Isla San Jose & Isla San Francisco
Mornings on the Sea of Cortez can be extremely peaceful. As the National Geographic Sea Bird made its way south to Isla de San Jose, from the bow we watched the sun rise above the horizon, painting the clouds and land in shades of pink and orange. The sky may have been calm and serene, but the ocean was full of activity. After a few days aboard the NG Sea Bird guests, staff and crew alike know one thing for certain: when in open water, if the ship suddenly slows or changes course it means one thing. Wildlife! Today we were treated to a visit by pilot whales and bottlenose dolphins. Moving with intent, the interspecies pod held its course directly towards the NG Sea Bird, never wavering. We were graced with a unique head-on view of these fascinating cetaceans.
We stored our brief encounter, some of us digitally, some mentally, and continued south towards Isla San Jose. At Punta Colorada the land is red and contrasts in an artful way with the aquamarine sea. The cliff face is vertical and stratification of the sandstone undulates not unlike the sea itself. Our snorkeling location was in an amphitheater of red sandstone, the center, an orchestra pit of boulders. What would we see on this marine stage? While some went hiking, others searched the reef for encounters with new wildlife.
Every underwater experience in the Sea of Cortez is an exciting one. The mantra is: Expect the unexpected. While I prepare my scuba gear, a Mobula ray is seen breaching. It does a full back flip on one occasion. Anticipation increases. With the red, banded cliffs above us, we explore the large underwater boulder field. Was the amphitheater of rock created in one catastrophic collapse or has it been drawn out into smaller events? The reef community of Punta Colorada is wholly dependent on these fallen rocks. These boulders are prime real estate in this expanse of sand. Upon every inch of this hard substrate there are organisms thriving. The hard coral Montipora is feeding; its anemone-like tentacles can be seen with a very close examination. Sea fans, or gorgonians, seem to grow in high abundance on vertical rock faces. Filter feeding invertebrates make up a large part of this reef's assemblage. Even the primarily nocturnal tinsel squirrelfish could be seen between the boulders.
The highlights of the day were adult dog snappers, their large teeth often causing heartbeats to briefly race. These fish are one of the top nighttime predators. Seeing them in the dozens immediately makes me happy. In some parts of the world, large snapper are fished to the point of population collapse. Perhaps these fish have not experienced heavy fishing pressures or perhaps these boulders provide enough crevasses for shelter. Our amphitheater is likely being inundated with nutrients, leading to a healthy reef system.
To conclude our fantastic day in Baja California, we continued south to Isla San Francisco. This would be the site of our afternoon hikes, kayaking and an impromptu game of football in the salt flats. As the sun set over the peninsula, the clouds were once again set ablaze. This time we were treated to a BBQ on the beach complete with a bonfire, brownies and folklore. A fitting way to end a day that started with such serenity.
Mornings on the Sea of Cortez can be extremely peaceful. As the National Geographic Sea Bird made its way south to Isla de San Jose, from the bow we watched the sun rise above the horizon, painting the clouds and land in shades of pink and orange. The sky may have been calm and serene, but the ocean was full of activity. After a few days aboard the NG Sea Bird guests, staff and crew alike know one thing for certain: when in open water, if the ship suddenly slows or changes course it means one thing. Wildlife! Today we were treated to a visit by pilot whales and bottlenose dolphins. Moving with intent, the interspecies pod held its course directly towards the NG Sea Bird, never wavering. We were graced with a unique head-on view of these fascinating cetaceans.
We stored our brief encounter, some of us digitally, some mentally, and continued south towards Isla San Jose. At Punta Colorada the land is red and contrasts in an artful way with the aquamarine sea. The cliff face is vertical and stratification of the sandstone undulates not unlike the sea itself. Our snorkeling location was in an amphitheater of red sandstone, the center, an orchestra pit of boulders. What would we see on this marine stage? While some went hiking, others searched the reef for encounters with new wildlife.
Every underwater experience in the Sea of Cortez is an exciting one. The mantra is: Expect the unexpected. While I prepare my scuba gear, a Mobula ray is seen breaching. It does a full back flip on one occasion. Anticipation increases. With the red, banded cliffs above us, we explore the large underwater boulder field. Was the amphitheater of rock created in one catastrophic collapse or has it been drawn out into smaller events? The reef community of Punta Colorada is wholly dependent on these fallen rocks. These boulders are prime real estate in this expanse of sand. Upon every inch of this hard substrate there are organisms thriving. The hard coral Montipora is feeding; its anemone-like tentacles can be seen with a very close examination. Sea fans, or gorgonians, seem to grow in high abundance on vertical rock faces. Filter feeding invertebrates make up a large part of this reef's assemblage. Even the primarily nocturnal tinsel squirrelfish could be seen between the boulders.
The highlights of the day were adult dog snappers, their large teeth often causing heartbeats to briefly race. These fish are one of the top nighttime predators. Seeing them in the dozens immediately makes me happy. In some parts of the world, large snapper are fished to the point of population collapse. Perhaps these fish have not experienced heavy fishing pressures or perhaps these boulders provide enough crevasses for shelter. Our amphitheater is likely being inundated with nutrients, leading to a healthy reef system.
To conclude our fantastic day in Baja California, we continued south to Isla San Francisco. This would be the site of our afternoon hikes, kayaking and an impromptu game of football in the salt flats. As the sun set over the peninsula, the clouds were once again set ablaze. This time we were treated to a BBQ on the beach complete with a bonfire, brownies and folklore. A fitting way to end a day that started with such serenity.
