The Baja Peninsula- San Juanico Cove
Our trip has begun; excitement and inevitable eagerness to see all the wonders that Baja has to offer takes hold amongst us. While in pursuit of our destination we are almost immediately greeted by both long-beaked common and bottlenose dolphins. With the morning light and all the colors of the sky bouncing off the water’s waves, we have a perfect start for our photography expedition. Pressing on, we glide through the Sea of Cortez and arrive at San Juanico Cove, on the Baja Peninsula. Everyone prepares to go ashore and explore this beautiful taste of paradise.
Zodiacs now being loaded and shuttled to shore, exploration and photography is at its best. Some people walk alone taking pictures of the surroundings, while others relax on the beach. The beach is long, with hills and boulders scattered across it as if blown by the wind into position. The lighting is perfect as a naturalist-led hike begins. During the hike we are shown photography techniques and how to best capture the moment. As if nature was giving us a wildlife opportunity, several species of birds start to come into view. Verdins and white-winged doves fly through the air with strength and grace. Taking our eyes off the sky and moving to the ground, we learn more about the vegetation on San Juanico. There are a variety of desert plants fanned out, some masked so well that at first glance you would miss its beauty. Knowledge of plants is given by the naturalists, such as the Palo Adan, which is in bloom around this time. All around, we are welcomed by the splendor of Baja, and being a part of such wonder inspires pure satisfaction in our minds.
As the sun makes its way across the sky, we start to trickle back to the ship. Going through our pictures and picking out our favorite ones, a small sense of pride settles in as we view the images captured from the day. Birds, landscapes, the ocean, and so much more were in sight on this glorious occasion. Before we know it, cocktail hour arrives and we are served drinks by our bartender. After snacks we move into a recap of the day. All of the wonderful things we saw are discussed in detail and questions lingering from the day are answered. With dinner coming to an end and dessert satisfying our palates, the day has regrettably come to an end, but a constant thought spreads throughout the ship –what will tomorrow bring?
