San Francisquito Cove
Pilot whales. Once again, cetaceans greeted us at sunrise, and this morning it was pilot whales. Pod of approximately 50 of these large, black dolphins were spotted from the bridge just as the sun peeked over the horizon. Mark gently woke everyone at 6:30am to be sure we didn’t miss this incredible sighting. For over an hour, we watched these whales surface and dive, spy hop and breach, roll at the surface and slap their tail flukes against the water’s surface. Several times, they appeared just below the bow of the Sea Bird, and treated us to very close looks. Shortly before we went below for breakfast, a few acrobatic dolphins leapt onto the scene – eliciting cheers from everyone on deck.
A little later in the morning we headed for shore, and some exploration of this wonderful cove. Wandering up a broad arroyo and across gentle desert slopes, hikers saw cardon cacti in flower, fossils, hummingbird and raven nests, a lone coyote and a wonderful close look at a zebra-tailed lizard. Although the breeze was up a little, several folks decided to venture out in kayaks. Leisurely strolling on the sandy beach rounded out the morning’s activities.
Remaining at anchor throughout the day allowed us to fully explore this scenic cove, by land in the morning and by water in the afternoon. Shortly after lunch, we anchored our snorkel Zodiac and braced ourselves for the “refreshing” water. As soon as our masks were in the water, an incredible world appeared beneath us. Large, purple barrel sponges and smaller scarlet encrusting sponges were the first to grab our attention; however, many folks discovered that as they focused on the rocky bottom below, a myriad of life forms appeared. Gulf opaleyes and round stingrays swam by while the feathery feeding appendages of the fan worms quickly retracted into their protective tubes. We even saw California sheepheads – common off the California coast and in the cooler waters of the northern Gulf of California, but rare in the southern gulf. This brightly colored dorid nudibranch was another fun find. Later in the afternoon we explored the shoreline by Zodiac to complete our adventures in San Francisquito cove. As the sun dropped toward the peninsula, we hoisted our anchor and set out for a sunset cruise – complete with cocktails out on the bow. Steve’s admonition to bring binoculars and watch for the green flash paid off. We were treated to a rare blue flash just as the last sliver of the sun disappeared. A fine ending for this beautiful day in Baja California.
Pilot whales. Once again, cetaceans greeted us at sunrise, and this morning it was pilot whales. Pod of approximately 50 of these large, black dolphins were spotted from the bridge just as the sun peeked over the horizon. Mark gently woke everyone at 6:30am to be sure we didn’t miss this incredible sighting. For over an hour, we watched these whales surface and dive, spy hop and breach, roll at the surface and slap their tail flukes against the water’s surface. Several times, they appeared just below the bow of the Sea Bird, and treated us to very close looks. Shortly before we went below for breakfast, a few acrobatic dolphins leapt onto the scene – eliciting cheers from everyone on deck.
A little later in the morning we headed for shore, and some exploration of this wonderful cove. Wandering up a broad arroyo and across gentle desert slopes, hikers saw cardon cacti in flower, fossils, hummingbird and raven nests, a lone coyote and a wonderful close look at a zebra-tailed lizard. Although the breeze was up a little, several folks decided to venture out in kayaks. Leisurely strolling on the sandy beach rounded out the morning’s activities.
Remaining at anchor throughout the day allowed us to fully explore this scenic cove, by land in the morning and by water in the afternoon. Shortly after lunch, we anchored our snorkel Zodiac and braced ourselves for the “refreshing” water. As soon as our masks were in the water, an incredible world appeared beneath us. Large, purple barrel sponges and smaller scarlet encrusting sponges were the first to grab our attention; however, many folks discovered that as they focused on the rocky bottom below, a myriad of life forms appeared. Gulf opaleyes and round stingrays swam by while the feathery feeding appendages of the fan worms quickly retracted into their protective tubes. We even saw California sheepheads – common off the California coast and in the cooler waters of the northern Gulf of California, but rare in the southern gulf. This brightly colored dorid nudibranch was another fun find. Later in the afternoon we explored the shoreline by Zodiac to complete our adventures in San Francisquito cove. As the sun dropped toward the peninsula, we hoisted our anchor and set out for a sunset cruise – complete with cocktails out on the bow. Steve’s admonition to bring binoculars and watch for the green flash paid off. We were treated to a rare blue flash just as the last sliver of the sun disappeared. A fine ending for this beautiful day in Baja California.
