Bahia Magdalena
We spent a calm night anchored in Bahia Magdalena, just a couple miles away from Boca de Soledad. “La Boca” is the North entrance of the bay, where grey whales enter and exit the lagoon as the tides rise and then fall again. Here is where we spent the day whale watching and exploring the north end of Isla Magdalena.
We traveled in our Zodiacs towards “La Boca,” where most whales were found. We could see the blows of these gentle giants from a distance, and we realized that most of them were actually outside the bay, just behind the breakers. A few whales were inside the bay and we had the chance to spend some time with a mother and calf, and to see several single adults go by. The calf, which may be less than a month old, was very active at times. As it followed its mom, it would splash around and jump halfway out of the water. It also emerged with the mouth open showing its “baby baleen.”
Isla Magdalena is especially beautiful at this northern end. Majestic sand dunes remind us of the Sahara Desert, and as we look around we realize this place is surrounded by sea water and it has much more life than we would think. Coyote and jackrabbit tracks are found on the sand, as well as a great diversity of beautiful shells and snails, like the Venus clam and the moon snail.
To end the day, a local band of musicians joined us to cheer up the evening. “Los Coyotes de Magdalena” have been playing with us for many years and they always bring along the local taste of popular Mexican music.
