Puerto Gato, Baja Peninsula & At Sea
The amber glow on the horizon gradually broadened with the promise of sunrise. Photographers and other observers arrived on shore in near darkness and jockeyed for just the right position to take advantage of the rich, low-angle light of dawn. Light splayed across the red sandstone and glinted over the quiet water when the sun crested the horizon. We lingered here in Puerto Gato until breakfast, took a break back on the ship, and then rode to the beach for a full morning of exploration at this lovely area. Those in search of exercise strode off at a fast clip. Other hikers scattered into the desert to look at plants and birds or to scramble onto rocky ridges for impressive views. A black-tailed jackrabbit hopped without concern in sight of two different groups of walkers. The brilliant crimson of a male cardinal flashed in contrast to the green accordion pleats of the columnar cardon cactus on which it perched. After walking, some guests opted for a swim. There were also opportunities to wander along the shoreline or paddle through the clear water in kayaks. Bright green and olive-colored frills of marine algae carpeted the rocky seafloor. The tide was low enough for us to discover a variety of intertidal life. Sea cucumbers and brittle stars hid from the drying sunlight. Red-legged hermit crabs ambled in the shallows past abundant snails and an occasional chiton. One of the most fascinating creatures to grab our attention was the pink polka-dotted sun star shown in the photo. We turned over one of these echinoderms to examine its flailing tube feet as it tried to right itself. These hydraulically powered suction cups can grip tightly to the substrate or to prey items. Lunch time finally called us away from this special place, and before long we were all back on the National Geographic Sea Lion for the rest of the day.
The banana ice cream was barely melting in our mouths when an announcement of whales came over the speakers. Three fin whales spouted ahead and a humpback fluked to starboard. We stayed with the fins at first, but the humpback breached. After a few moments it breached again. Fin whales are the second largest of the cetaceans, but it is difficult to compete with an acrobatic humpback. Next a blue whale surfaced in the distance. This species commands respect. It is thought to be the largest animal to have ever existed. We spent a fair amount of time watching two individuals, one smaller than the other. While they were beneath the surface, we spotted a few mobula rays, relatives of the much larger mantas. Eventually we repositioned to catch up with some bottlenose dolphins. It was difficult to squeeze in a nap. Late in the afternoon, Rikki Swenson offered an informative talk that provided hints for experienced photographers as well as beginners. Shortly afterwards, the sound of the engines changed, and the ship slowed once again. Beautiful lighting played over the flat-calm water. We spent the rest of the afternoon not with an ordinary humpback whale, but with a whale surrounded by bottlenose dolphins and California sea lions. It was magical to see the breaching and lazy rolling of the whale, the sea lions barking and cavorting, and the dolphins gracefully slicing through the golden sea.
It became obvious that sunset would be the only interruption that could stop the amazing sequence of marine mammal sightings for the day. The last rays disappeared behind the jagged skyline of the Sierra de la Giganta, and the humpback whale breached one last time as we reluctantly turned north.
The amber glow on the horizon gradually broadened with the promise of sunrise. Photographers and other observers arrived on shore in near darkness and jockeyed for just the right position to take advantage of the rich, low-angle light of dawn. Light splayed across the red sandstone and glinted over the quiet water when the sun crested the horizon. We lingered here in Puerto Gato until breakfast, took a break back on the ship, and then rode to the beach for a full morning of exploration at this lovely area. Those in search of exercise strode off at a fast clip. Other hikers scattered into the desert to look at plants and birds or to scramble onto rocky ridges for impressive views. A black-tailed jackrabbit hopped without concern in sight of two different groups of walkers. The brilliant crimson of a male cardinal flashed in contrast to the green accordion pleats of the columnar cardon cactus on which it perched. After walking, some guests opted for a swim. There were also opportunities to wander along the shoreline or paddle through the clear water in kayaks. Bright green and olive-colored frills of marine algae carpeted the rocky seafloor. The tide was low enough for us to discover a variety of intertidal life. Sea cucumbers and brittle stars hid from the drying sunlight. Red-legged hermit crabs ambled in the shallows past abundant snails and an occasional chiton. One of the most fascinating creatures to grab our attention was the pink polka-dotted sun star shown in the photo. We turned over one of these echinoderms to examine its flailing tube feet as it tried to right itself. These hydraulically powered suction cups can grip tightly to the substrate or to prey items. Lunch time finally called us away from this special place, and before long we were all back on the National Geographic Sea Lion for the rest of the day.
The banana ice cream was barely melting in our mouths when an announcement of whales came over the speakers. Three fin whales spouted ahead and a humpback fluked to starboard. We stayed with the fins at first, but the humpback breached. After a few moments it breached again. Fin whales are the second largest of the cetaceans, but it is difficult to compete with an acrobatic humpback. Next a blue whale surfaced in the distance. This species commands respect. It is thought to be the largest animal to have ever existed. We spent a fair amount of time watching two individuals, one smaller than the other. While they were beneath the surface, we spotted a few mobula rays, relatives of the much larger mantas. Eventually we repositioned to catch up with some bottlenose dolphins. It was difficult to squeeze in a nap. Late in the afternoon, Rikki Swenson offered an informative talk that provided hints for experienced photographers as well as beginners. Shortly afterwards, the sound of the engines changed, and the ship slowed once again. Beautiful lighting played over the flat-calm water. We spent the rest of the afternoon not with an ordinary humpback whale, but with a whale surrounded by bottlenose dolphins and California sea lions. It was magical to see the breaching and lazy rolling of the whale, the sea lions barking and cavorting, and the dolphins gracefully slicing through the golden sea.
It became obvious that sunset would be the only interruption that could stop the amazing sequence of marine mammal sightings for the day. The last rays disappeared behind the jagged skyline of the Sierra de la Giganta, and the humpback whale breached one last time as we reluctantly turned north.
