Sand Dollar Beach & Hull Canal
We began our first day onboard with an early wakeup call by Expedition Leader Jim Kelley. An incredible sunrise was about to begin and was not to be missed! Once the sun rose, we were treated to a spectacular morning alongside Isla Magdalena. Bright, blue sky and no breath of wind meant for an easy transit ashore. We took our Zodiacs to the beach and broke into small groups. Many of our party went bird watching, while others opted to hike across the narrow strip of dune-covered landscape to Bahia Santa Maria and Sand Dollar Beach.
The birders achieved success on both shores and enjoyed watching numerous species of shorebirds forage. Our dune hikers examined several halophytes such as sand verbena and sea purslane. There were tracks of coyote and black-tailed jackrabbit visible and we took our time enjoying the impressive dunes, themselves.
Once at the Pacific, there were shell middens to examine, beautiful flowering succulents, and great examples of sand dollars. The flattened tests of these echinoderms seem to be at their most beautiful when bleached by the sun. A few hardy souls took a dip in the ocean and everyone casually strolled back to the beach on the lagoon.
Our afternoon began with the boarding of our local pilot, Alejandro. We spent the remainder of the day cruising the Hull Canal toward Puerto Adolpho Lopez Mateos. This picturesque slice of Bahia Magdalena is a narrow, mangrove-filled channel. Incredible bird diversity and some incredible views made for a wonderful afternoon on deck.
After Alejandro’s disembarkation, we motored north toward Boca de Soledad and our anchorage for the next few days. The sun set on the lagoons of Magdalena just at the start of our evening Recap. This was a remarkable and beautiful way to spend our first day Among the Great Whales.
We began our first day onboard with an early wakeup call by Expedition Leader Jim Kelley. An incredible sunrise was about to begin and was not to be missed! Once the sun rose, we were treated to a spectacular morning alongside Isla Magdalena. Bright, blue sky and no breath of wind meant for an easy transit ashore. We took our Zodiacs to the beach and broke into small groups. Many of our party went bird watching, while others opted to hike across the narrow strip of dune-covered landscape to Bahia Santa Maria and Sand Dollar Beach.
The birders achieved success on both shores and enjoyed watching numerous species of shorebirds forage. Our dune hikers examined several halophytes such as sand verbena and sea purslane. There were tracks of coyote and black-tailed jackrabbit visible and we took our time enjoying the impressive dunes, themselves.
Once at the Pacific, there were shell middens to examine, beautiful flowering succulents, and great examples of sand dollars. The flattened tests of these echinoderms seem to be at their most beautiful when bleached by the sun. A few hardy souls took a dip in the ocean and everyone casually strolled back to the beach on the lagoon.
Our afternoon began with the boarding of our local pilot, Alejandro. We spent the remainder of the day cruising the Hull Canal toward Puerto Adolpho Lopez Mateos. This picturesque slice of Bahia Magdalena is a narrow, mangrove-filled channel. Incredible bird diversity and some incredible views made for a wonderful afternoon on deck.
After Alejandro’s disembarkation, we motored north toward Boca de Soledad and our anchorage for the next few days. The sun set on the lagoons of Magdalena just at the start of our evening Recap. This was a remarkable and beautiful way to spend our first day Among the Great Whales.
