Magdalena Bay, Baja California Sur
Early this morning just as the sky began to lighten from the rising sun, we began getting underway to travel southward through the connection between the northern and southern sections of Magdalena Bay. Our progress was slow at first as gray whale mothers and young gently rose to the surface for the first breaths of morning air. The Captain slowly guided the ship along the lagoon with soft tan colored sand dunes to the west and the orange tinted sky to the east over the mangrove “forest” lining the channel. The tide was high so our progress through the narrowest section was relatively quick. We slowed down for a small mangrove island where numerous birds of at least five or six species roosted and nested. On the very tops of the mangroves where double-crested cormorants and great blue herons. Tucked in underneath leaves and branches where yellow-crowned night-herons and white ibis. Most of us were on deck to watch as we drifted past.
By mid-morning we were anchoring in glassy calm waters in the middle of the narrow channel. The conditions were perfect for a kayak opportunity so the crew quickly lowered all of the boats and set up on shore. There was such great interest in trying this activity on such a beautiful day that two rounds of kayaking was necessary. Steve Zeff, ship’s naturalist and marine mammal biologist instructed everyone on the proper techniques for kayaking. Some people had never been in these small craft before but soon discovered that it was quite enjoyable and easy. Along the shore in the kayaks we could closely approach the mangroves and really see what the naturalist staff were discussing about the roots, leaves, and other interesting features of this unique habitat. For those not kayaking there was an opportunity to cruise through narrow mangrove lined channels by Zodiac. After some people kayaked they alked over the soft san of the dunes. The sun had warmed the sand and the air so it was a very pleasant and lovely last excursion in Magdalena Bay.
As a finale to the day we first had a video and talk by Dr. John Frances on searching for the giant squid. We were all amazed at some of the underwater footage and on the camera developed to film underwater. Then in the middle of the afternoon we went outside to discover we were once again in the middle of gray whales at the entrance to Magdalena Bay. This time we were seeing the antics and behavior of adult and juvenile whales that did not have young. In addition we could see hundreds of birds in the area. Some of the staff looked over the side to discover a small red pelagic crab species was in abundance and this is what the birds were feeding on. During recap used the video microscope to see what the staff had obtained from the water in a short tow of a small mesh net. We learned about plankton and its importance to the world’s oceans.
Yet another fantastic day in Baja California.
Early this morning just as the sky began to lighten from the rising sun, we began getting underway to travel southward through the connection between the northern and southern sections of Magdalena Bay. Our progress was slow at first as gray whale mothers and young gently rose to the surface for the first breaths of morning air. The Captain slowly guided the ship along the lagoon with soft tan colored sand dunes to the west and the orange tinted sky to the east over the mangrove “forest” lining the channel. The tide was high so our progress through the narrowest section was relatively quick. We slowed down for a small mangrove island where numerous birds of at least five or six species roosted and nested. On the very tops of the mangroves where double-crested cormorants and great blue herons. Tucked in underneath leaves and branches where yellow-crowned night-herons and white ibis. Most of us were on deck to watch as we drifted past.
By mid-morning we were anchoring in glassy calm waters in the middle of the narrow channel. The conditions were perfect for a kayak opportunity so the crew quickly lowered all of the boats and set up on shore. There was such great interest in trying this activity on such a beautiful day that two rounds of kayaking was necessary. Steve Zeff, ship’s naturalist and marine mammal biologist instructed everyone on the proper techniques for kayaking. Some people had never been in these small craft before but soon discovered that it was quite enjoyable and easy. Along the shore in the kayaks we could closely approach the mangroves and really see what the naturalist staff were discussing about the roots, leaves, and other interesting features of this unique habitat. For those not kayaking there was an opportunity to cruise through narrow mangrove lined channels by Zodiac. After some people kayaked they alked over the soft san of the dunes. The sun had warmed the sand and the air so it was a very pleasant and lovely last excursion in Magdalena Bay.
As a finale to the day we first had a video and talk by Dr. John Frances on searching for the giant squid. We were all amazed at some of the underwater footage and on the camera developed to film underwater. Then in the middle of the afternoon we went outside to discover we were once again in the middle of gray whales at the entrance to Magdalena Bay. This time we were seeing the antics and behavior of adult and juvenile whales that did not have young. In addition we could see hundreds of birds in the area. Some of the staff looked over the side to discover a small red pelagic crab species was in abundance and this is what the birds were feeding on. During recap used the video microscope to see what the staff had obtained from the water in a short tow of a small mesh net. We learned about plankton and its importance to the world’s oceans.
Yet another fantastic day in Baja California.
