Los Islotes & Bahia Bonanza
The sun rose this morning in a cloudless sky over the Gulf of California. The excitement was high on the ship as we approached Los Islotes, the small red volcanic ash islands topped with guano "frosting". At this southern-most California sea lion rookery, the cacophony of barks from the sea lions was punctuated by the call of blue-footed boobies. As we circumnavigated the islands, we observed sea lion mothers nursing their sizable pups and huge males sparring for the perfect sunny spot to rest, brown boobies precariously perched on tiny rock ledges, and turkey vultures feasting on a sea lion carcass. The chilly water was not a deterrent this morning; never have I seen so many people anxiously lined up to snorkel. As we snorkeled around the sea lions, we witnessed their spirited nature: playing like a puppy with a stick and eel, teasing the more clumsy mammals in the water (humans), and gracefully darting by blowing bubbles as they passed. After a full morning of fun, we weighed anchor and got under way for our afternoon destination. It was not long until we felt the ship slow and we knew there was something exciting in the sea around us. There are a select number of people who can say that they have ever seen a blue whale. And yet, for the second day in a row, we were in the presence of the largest animal to ever inhabit the earth, the blue whale. We forgot about our grumbling tummies and watched in awe. While we were waiting for the whales to surface, one of our young travelers keenly observed a group of mobula rays on the surface just off the starboard side of the ship.
In the afternoon, we dropped anchor in the turquoise water of Bahia Bonanza; the long white sand beach stretched before us. There was no shortage of activities on the beach. Walkers explored the desert in search of the endemic black jackrabbit amidst the cacti. Snorkelers waded into the water from the beach to find an underwater world teaming with life feet from dry land. Sea kayakers glided serenely along the rocky shore taking time to relax and enjoy the solitude a kayak can offer. For the kids and young at heart, tide-pooling revealed a new discovery under every rock. We ended our day at the beach with a bonfire complete with s’mores, songs, and star gazing.
The sun rose this morning in a cloudless sky over the Gulf of California. The excitement was high on the ship as we approached Los Islotes, the small red volcanic ash islands topped with guano "frosting". At this southern-most California sea lion rookery, the cacophony of barks from the sea lions was punctuated by the call of blue-footed boobies. As we circumnavigated the islands, we observed sea lion mothers nursing their sizable pups and huge males sparring for the perfect sunny spot to rest, brown boobies precariously perched on tiny rock ledges, and turkey vultures feasting on a sea lion carcass. The chilly water was not a deterrent this morning; never have I seen so many people anxiously lined up to snorkel. As we snorkeled around the sea lions, we witnessed their spirited nature: playing like a puppy with a stick and eel, teasing the more clumsy mammals in the water (humans), and gracefully darting by blowing bubbles as they passed. After a full morning of fun, we weighed anchor and got under way for our afternoon destination. It was not long until we felt the ship slow and we knew there was something exciting in the sea around us. There are a select number of people who can say that they have ever seen a blue whale. And yet, for the second day in a row, we were in the presence of the largest animal to ever inhabit the earth, the blue whale. We forgot about our grumbling tummies and watched in awe. While we were waiting for the whales to surface, one of our young travelers keenly observed a group of mobula rays on the surface just off the starboard side of the ship.
In the afternoon, we dropped anchor in the turquoise water of Bahia Bonanza; the long white sand beach stretched before us. There was no shortage of activities on the beach. Walkers explored the desert in search of the endemic black jackrabbit amidst the cacti. Snorkelers waded into the water from the beach to find an underwater world teaming with life feet from dry land. Sea kayakers glided serenely along the rocky shore taking time to relax and enjoy the solitude a kayak can offer. For the kids and young at heart, tide-pooling revealed a new discovery under every rock. We ended our day at the beach with a bonfire complete with s’mores, songs, and star gazing.
