Honeymoon Cove, Danzante Island
A strong wind swept the entire Gulf of California last night, but the National Geographic Sea Bird made it north up to Danzante Island (Danzante = The Dancer). The ship anchored this morning at a little and beautiful bay called Honeymoon Cove, which is encircled by beautiful red, orange and yellowish cliffs and unusually lush and green foothills. During the whole morning, while we were concentrated in a delightful snorkeling from the beach, and Zodiac cruises along the rocky shore, we contemplated dozens of turkey vultures soaring above, a single peregrine falcon scanning the skies for possible prey, a red-tailed hawk passing by, and a fishing eagle making efforts to get fish from the surface of the water (it finally got one!). Those guests who took a hike on the flat areas of the island found many land birds, among which there were verdins, mockingbirds and black-throated sparrows. This island, of no more than three and a half miles long, was so perfect for us that we decided to spend the whole afternoon in the same protected location.
After lunch we concentrated our activity in exploring the various little bays on kayaks, although there were simultaneously more hikes focused on the vegetation. We discovered a great number of plant species, ranging from the little morning glory bushes, with their intense purple colored flowers, to an endemic barrel cactus, the copal tree (from which a very fragrant resin is obtained), the beautiful organ pipe cactus, the gigantic and multi-branched cardon cactus and the iron wood tree, with its curved and painful little spines. While we were kayaking, the pelicans started their famous and effective plunge-diving for fishes. The individuals that got full bellies after fishing went to rest on their guano-covered favorite perching sites. Snowy egrets and belted kingfishers showed up as well.
In the late afternoon the superb hotel department and crew offered us a dinner on the beach around a bonfire, which also allowed us to contemplate the multicolored sunset over La Giganta Mountain Range on the peninsula. To close this magnificent day, we heard stories about the Aztec creation of the land, ocean, heavens and five Suns, and the foundation of Mexico City, and contemplated the amazing stars of the gulf nights.
A strong wind swept the entire Gulf of California last night, but the National Geographic Sea Bird made it north up to Danzante Island (Danzante = The Dancer). The ship anchored this morning at a little and beautiful bay called Honeymoon Cove, which is encircled by beautiful red, orange and yellowish cliffs and unusually lush and green foothills. During the whole morning, while we were concentrated in a delightful snorkeling from the beach, and Zodiac cruises along the rocky shore, we contemplated dozens of turkey vultures soaring above, a single peregrine falcon scanning the skies for possible prey, a red-tailed hawk passing by, and a fishing eagle making efforts to get fish from the surface of the water (it finally got one!). Those guests who took a hike on the flat areas of the island found many land birds, among which there were verdins, mockingbirds and black-throated sparrows. This island, of no more than three and a half miles long, was so perfect for us that we decided to spend the whole afternoon in the same protected location.
After lunch we concentrated our activity in exploring the various little bays on kayaks, although there were simultaneously more hikes focused on the vegetation. We discovered a great number of plant species, ranging from the little morning glory bushes, with their intense purple colored flowers, to an endemic barrel cactus, the copal tree (from which a very fragrant resin is obtained), the beautiful organ pipe cactus, the gigantic and multi-branched cardon cactus and the iron wood tree, with its curved and painful little spines. While we were kayaking, the pelicans started their famous and effective plunge-diving for fishes. The individuals that got full bellies after fishing went to rest on their guano-covered favorite perching sites. Snowy egrets and belted kingfishers showed up as well.
In the late afternoon the superb hotel department and crew offered us a dinner on the beach around a bonfire, which also allowed us to contemplate the multicolored sunset over La Giganta Mountain Range on the peninsula. To close this magnificent day, we heard stories about the Aztec creation of the land, ocean, heavens and five Suns, and the foundation of Mexico City, and contemplated the amazing stars of the gulf nights.
