Loreto Bay National Park, Isla Danzante
It was quiet on the decks at sunrise, but an announcement of at least one whale brought life to the bow. With better views we discovered that the blows were from a blue whale cow and her calf. What a great way to begin our voyage! The tiny dorsal fins on the long, sleek backs as well as the blue-gray color of these creatures identified them as blues, the largest creatures known to have ever lived on our planet. The ship continued on, but our progress was interrupted by yet another blue whale. We watched several times to see this single animal break the surface, roll, and then arch for a deeper dive.
In late morning the ship’s anchor dropped at Honeymoon Cove on the shores of Isla Danzante. This scenic island lies within Loreto Bay National Park. Before long we boarded Zodiacs for a quick trip to a lovely sheltered beach. From there, we ascended a rocky slope to reach magnificent viewpoints of the ship and the rugged mountains of the Baja Peninsula. Groups of faster hikers scrambled down to a peninsula that extended north of the island. Along the cliffs they located a crack containing roosting bats that appeared to be fishing bats. This is a special group that scoops up prey from the water’s surface by means of a membrane stretched between the hind legs. Bright red Sally lightfoot crabs scuttled over the intertidal area. Ospreys, turkey vultures and frigatebirds caught updrafts of warm air rising from the ridge tops. After exploring the desert and shoreline, we returned to the National Geographic Sea Bird for lunch.
In the afternoon we rode back to the beach for more activities. Kayakers paddled along the rocky coast testing out their paddling arms. Snorkelers explored the underwater world. The water was cool and clear and filled with life. Well-camouflaged stone scorpionfish, a poisonous species, were nearly hidden on the sea floor. Sea stars, urchins and sea cucumbers lay motionless on the submerged rocks. It was a perfect afternoon to enjoy the pristine waters of the Gulf of California.
Once back on the ship, we motored north. The sun sank behind the skyline of the Sierra de la Giganta mountain range, and dusk engulfed the sky at the end of the first full day of our adventure in Baja California.
It was quiet on the decks at sunrise, but an announcement of at least one whale brought life to the bow. With better views we discovered that the blows were from a blue whale cow and her calf. What a great way to begin our voyage! The tiny dorsal fins on the long, sleek backs as well as the blue-gray color of these creatures identified them as blues, the largest creatures known to have ever lived on our planet. The ship continued on, but our progress was interrupted by yet another blue whale. We watched several times to see this single animal break the surface, roll, and then arch for a deeper dive.
In late morning the ship’s anchor dropped at Honeymoon Cove on the shores of Isla Danzante. This scenic island lies within Loreto Bay National Park. Before long we boarded Zodiacs for a quick trip to a lovely sheltered beach. From there, we ascended a rocky slope to reach magnificent viewpoints of the ship and the rugged mountains of the Baja Peninsula. Groups of faster hikers scrambled down to a peninsula that extended north of the island. Along the cliffs they located a crack containing roosting bats that appeared to be fishing bats. This is a special group that scoops up prey from the water’s surface by means of a membrane stretched between the hind legs. Bright red Sally lightfoot crabs scuttled over the intertidal area. Ospreys, turkey vultures and frigatebirds caught updrafts of warm air rising from the ridge tops. After exploring the desert and shoreline, we returned to the National Geographic Sea Bird for lunch.
In the afternoon we rode back to the beach for more activities. Kayakers paddled along the rocky coast testing out their paddling arms. Snorkelers explored the underwater world. The water was cool and clear and filled with life. Well-camouflaged stone scorpionfish, a poisonous species, were nearly hidden on the sea floor. Sea stars, urchins and sea cucumbers lay motionless on the submerged rocks. It was a perfect afternoon to enjoy the pristine waters of the Gulf of California.
Once back on the ship, we motored north. The sun sank behind the skyline of the Sierra de la Giganta mountain range, and dusk engulfed the sky at the end of the first full day of our adventure in Baja California.
