Isla San Marcos
This morning we awoke to another quintessential calm morning in the Sea of Cortez in the company of cetaceans. Life aboard the National Geographic Sea Bird stirred well before breakfast when south of Isla San Marcos we spotted false killer whales. From a distance one might mistake this rare gulf species for common or bottlenose dolphin, but the curious fast movement and splashing was worthy of closer inspection.
The uniformly dark coloration and bluntly conical heads were noticeable differences from the short stubby beaked dolphins we had seen the day before. The gregarious behavior of this species provided us views aplenty and there were lots of “ooohs” and “aaahs” on the bow as we were blessed with more than one breach. Hearing of their low reproductive rate with calving intervals of up to seven years and the rarity of which this species is seen, we could only begin to fathom the uniqueness of this sighting. With the desert mountains of the Sierra de la Giganta lit in morning sun we reluctantly headed to breakfast as the path of whales and ship diverted.
Ship to shore we embarked on great adventures hiking up the arroyo after breakfast. The lush Sonoran desert was full of foliage in an otherwise barren land of drought deciduous plants. With many of the legumes and composites in leaf and bloom (not to mention the passion flowers), bountiful butterflies complimented the buzz of bees and other thirsty pollinators. Nesting ospreys joined vultures and raven in the sky with some of the elusive cryptic songbirds detected only by nest and flyby. Long walkers weaved their way up through the narrowing canyon, some ascending “the wall,” while others enjoyed the leisure and informative pace of walks closer to shore. Returning to the ship we again were surrounded by life supported by the richness in the gulf as dolphins guided us home.
After lunch we engaged in water sports and opted for kayaking, snorkeling or both while some enjoyed more time amongst the tierra firme of this amazing desert on the sea. There was no better way to end the perfect day but with a barbeque on the beach of Isla San Marcos!!!
This morning we awoke to another quintessential calm morning in the Sea of Cortez in the company of cetaceans. Life aboard the National Geographic Sea Bird stirred well before breakfast when south of Isla San Marcos we spotted false killer whales. From a distance one might mistake this rare gulf species for common or bottlenose dolphin, but the curious fast movement and splashing was worthy of closer inspection.
The uniformly dark coloration and bluntly conical heads were noticeable differences from the short stubby beaked dolphins we had seen the day before. The gregarious behavior of this species provided us views aplenty and there were lots of “ooohs” and “aaahs” on the bow as we were blessed with more than one breach. Hearing of their low reproductive rate with calving intervals of up to seven years and the rarity of which this species is seen, we could only begin to fathom the uniqueness of this sighting. With the desert mountains of the Sierra de la Giganta lit in morning sun we reluctantly headed to breakfast as the path of whales and ship diverted.
Ship to shore we embarked on great adventures hiking up the arroyo after breakfast. The lush Sonoran desert was full of foliage in an otherwise barren land of drought deciduous plants. With many of the legumes and composites in leaf and bloom (not to mention the passion flowers), bountiful butterflies complimented the buzz of bees and other thirsty pollinators. Nesting ospreys joined vultures and raven in the sky with some of the elusive cryptic songbirds detected only by nest and flyby. Long walkers weaved their way up through the narrowing canyon, some ascending “the wall,” while others enjoyed the leisure and informative pace of walks closer to shore. Returning to the ship we again were surrounded by life supported by the richness in the gulf as dolphins guided us home.
After lunch we engaged in water sports and opted for kayaking, snorkeling or both while some enjoyed more time amongst the tierra firme of this amazing desert on the sea. There was no better way to end the perfect day but with a barbeque on the beach of Isla San Marcos!!!
