Half Moon Bay, Isla San Francisco
Early this morning the National Geographic Sea Lion began sailing north towards Isla San Francisco. The winds had finally lessened, making for a pleasant ride.
The names of the islands of this area sound familiar- Isla San Francisco, San Jose, San Diego, and Santa Cruz. The conquistadores that searched this area for riches to send home to the Spanish crown named these islands after Spanish saints. The east side of the Sea of Cortez contained the finest pearling beds in North America and is famous for its large black pearls.
We were out on deck enjoying the warm air and watching the sunrise when we spotted bottlenose dolphins off the bow of the ship. Their brief but exciting early morning visit set the tone for our wonderful day.
After breakfast, we gathered snorkel gear and sunscreen and went ashore at Half Moon Bay. The kayaks were quickly filled as guests headed towards the guano-decorated cliffs in search of seabirds and Sally Lightfoot crabs grazing on the algae covered rocks.
Strolling the beautiful white beach, walking inland to explore the salt flat, snorkeling, swimming and relaxing in the sun made for a very enjoyable morning.
Returning to the ship, we had a delicious lunch of gazpacho soup, seafood paella, and yummy flavors of paletas (creamy ice cream on a stick).
This afternoon, the young people attended an energetic yoga class while the adults took a siesta. Then we heard the announcement, “common dolphins!” We donned our binoculars and scurried to the bow to watch. These small dolphins have a white stripe on their side and they travel in pods of 30 or more, sometimes up to thousands. These playful, intelligent animals are a joy to encounter. Watching them leap through the waves and ride the wake of the National Geographic Sea Lion is an experience to be treasured.
After the sun dropped behind the Sierra de la Giganta, the crescent moon made its appearance and we headed inside for a recapitulation of the day.
Early this morning the National Geographic Sea Lion began sailing north towards Isla San Francisco. The winds had finally lessened, making for a pleasant ride.
The names of the islands of this area sound familiar- Isla San Francisco, San Jose, San Diego, and Santa Cruz. The conquistadores that searched this area for riches to send home to the Spanish crown named these islands after Spanish saints. The east side of the Sea of Cortez contained the finest pearling beds in North America and is famous for its large black pearls.
We were out on deck enjoying the warm air and watching the sunrise when we spotted bottlenose dolphins off the bow of the ship. Their brief but exciting early morning visit set the tone for our wonderful day.
After breakfast, we gathered snorkel gear and sunscreen and went ashore at Half Moon Bay. The kayaks were quickly filled as guests headed towards the guano-decorated cliffs in search of seabirds and Sally Lightfoot crabs grazing on the algae covered rocks.
Strolling the beautiful white beach, walking inland to explore the salt flat, snorkeling, swimming and relaxing in the sun made for a very enjoyable morning.
Returning to the ship, we had a delicious lunch of gazpacho soup, seafood paella, and yummy flavors of paletas (creamy ice cream on a stick).
This afternoon, the young people attended an energetic yoga class while the adults took a siesta. Then we heard the announcement, “common dolphins!” We donned our binoculars and scurried to the bow to watch. These small dolphins have a white stripe on their side and they travel in pods of 30 or more, sometimes up to thousands. These playful, intelligent animals are a joy to encounter. Watching them leap through the waves and ride the wake of the National Geographic Sea Lion is an experience to be treasured.
After the sun dropped behind the Sierra de la Giganta, the crescent moon made its appearance and we headed inside for a recapitulation of the day.
