Cruising & Santa Catalina
It seems like the best sunrises in the gulf are just north of Islas del Carmen and Danzante. The many islands with their ragged tops provide inky black silhouettes, and the sky often has enough thin clouds to be illuminated in reds. If one turns in the opposite direction the morning light illuminates the magnificent Sierra de la Giganta mountains which rise abruptly thousands of feet above the sea. If we would have been here for millions of years we probably would have watched similar sunrises. The scenery is so magnificent in this area it has recently become the Loreto Bay National Park.
The remainder of our morning was spent looking for marine mammals. A group of about 50 long-beaked common dolphins swam past. They were in a compact group with many younger animals. They didn’t appear to be feeding actively, and they were not interested in a free ride on our bow wave. Later we passed a number of bottlenose dolphins that wanted more fun. Four of them took positions on the pressure wave that our vessel created and cruised along with us. A dolphin in the right position can merely place its flukes downward and be pushed along by balancing on the pressure wave. These dolphins were males because of their large size and the numerous scratches on their bodies. They were also old hands at bow riding so changed positions often, rolled over on their sides and looked up at odd looking creatures staring down on them.
A partnership with the National Geographic Society allows us to spend time with scientists conducting research. This trip Dr. William Gilly is measuring dissolved oxygen levels at different depths to find out where the oxygen minimum layer is. This important place within our oceans influences where certain organisms will be found. He conducted two series of measurements from a Zodiac close to our ship.
We explored a most spectacular island in the afternoon and snorkeled below an elephant-shaped rock. Isla Santa Catalina is old geologically and is separated from the peninsula about 25 miles so is considered an oceanic island. It is difficult for animal and plant immigrants to hitch a ride on floating cacti or wood to reach an island this remote. Because of this, animals and plants here have been able to genetically drift and become unique species found nowhere else.
One of these unique or endemic plants is the giant barrel cactus. It grows to over 12 feet tall and 2 feet in diameter. These magnificent cacti along with large cardons are plentiful along the slopes that rise from the arroyos. Standing amongst them gives you the feeling of being in a forest of green giants. There are also endemic lizards and snakes including a rattlesnake that has no rattle.
