a sweeping view of the surroundings. Some were lucky to see the endemic and elusive black jackrabbit. Others turned over rocks to discover scorpions and beetles and talked about the interesting plants that are so well adapted for the harsh Sonoran Desert environment. It was a nice time to reflect on the past week spent “Among the Great Whales.”
After a quiet night at anchor, the National Geographic Sea Bird cruised south toward our morning destination on our final day of the expedition. The rocky volcanic remnants known as Los Islotes that jut up out of the ocean created a lee for our vessel to anchor. The Zodiacs took us closer to view the California sea lions, blue-footed and brown boobies, and Sally lightfoot crabs. Yellow-footed gulls stood like sentinels on pyramids of rock. Playful young sea lions did flips and somersaults around the Zodiacs, to the delight of everyone aboard. The quacks and whistling sounds of the boobies added to the incessant chorus of barks and yells from the sea lions. It was a busy place!
Later in the morning we had the opportunity to slip into the watery realm of the sea lions. Speedy and graceful, they excelled in their environment, but we were entertained and thrilled to share a few minutes in close proximity to this marine relative. Animated anecdotes of this exhilarating experience of a lifetime gushed out as people emerged from the water.
Following this exciting morning, the National Geographic Sea Bird headed south once again along Isla Partida and Isla Espiritu Santo and anchored in a protected location known as Punta Dispensa. A few people had another kayak venture here, but most opted for a final walk among the desert vegetation. An intrepid group scrambled to the top of a peak for a sweeping view of the surroundings. Some were lucky to see the endemic and elusive black jackrabbit. Others turned over rocks to discover scorpions and beetles and talked about the interesting plants that are so well adapted for the harsh Sonoran Desert environment. It was a nice time to reflect on the past week spent “Among the Great Whales.”
