Baja California, Mexico
Sand is a marvelous substance. When wet, it can coalesce into a near solid. When dry, it can flow freely, almost as a liquid. It can be fashioned by the earth’s relentless forces to form great natural shapes – ripples, beaches, temples, domes and arcs. But just as quickly, those same forces can obliterate the original artwork and transform the millions upon millions of grains into equally pleasing but equally ephemeral shapes.
Today we found beautiful examples of sand/wind sculpture. Isla Magdalena is a long barrier island separating the warm waters of Magdalena Bay from the wild Pacific Ocean here on the central coast of Baja California Sur. The island is a seemingly endless line of shifting sand, joining together two large mountains of rock. Geologists describe these rocks as “exotic terranes” – lands that have drifted with the tectonic activity of the Earth’s surface plates and have crashed against the bedrock of Baja California Sur. The two towering rocks are now welded to the peninsula, possibly forever; but who can say for certain?
We walked the unpeopled beaches and dunes of this island, marveling at the tenacity of certain plant species that somehow gain a foothold as seedlings, benefit from the rare desert rainfalls, and combine with the wind and sand to build lofty dunes. These plants flower, set seed and perpetuate their incongruous life cycles in a scorching and arid ecosystem.
Our scenic transit north inside the lagoons of Magdalena Bay provided a measure of the magnitude of this island-in-motion. Thousands of birds nest and winter within its rich mangroves and protected tidal waters. Coyotes prowl by day and night, eating anything that may contain nutrients – birds, fish, shellfish, small mammals, jackrabbits and even the carcass of a dolphin that has washed onto a beach. Overhead, ancient birds continue to soar, like this Brown Pelican, a species that has made an encouraging comeback from the terrifying days of DDT and a prolonged period of thoughtless desecration of our environment. All may not be well, though, as the impacts of increasing El Nino events take their toll on this and other Pacific seabirds.
Another species that calls this area home, the gray whale, has made remarkable comebacks from two man-induced declines to near-extinction. We were elated to see mothers with young calves here today. Tomorrow we will be seeking closer encounters with them.
Today, though, will be remembered as yet another unforgettable experience in an unforgiving but truly fascinating part of the world.
Sand is a marvelous substance. When wet, it can coalesce into a near solid. When dry, it can flow freely, almost as a liquid. It can be fashioned by the earth’s relentless forces to form great natural shapes – ripples, beaches, temples, domes and arcs. But just as quickly, those same forces can obliterate the original artwork and transform the millions upon millions of grains into equally pleasing but equally ephemeral shapes.
Today we found beautiful examples of sand/wind sculpture. Isla Magdalena is a long barrier island separating the warm waters of Magdalena Bay from the wild Pacific Ocean here on the central coast of Baja California Sur. The island is a seemingly endless line of shifting sand, joining together two large mountains of rock. Geologists describe these rocks as “exotic terranes” – lands that have drifted with the tectonic activity of the Earth’s surface plates and have crashed against the bedrock of Baja California Sur. The two towering rocks are now welded to the peninsula, possibly forever; but who can say for certain?
We walked the unpeopled beaches and dunes of this island, marveling at the tenacity of certain plant species that somehow gain a foothold as seedlings, benefit from the rare desert rainfalls, and combine with the wind and sand to build lofty dunes. These plants flower, set seed and perpetuate their incongruous life cycles in a scorching and arid ecosystem.
Our scenic transit north inside the lagoons of Magdalena Bay provided a measure of the magnitude of this island-in-motion. Thousands of birds nest and winter within its rich mangroves and protected tidal waters. Coyotes prowl by day and night, eating anything that may contain nutrients – birds, fish, shellfish, small mammals, jackrabbits and even the carcass of a dolphin that has washed onto a beach. Overhead, ancient birds continue to soar, like this Brown Pelican, a species that has made an encouraging comeback from the terrifying days of DDT and a prolonged period of thoughtless desecration of our environment. All may not be well, though, as the impacts of increasing El Nino events take their toll on this and other Pacific seabirds.
Another species that calls this area home, the gray whale, has made remarkable comebacks from two man-induced declines to near-extinction. We were elated to see mothers with young calves here today. Tomorrow we will be seeking closer encounters with them.
Today, though, will be remembered as yet another unforgettable experience in an unforgiving but truly fascinating part of the world.
