Boca de Soledad, Magdalena Bay
Many gray whales have already started their migration north, having left the calving lagoons of Mexico for their summer feeding grounds in the arctic. Still, a number of individuals remain here in the vicinity of Magdalena Bay. Throughout the day we explored by Zodiac near the town of Puerto Lopez Mateos, searching for these fascinating creatures. Each boat had different experiences. Some viewers witnessed whale spy hops and bow-riding dolphins. A curious cow and her calf repeatedly approached our inflatable boats on other occasions. What an amazing experience to interact at close range with totally wild mammals that seek contact with humans!
This northern tip of Magdalena Island is trimmed with a lovely beach that embraces magnificent sand dunes similar to those at yesterday’s landing site. It is an inviting place to enjoy the sounds and scent of the sea and to wander the sand rippled by the wind or to jump and roll with wild abandon onto the soft dunes. There was quite a contrast to the search for huge blubbery whales. Here we discovered tiny treasures. Spiraled tiger turrets, delicate venus clams and other seashells decorated the beach. Bleached bones of sea turtles and an unfortunate pelican caught our attention. A good-sized hermit crab lumbered along but quickly disappeared into its shell at our approach. Animal tracks criss-crossed the landscape, telling stories of coyotes, jackrabbits, birds and ghost crabs that had passed this way. Shrill screams of two American oystercatchers broke the peace of Boca de Soledad (Mouth of Solitude). A few people spotted jackrabbits, either as they bounded out-of-sight or relaxed beside a bush. Another resident of the island appeared near the landing site. A lone coyote at the water’s edge trotted towards the beach chairs. These carnivores are successful in part because they are inquisitive, and this individual was no exception. It sniffed the pile of human belongings then grabbed a guest’s shoe and escaped to the nearby mangroves. What will a coyote do with only one shoe?
A totally unrelated group of coyotes awaited us on the ship. Local musicians in a group called Los Coyotes de Magdalena serenaded us during cocktail hour and for part of a delicious fiesta dinner while the National Geographic Sea Lion relocated in preparation for tomorrow’s early morning activities.
Many gray whales have already started their migration north, having left the calving lagoons of Mexico for their summer feeding grounds in the arctic. Still, a number of individuals remain here in the vicinity of Magdalena Bay. Throughout the day we explored by Zodiac near the town of Puerto Lopez Mateos, searching for these fascinating creatures. Each boat had different experiences. Some viewers witnessed whale spy hops and bow-riding dolphins. A curious cow and her calf repeatedly approached our inflatable boats on other occasions. What an amazing experience to interact at close range with totally wild mammals that seek contact with humans!
This northern tip of Magdalena Island is trimmed with a lovely beach that embraces magnificent sand dunes similar to those at yesterday’s landing site. It is an inviting place to enjoy the sounds and scent of the sea and to wander the sand rippled by the wind or to jump and roll with wild abandon onto the soft dunes. There was quite a contrast to the search for huge blubbery whales. Here we discovered tiny treasures. Spiraled tiger turrets, delicate venus clams and other seashells decorated the beach. Bleached bones of sea turtles and an unfortunate pelican caught our attention. A good-sized hermit crab lumbered along but quickly disappeared into its shell at our approach. Animal tracks criss-crossed the landscape, telling stories of coyotes, jackrabbits, birds and ghost crabs that had passed this way. Shrill screams of two American oystercatchers broke the peace of Boca de Soledad (Mouth of Solitude). A few people spotted jackrabbits, either as they bounded out-of-sight or relaxed beside a bush. Another resident of the island appeared near the landing site. A lone coyote at the water’s edge trotted towards the beach chairs. These carnivores are successful in part because they are inquisitive, and this individual was no exception. It sniffed the pile of human belongings then grabbed a guest’s shoe and escaped to the nearby mangroves. What will a coyote do with only one shoe?
A totally unrelated group of coyotes awaited us on the ship. Local musicians in a group called Los Coyotes de Magdalena serenaded us during cocktail hour and for part of a delicious fiesta dinner while the National Geographic Sea Lion relocated in preparation for tomorrow’s early morning activities.
