Boca de Soledad
The sun rose at approximately 6:45am, passing early morning light over the National Geographic Sea Lion. Clouds were low and heavy, wind was high, but so were our spirits as Zodiacs were being prepared for the morning’s first whale watching excursions. Those of us who had signed up for the first round of whale watching were already waiting on the aft 200 deck eagerly anticipating our chance to be closer to the world of Grey whales.
The northern end of Bahia Magdalena is a well-known nursery for mother grey whales and their babies. It is also the northern entrance and exit for these whales who, after a long migration, are spending part of their winters in safe, warm-watered lagoons for birthing and mating. These lagoons are particularly important to the mother whales as a training area for their offspring. The narrow opening between Isla Magdalena and Isla Santo Domingo causes a rush of water and strong currents during the changing tides. In these waters the babies are training for their first migration north. The journey is over 5,000 miles long against the prevailing currents off the coast North America. Their ultimate destination is the Chukchi and Bering seas and the part of the world where grey whales spend their summers in rich feeding grounds.
Zodiacs were loaded and each headed out into the strong winds making their respective way towards the Boca. Several boats went quite far out into the Pacific Ocean searching for whales. Animals were sighted in the Boca, and although conditions for whale watching were difficult, much was spotted. In between waves, several grey whales continued to move in the surf. One animal breached near several Zodiacs, much to the enjoyment of everyone!
It was soon time for a change out of guests. Zodiacs returned to the NG Sea Lion exchanged guests and once again we headed out into the wind and waves. Our second round found less whales but a group of bottlenose dolphins decided that several Zodiacs would be perfect to play with; following in our wakes and bow riding just under the nose of two Zodiacs.
Boca de Soledad was full of life this early morning. In the distance and in quite choppy conditions, a large group of white pelicans were spotted afloat, watching our Zodiac watching them! Slowly through very shallow water we made our way in for a closer look. These large white birds, decorated in the best yellow eyeliner, pink bills and bright white feathers seemed to be guarded within a squadron of brown pelicans. It was a pelican convention rich in postures, flapping wings and lots of very distinctive bird attitude! All too soon it was time to return to the NG Sea Lion for a rest, lunch and preparation for our first afternoon on shore.
Our anchor site was near the northern tip of Isla Magdalena, giving a great opportunity to spend part of our two days in Bahia Magdalena at sea whale watching, and getting ashore to explore a very unusual ecosystem of sand dunes, salt water ponds, mangroves and the pounding surf of the Pacific Ocean. The tide was going out taking the large waves of the oceans surf outside of the boca and leaving the world of sound to wind moving through mangroves and the many birds, both on the shore and in the mangroves. We walked, we gathered shells for a still life, and we watched birds moving in and out on the wind. Patterns in the sand drew us in from the tiny mousy footprints, to coyote to rabbit to all variety of crab. The windswept shore was alive!
As the sun moved west and headed towards sunset, Zodiacs began to ferry us back to the NG Sea Lion. Our landing site was positioned near a nesting area for double crested cormorants. A few of us took a moment to stand just inside a thick stand of white mangrove listening to the comings and going of hundreds of cormorants…like a very busy chicken coop; a very distinct set of bird voices filled the air. We were guests to a world of sounds and sights dominated by birds in wild breeding plumage! In the last light of the day, hundreds of cormorants were returning for an evening at home in the tops of trees, as we returned by Zodiac to the waiting NG Sea Lion where our evening would be filled with a traditional Mexican fiesta and a local trio of musicians, called Los Coyotes de Magdalena.
The sun rose at approximately 6:45am, passing early morning light over the National Geographic Sea Lion. Clouds were low and heavy, wind was high, but so were our spirits as Zodiacs were being prepared for the morning’s first whale watching excursions. Those of us who had signed up for the first round of whale watching were already waiting on the aft 200 deck eagerly anticipating our chance to be closer to the world of Grey whales.
The northern end of Bahia Magdalena is a well-known nursery for mother grey whales and their babies. It is also the northern entrance and exit for these whales who, after a long migration, are spending part of their winters in safe, warm-watered lagoons for birthing and mating. These lagoons are particularly important to the mother whales as a training area for their offspring. The narrow opening between Isla Magdalena and Isla Santo Domingo causes a rush of water and strong currents during the changing tides. In these waters the babies are training for their first migration north. The journey is over 5,000 miles long against the prevailing currents off the coast North America. Their ultimate destination is the Chukchi and Bering seas and the part of the world where grey whales spend their summers in rich feeding grounds.
Zodiacs were loaded and each headed out into the strong winds making their respective way towards the Boca. Several boats went quite far out into the Pacific Ocean searching for whales. Animals were sighted in the Boca, and although conditions for whale watching were difficult, much was spotted. In between waves, several grey whales continued to move in the surf. One animal breached near several Zodiacs, much to the enjoyment of everyone!
It was soon time for a change out of guests. Zodiacs returned to the NG Sea Lion exchanged guests and once again we headed out into the wind and waves. Our second round found less whales but a group of bottlenose dolphins decided that several Zodiacs would be perfect to play with; following in our wakes and bow riding just under the nose of two Zodiacs.
Boca de Soledad was full of life this early morning. In the distance and in quite choppy conditions, a large group of white pelicans were spotted afloat, watching our Zodiac watching them! Slowly through very shallow water we made our way in for a closer look. These large white birds, decorated in the best yellow eyeliner, pink bills and bright white feathers seemed to be guarded within a squadron of brown pelicans. It was a pelican convention rich in postures, flapping wings and lots of very distinctive bird attitude! All too soon it was time to return to the NG Sea Lion for a rest, lunch and preparation for our first afternoon on shore.
Our anchor site was near the northern tip of Isla Magdalena, giving a great opportunity to spend part of our two days in Bahia Magdalena at sea whale watching, and getting ashore to explore a very unusual ecosystem of sand dunes, salt water ponds, mangroves and the pounding surf of the Pacific Ocean. The tide was going out taking the large waves of the oceans surf outside of the boca and leaving the world of sound to wind moving through mangroves and the many birds, both on the shore and in the mangroves. We walked, we gathered shells for a still life, and we watched birds moving in and out on the wind. Patterns in the sand drew us in from the tiny mousy footprints, to coyote to rabbit to all variety of crab. The windswept shore was alive!
As the sun moved west and headed towards sunset, Zodiacs began to ferry us back to the NG Sea Lion. Our landing site was positioned near a nesting area for double crested cormorants. A few of us took a moment to stand just inside a thick stand of white mangrove listening to the comings and going of hundreds of cormorants…like a very busy chicken coop; a very distinct set of bird voices filled the air. We were guests to a world of sounds and sights dominated by birds in wild breeding plumage! In the last light of the day, hundreds of cormorants were returning for an evening at home in the tops of trees, as we returned by Zodiac to the waiting NG Sea Lion where our evening would be filled with a traditional Mexican fiesta and a local trio of musicians, called Los Coyotes de Magdalena.
