La Fortuna, Humpback Whales & Cabo San Lucas
The National Geographic Sea Bird continued her southerly journey throughout the night heading for her morning destination of a well-known baleen whale mating and birthing area called Gorda Banks. Slightly north of that location, there is a land feature on the Baja California peninsula called La Fortuna, "the fortune"; and true to its name we were gifted with some unbelievable views of humpback whales. For several hours we remained on the bow, as whales surfaced, dove, breached, and exhibited several other interesting and rarely seen behaviors. The large round blow of the humpback could be seen close to land, in the distant horizon and to the left and right! The natural history staff decided on three particular whales to follow after seeing what appeared to be unusual behavior. As our first mate made a slow approach one of the smaller animals began tail lobbing, a behavior that entails lifting nearly half of her body out of the water and literally smashing her tail on the surface of the water. Obviously she was making a statement, was it avoidance behavior or some other communication towards one of two large animals located just below her? We did not know, but what we saw were many body parts either flung out of the water or they could be seen just below the surface. These three animals were extremely busy and slowly their activities brought them just off of the starboard side of the National Geographic Sea Bird, as she remained motionless idling in these rich and abundant waters of the Gulf of California. We were all amazed at the turbulent waters created by these powerful whales and wondered what was happening underwater, in what was obviously mating behavior!
Our natural history staff decided to bring the auditory whale world to the bow of the National Geographic Sea Bird. Two staff members dropped a hydrophone over the bow into the sea and in the far distance we could hear the sounds of singing whales. Male humpbacks are known to sing songs on their mating grounds but the exact function of the songs is still quite mysterious. For a brief moment the whale’s auditory world opened to our humble human ears, and two sentient beings were united through the curiosity of sound.
Slowly time caught up to the National Geographic Sea Bird and to make our afternoon appointment in the town of Cabo San Lucas we would have to continue pushing south towards the tip of the Baja peninsula. We cruised fairly close to a shoreline that was increasingly peppered with hotels and condominiums. As lunch was being served we were entering the harbor and port of Cabo San Lucas. Thirty years ago this enormous tourist destination was a sleepy fishing village with dirt roads and only two hotels. The Trans Peninsular Highway, completed in the 1970’s made the final link that opened Cabo San Lucas to primarily the United States and eventually the world as the largest tourist mecca on the Baja peninsula. We had two options for our afternoon visit to Cabo San Lucas. Part of our group would travel to San Jose del Cabo for birding and exploration of this smaller tourist community. Part of our group would enter the waters of the Gulf of California for the last time and enjoy snorkeling in slightly warmer waters. Back in the center of Cabo a few of us braved the bustling traffic and crowds in search of a few small galleries that held fine embroidery, jewelry, masks and pottery representing a little of the flavor and cultural diversity that is a large part of the country of Mexico. All were aboard one hour before sunset, and slowly the National Geographic Sea Bird pulled away from the center of town heading for a brief stop at Lands End to watch the crashing waves foam through the famous arch of this granitic rock formation! Our Captain maneuvered our vessel slowly around the tip of the Baja peninsula and into the Pacific Ocean. We began our journey north heading for tomorrow’s destination, though; at a slow pace waiting for the possibility of a green flash. As the sun set our day of many gifts finished with a flash of emerald.
The National Geographic Sea Bird continued her southerly journey throughout the night heading for her morning destination of a well-known baleen whale mating and birthing area called Gorda Banks. Slightly north of that location, there is a land feature on the Baja California peninsula called La Fortuna, "the fortune"; and true to its name we were gifted with some unbelievable views of humpback whales. For several hours we remained on the bow, as whales surfaced, dove, breached, and exhibited several other interesting and rarely seen behaviors. The large round blow of the humpback could be seen close to land, in the distant horizon and to the left and right! The natural history staff decided on three particular whales to follow after seeing what appeared to be unusual behavior. As our first mate made a slow approach one of the smaller animals began tail lobbing, a behavior that entails lifting nearly half of her body out of the water and literally smashing her tail on the surface of the water. Obviously she was making a statement, was it avoidance behavior or some other communication towards one of two large animals located just below her? We did not know, but what we saw were many body parts either flung out of the water or they could be seen just below the surface. These three animals were extremely busy and slowly their activities brought them just off of the starboard side of the National Geographic Sea Bird, as she remained motionless idling in these rich and abundant waters of the Gulf of California. We were all amazed at the turbulent waters created by these powerful whales and wondered what was happening underwater, in what was obviously mating behavior!
Our natural history staff decided to bring the auditory whale world to the bow of the National Geographic Sea Bird. Two staff members dropped a hydrophone over the bow into the sea and in the far distance we could hear the sounds of singing whales. Male humpbacks are known to sing songs on their mating grounds but the exact function of the songs is still quite mysterious. For a brief moment the whale’s auditory world opened to our humble human ears, and two sentient beings were united through the curiosity of sound.
Slowly time caught up to the National Geographic Sea Bird and to make our afternoon appointment in the town of Cabo San Lucas we would have to continue pushing south towards the tip of the Baja peninsula. We cruised fairly close to a shoreline that was increasingly peppered with hotels and condominiums. As lunch was being served we were entering the harbor and port of Cabo San Lucas. Thirty years ago this enormous tourist destination was a sleepy fishing village with dirt roads and only two hotels. The Trans Peninsular Highway, completed in the 1970’s made the final link that opened Cabo San Lucas to primarily the United States and eventually the world as the largest tourist mecca on the Baja peninsula. We had two options for our afternoon visit to Cabo San Lucas. Part of our group would travel to San Jose del Cabo for birding and exploration of this smaller tourist community. Part of our group would enter the waters of the Gulf of California for the last time and enjoy snorkeling in slightly warmer waters. Back in the center of Cabo a few of us braved the bustling traffic and crowds in search of a few small galleries that held fine embroidery, jewelry, masks and pottery representing a little of the flavor and cultural diversity that is a large part of the country of Mexico. All were aboard one hour before sunset, and slowly the National Geographic Sea Bird pulled away from the center of town heading for a brief stop at Lands End to watch the crashing waves foam through the famous arch of this granitic rock formation! Our Captain maneuvered our vessel slowly around the tip of the Baja peninsula and into the Pacific Ocean. We began our journey north heading for tomorrow’s destination, though; at a slow pace waiting for the possibility of a green flash. As the sun set our day of many gifts finished with a flash of emerald.
