Punta Colorado & Puerto Gato
The National Geographic Sea Bird cruised north overnight to Isla San Jose. We made our way ashore on the east side of the island at beautiful Punta Colorado. The multicolored hues of sandstone surrounding the beach played host to shells embedded in their strata. We disembarked by Zodiac to explore many different aspects of this fantastic locale.
Our snorkelers began their day surrounded by a huge amphitheater of red, sedimentary rock. They spent the early morning discovering many of the fish and invertebrates which make their home in the Gulf of California. King angelfish, sergeant majors, bicolor parrotfish, and blue and yellow snapper were among the species enjoyed.
The remainder of the ship decided to explore Punta Colorado on foot, hiking through the narrow canyon of rock behind the beach. There were several species of plants in flower, including the red palo adán, purple rama parda, and pink malva rosa. A variety of birds sang musically and we enjoyed views of ash-throated flycatchers, verdins, and black-throated sparrows, among others.
After departing the beach in the late morning, we continued cruising north along the coast of the island. Just before lunch, the call came out that a blue whale had been spotted off the bow. We carefully raced onto the deck to watch the animal resurface from its deep dive. When it came up for a breath, our Second Mate, Lucy Boyce, deftly maneuvered us into position to see it. This enormous animal, the largest ever to have lived on the earth, was clearly visible off our bow. It was easy to see its mottled, blue coloration and it loomed large just below the surface of the water.
The afternoon brought us a continuation of Chris Clark’s talk about mammal acoustics and Noise in the Oceans. Following this, Elise discussed Biomes and Deserts of the World, preparing us for our afternoon ashore on the Baja Peninsula. Shortly following, we dropped anchor at Puerto Gato to enjoy the remainder of the day at one of the peninsula’s most stunning locations. We hiked, kayaked, and the braver among us even went snorkeling. As the day began to wane, we moved to a different location and reconvened for a beach barbecue. The warm afternoon breeze made for a pleasant time ashore and everyone enjoyed a great deal of food and company.
As the day drew to a close, we centered around the campfire to hear stories of Mexico by Jim and Adrián. It was a wonderful way to end our first day exploring the Gulf of California.
The National Geographic Sea Bird cruised north overnight to Isla San Jose. We made our way ashore on the east side of the island at beautiful Punta Colorado. The multicolored hues of sandstone surrounding the beach played host to shells embedded in their strata. We disembarked by Zodiac to explore many different aspects of this fantastic locale.
Our snorkelers began their day surrounded by a huge amphitheater of red, sedimentary rock. They spent the early morning discovering many of the fish and invertebrates which make their home in the Gulf of California. King angelfish, sergeant majors, bicolor parrotfish, and blue and yellow snapper were among the species enjoyed.
The remainder of the ship decided to explore Punta Colorado on foot, hiking through the narrow canyon of rock behind the beach. There were several species of plants in flower, including the red palo adán, purple rama parda, and pink malva rosa. A variety of birds sang musically and we enjoyed views of ash-throated flycatchers, verdins, and black-throated sparrows, among others.
After departing the beach in the late morning, we continued cruising north along the coast of the island. Just before lunch, the call came out that a blue whale had been spotted off the bow. We carefully raced onto the deck to watch the animal resurface from its deep dive. When it came up for a breath, our Second Mate, Lucy Boyce, deftly maneuvered us into position to see it. This enormous animal, the largest ever to have lived on the earth, was clearly visible off our bow. It was easy to see its mottled, blue coloration and it loomed large just below the surface of the water.
The afternoon brought us a continuation of Chris Clark’s talk about mammal acoustics and Noise in the Oceans. Following this, Elise discussed Biomes and Deserts of the World, preparing us for our afternoon ashore on the Baja Peninsula. Shortly following, we dropped anchor at Puerto Gato to enjoy the remainder of the day at one of the peninsula’s most stunning locations. We hiked, kayaked, and the braver among us even went snorkeling. As the day began to wane, we moved to a different location and reconvened for a beach barbecue. The warm afternoon breeze made for a pleasant time ashore and everyone enjoyed a great deal of food and company.
As the day drew to a close, we centered around the campfire to hear stories of Mexico by Jim and Adrián. It was a wonderful way to end our first day exploring the Gulf of California.
