Boca de Soledad
The sun rose in the eastern sky over Boca de Soledad at the northern end of Bahia Magdalena on the western side of the Baja peninsula. Turning directly to the west we could see the full moon losing its intense light as it slowly set fading into the soft light of the western sky. Birds were just coming to life over the mangroves and beginning their journey out to sea for a day of fishing, while many of us on the National Geographic Sea Bird waited in anticipation for our first day of Zodiac tours in the Gray whale nursery of the waters of Boca de Soledad. Our ship had been divided into two groups and the first half of the ship headed out just after breakfast making our way towards several whale blows south of our anchorage. The incoming full moon tide brought enough water to fill this northern lagoon deeply and most of the Gray whales; mothers with calves, had been carried on the swift current of that incoming tide to the southern end of the Boca, near the small town of Lopez Meteos. We cruised with the wind for nearly an hour playing the customary wait and watch game of whale watching, our hopes high for an opportunity to be in closer proximity to these interesting and unusual marine mammals. As if answering our wishes, one particularly large calf began to breach! This young animal rose out of the water, moved forward and rose again and again. Each time we could see the large eye looking in our direction. Being watched while watching became the theme of the morning. The calf continued to breach, roll over its mother; nudge her and generally covert playfully in the waves on this windy early morning.
While four Zodiacs of guests continued their water experiences with whales a smaller group of guests from the National Geographic Sea Bird headed to shore to explore the sand dunes. The morning mists had lifted, and though the winds continued there were still stories in the sand of all those who inhabit this dune environment during the night. Coyote, jackrabbits, white-footed mice, ghost crab and many a print left by birds decorated the sand dunes. Hikers followed the mousey highways along the edges of the vegetation, while keeping a watchful eye for the occasional racing jackrabbit that dashed across the dunes, or an irritated heron squawking, as it was startled from its comfortable morning roost!
Our day continued with a constant changing of the guard… each half of the National Geographic Sea Bird moving from land to sea; from sea to land with occasional moments taken to relax either in a deck chair on board or a quiet moment asleep on the beach. Each of us had a chance to see, to hear, and to smell the changes of this day; our first of several spent exploring amongst the Grey whales at the southern end of their yearly 6,000 mile migration, to spend time in the sanctuary of Bahia Magdalena in Baja Sur, Mexico.
The sun rose in the eastern sky over Boca de Soledad at the northern end of Bahia Magdalena on the western side of the Baja peninsula. Turning directly to the west we could see the full moon losing its intense light as it slowly set fading into the soft light of the western sky. Birds were just coming to life over the mangroves and beginning their journey out to sea for a day of fishing, while many of us on the National Geographic Sea Bird waited in anticipation for our first day of Zodiac tours in the Gray whale nursery of the waters of Boca de Soledad. Our ship had been divided into two groups and the first half of the ship headed out just after breakfast making our way towards several whale blows south of our anchorage. The incoming full moon tide brought enough water to fill this northern lagoon deeply and most of the Gray whales; mothers with calves, had been carried on the swift current of that incoming tide to the southern end of the Boca, near the small town of Lopez Meteos. We cruised with the wind for nearly an hour playing the customary wait and watch game of whale watching, our hopes high for an opportunity to be in closer proximity to these interesting and unusual marine mammals. As if answering our wishes, one particularly large calf began to breach! This young animal rose out of the water, moved forward and rose again and again. Each time we could see the large eye looking in our direction. Being watched while watching became the theme of the morning. The calf continued to breach, roll over its mother; nudge her and generally covert playfully in the waves on this windy early morning.
While four Zodiacs of guests continued their water experiences with whales a smaller group of guests from the National Geographic Sea Bird headed to shore to explore the sand dunes. The morning mists had lifted, and though the winds continued there were still stories in the sand of all those who inhabit this dune environment during the night. Coyote, jackrabbits, white-footed mice, ghost crab and many a print left by birds decorated the sand dunes. Hikers followed the mousey highways along the edges of the vegetation, while keeping a watchful eye for the occasional racing jackrabbit that dashed across the dunes, or an irritated heron squawking, as it was startled from its comfortable morning roost!
Our day continued with a constant changing of the guard… each half of the National Geographic Sea Bird moving from land to sea; from sea to land with occasional moments taken to relax either in a deck chair on board or a quiet moment asleep on the beach. Each of us had a chance to see, to hear, and to smell the changes of this day; our first of several spent exploring amongst the Grey whales at the southern end of their yearly 6,000 mile migration, to spend time in the sanctuary of Bahia Magdalena in Baja Sur, Mexico.
