Magdalena Bay
Surrounded by soft morning neblina, (Español for fog) rolling in from the Pacific and rocked by the easy ocean swell, we listened quietly for whale blows and peered into the mists, hoping to spot a California gray whale in this unlikely situation. The sharp young eyes of Jimmy Comacho, one of our favorite local pangueros, soon located a young gray whale and its patient mother, and amazingly, they swam right over to the boat.
The fog lifted and left us with calm sea conditions and beautiful blue skies to enjoy our time in the calving lagoon here at the mouth of solitude or Boca de Soledad, the opening to the Pacific Ocean off the north tip of Magdalena Island. Most of our day has been spent in very close proximity to these magnificent animals that move so gently and gracefully among the excited human beings floating about in small boats, leaning into the water and longing to connect with the whales. Are we just whale floaty toys, or is there a more intimate link between us?
Beachcombing here offers a treasure trove of exploration among colorful, exotic shells and numerous animal tracks. We see where coyote has stopped to dig up a crab breakfast, and perhaps tracked a jackrabbit across the dunes. Double-crested cormorants fly overhead with nesting materials trailing from their beaks and a pair of American oystercatchers makes a plaintive call. One pond holds some swimming crabs and small fish. It seems every step holds a surprise and a new delight. This day has been a most memorable celebration of life on our small planet.
Surrounded by soft morning neblina, (Español for fog) rolling in from the Pacific and rocked by the easy ocean swell, we listened quietly for whale blows and peered into the mists, hoping to spot a California gray whale in this unlikely situation. The sharp young eyes of Jimmy Comacho, one of our favorite local pangueros, soon located a young gray whale and its patient mother, and amazingly, they swam right over to the boat.
The fog lifted and left us with calm sea conditions and beautiful blue skies to enjoy our time in the calving lagoon here at the mouth of solitude or Boca de Soledad, the opening to the Pacific Ocean off the north tip of Magdalena Island. Most of our day has been spent in very close proximity to these magnificent animals that move so gently and gracefully among the excited human beings floating about in small boats, leaning into the water and longing to connect with the whales. Are we just whale floaty toys, or is there a more intimate link between us?
Beachcombing here offers a treasure trove of exploration among colorful, exotic shells and numerous animal tracks. We see where coyote has stopped to dig up a crab breakfast, and perhaps tracked a jackrabbit across the dunes. Double-crested cormorants fly overhead with nesting materials trailing from their beaks and a pair of American oystercatchers makes a plaintive call. One pond holds some swimming crabs and small fish. It seems every step holds a surprise and a new delight. This day has been a most memorable celebration of life on our small planet.
