Los Islotes & Punta Dispensa
Our morning began with views of Jupiter, Mercury, Mars, and the crescent moon. The sun rose to bring us spectacular, calm seas and bottlenose dolphins bow-riding! After enjoying their beautiful underwater display, we made our way towards our anchorage at Los Islotes.
The Zodiacs were deployed for tours and we watched the aerial acrobatics of brown and blue-footed boobies, magnificent frigatebirds, California yellow footed gulls, brown pelicans, and Brandt’s cormorants, among others. The highlight for many of us was seeing California sea lions resting on the islands and swimming in the water around our Zodiacs. Many brave souls also elected to swim with the sea lions and to admire the broad array of fish and invertebrates amongst the underwater rocks.
Just before lunch we weighed anchor and attempted to head on a southerly course. Mother Nature had alternative plans for our early afternoon and we watched an incredible number of long-beaked common dolphins, several blue whales, and in the distance, dwarf sperm whales! The calm water made for easy viewing and everyone enjoyed the pre-lunch show.
Finally, we made our way along the eastern shore of Isla Espiritu Santo and anchored off its southern end at Bahia Bonanza. This picturesque, white sand beach seemed the perfect place to spend our afternoon and evening. We hiked, kayaked, and explored the desert plant and bird life, fruitlessly searching for the elusive black jackrabbit.
The afternoon quickly became the evening and we reconvened for a beach barbecue on the sands of Isla Espiritu Santo. Incredible food, a festive campfire, and a sky full of stars completed our evening. We enjoyed conversation, wine, and great food before ending our evening with campfire s’mores.
To see video footage from today's expedition, click here.
