Los Islotes & Bahia Bonanza on Isla Espiritu Santo
The sun was rising through a thin veil of clouds hanging in the eastern sky, giving a wonderful orange glow to sunrise. The National Geographic Sea Bird was making her way south towards her morning anchorage of Los Islotes. These small volcanic islets are a well-known haul-out for California sea lions. Los Islotes is the most southern haul-out for this species of pinniped in the Gulf of California. It is located quite near the town of La Paz and is frequented by many people traveling, who take a day to visit this southern California sea lion haul-out hoping to have a closer encounter with the residents of this small rock outcropping. As the National Geographic Sea Bird approached, the sounds reached us first. The barking of many a California sea lion filled the air followed by the sight of sea lions, brown pelicans, blue-footed and brown boobies, turkey vultures and a resident great blue heron sitting on its nest! The place was alive and a symphony of natural animal sounds carried out on the wind.
Once breakfast was finished and Zodiacs were launched, everyone made their way to the aft 200 level of the National Geographic Sea Bird ready for Zodiac tours around Los Islotes. Each small boat was manned by a driver and naturalist both responsible for circumnavigating these tiny islands finding at the very least many a visual treasure and often sounds and smells to go along with each resident!
An osprey flew in to see what all the commotion was about, while sea lions barked and challenged, a booby danced, a cormorant became ever so slightly nervous and for all of us riding comfortably in Zodiacs what appeared to be a small world of land and sea became many different stories. One of the most fascinating displays was a huge number of mobula rays approximately three feet in diameter leaping into the air and flipping like giant card tables! No matter what we were watching, the sounds of California sea lions were a constant backdrop, from mothers and pups to males fighting over territory.
Once our Zodiac tours were completed it was time to enter the world of the California sea lion and snorkel in and around the central haul-out area of Los Islotes. The fish were magnificent, and adding to the diverse sightings was the opportunity to swim in and amongst a very playful group of young California sea lions who were agile and graceful swimmers and much more comfortable moving in water than the human observers who had just entered their world. Warm waters and many different fish complemented the experience of snorkeling with sea lions, and as always, all too soon it was time to return to the National Geographic Sea Bird and continue our day.
From our position on the northern end of Isla Partida, the National Geographic Sea Bird headed south towards the southern tip of Isla Espiritu Santo where we would spend the remainder of the day. Bahia Bonanza, a two-mile long white sand beach with gorgeous aqua blue waters and fascinating arroyos heading up into lovely small mountains, awaited many a group ready for just a little more exploration.
Hiking and kayaking were offered to all interested. The hikes explored the rich landscape, well-watered in this El Nino year; showing off many a drought deciduous shrub covered in leaf and bearing lovely flowers. As everyone made their way back to the beach, the Hotel staff from the National Geographic Sea Bird was in the middle of preparing a beach barbecue. As the sun set over the mountains of Isla Espiritu Santo turning the clouds a deep pink we all adjourned to beach chairs ready to enjoy an extraordinary meal, tales from Mexico around a beach fire and a chance to see a grand display of stars fill the evening sky over the waters of the Gulf of California.
