Boca de Soledad
Last night’s conditions gave us a sweet ride north. Today we made it to the Pacific side of Baja California in record time. We awoke on the rugged west end of Isla Santa Margarita. As the National Geographic Sea Lion gently rocked and rolled, warm temperatures and a cool breeze left us with the notion; this was going to be another magical day.
The sun burned off the morning haze and long-beaked common dolphins began surfing our bow. As they allowed the force of the ship to thrust them forward, we could hear precious vocalizations. These playful beings launched themselves out of the water like torpedoes. They shredded the surface of the water with their sleek flesh. It seemed as if we danced with one another. There is no such thing as useless desire in a dolphin. It seems as if their existence is one of amusement, eating, surfing, and breeding. Dolphins might have the perfect life.
We entered Magdalena Bay just after breakfast. We assembled on the sunny bow, sharing laughter and gentle thoughts as the ship meandered through the Hull Canal leaving broken white lines of foamy sea. Red and white mangroves lined the shores. Many were impressed by the reverse osmosis these trees carry out in order to survive in salt water. It’s amazing how the natural world is capable of adapting to harsh or difficult environments.
After a sunny lunch on the deck, we arrived in the northern tip of Magdalena Bay and took our Zodiacs to Boca de Soledad. The windswept dunes mesmerized our afternoon walks. We found ourselves lost in the vastness of our surroundings and appreciated the most humble details of the inter-tidal zone along the shore.
Shore and seabirds took us to new heights, as we witnessed the grace of juvenile Heermann’s gulls. We learned that 95 percent of these gulls breed on Isla Rasa in the Gulf of California. We also saw double-crested cormorants. Their crest, which looked like little white eyebrows indicated to us that they’re actively nesting. Brown pelicans drifted lazily along the water’s edge, unaffected by the Pacific wind.
As the sun began to set, our Video Chronicler, Kirk Sellinger crouched down deep in the mangroves to get some intimate footage of the nearby active cormorant nesting site. One cormorant unleashed its fury on him by defecating and regurgitating on him at the same time. Kirk’s childlike enthusiasm dissipated as he was left covered in a very silky, smelly, and vile substance. Laughter filled Boca de Soledad as we headed back to the ship.
Last night’s conditions gave us a sweet ride north. Today we made it to the Pacific side of Baja California in record time. We awoke on the rugged west end of Isla Santa Margarita. As the National Geographic Sea Lion gently rocked and rolled, warm temperatures and a cool breeze left us with the notion; this was going to be another magical day.
The sun burned off the morning haze and long-beaked common dolphins began surfing our bow. As they allowed the force of the ship to thrust them forward, we could hear precious vocalizations. These playful beings launched themselves out of the water like torpedoes. They shredded the surface of the water with their sleek flesh. It seemed as if we danced with one another. There is no such thing as useless desire in a dolphin. It seems as if their existence is one of amusement, eating, surfing, and breeding. Dolphins might have the perfect life.
We entered Magdalena Bay just after breakfast. We assembled on the sunny bow, sharing laughter and gentle thoughts as the ship meandered through the Hull Canal leaving broken white lines of foamy sea. Red and white mangroves lined the shores. Many were impressed by the reverse osmosis these trees carry out in order to survive in salt water. It’s amazing how the natural world is capable of adapting to harsh or difficult environments.
After a sunny lunch on the deck, we arrived in the northern tip of Magdalena Bay and took our Zodiacs to Boca de Soledad. The windswept dunes mesmerized our afternoon walks. We found ourselves lost in the vastness of our surroundings and appreciated the most humble details of the inter-tidal zone along the shore.
Shore and seabirds took us to new heights, as we witnessed the grace of juvenile Heermann’s gulls. We learned that 95 percent of these gulls breed on Isla Rasa in the Gulf of California. We also saw double-crested cormorants. Their crest, which looked like little white eyebrows indicated to us that they’re actively nesting. Brown pelicans drifted lazily along the water’s edge, unaffected by the Pacific wind.
As the sun began to set, our Video Chronicler, Kirk Sellinger crouched down deep in the mangroves to get some intimate footage of the nearby active cormorant nesting site. One cormorant unleashed its fury on him by defecating and regurgitating on him at the same time. Kirk’s childlike enthusiasm dissipated as he was left covered in a very silky, smelly, and vile substance. Laughter filled Boca de Soledad as we headed back to the ship.
