Bahia Magdalena
The Pacific Ocean lived up to its name last night, and after a phenomenally peaceful ride north from Cabo San Lucas, we awoke to clear skies and a broad, gentle ocean swell. With a thick fog layer filling the entrance to Bahia Magdalena, we decided to take the Sea Bird a little offshore, and search for more pelagic marine mammal and bird species. Dozens of black-vented shearwaters maneuvered over the waves, while a rare masked booby inspected our bow deck at close range. Magnificent frigatebirds drafted behind the bridge windows and clasped our radio antenna in their bills. The bright disk of the sun flashed green before floating above the horizon. Lookouts on the bow spotted a pair of humpback whales ambling by, apparently swimming slowly southward and showing us their flukes several times. A small band of common dolphins raced in to ride our bow and surf in our wake before encountering a snack and peeling away as quickly as they’d come.
Late in the morning we turned the ship eastward toward La Entrada, the southern entrance to Magdalena Bay. Bright sun had burned off the morning fog, so we watched both seabirds and sea lions perched on the navigational aids marking the channel. During the transit to our afternoon anchorage, Paula shared her knowledge of geology with an illustrated presentation. Lunch soon followed and then an opportunity to go ashore and explore the sweeping dunes of Isla Magdalena.
As the first Zodiac landed on shore, we spotted a rangy coyote to the north and inspected the parchment-like dwellings of tubeworms buried in the sand. Then we set out to cross the dunes and see the Pacific. Jokes about Lawrence of Arabia and camels in the distance aside, we explored the beautiful dunes of this island. With patience and imagination we teased the stories of the island’s inhabitants from their tracks in the sand and their remnants left behind. Shell collectors on the beach made artful displays with their finds, while aspiring sculptors molded figures in the sand. A soft sea breeze and waves washing ashore even lulled some folks to sleep.
We eventually returned to our floating home, as the sun dropped toward the sea, and found warm showers, cold drinks, good food and fine company. A beach bonfire and stargazing completed another beautiful day in Baja California.
The Pacific Ocean lived up to its name last night, and after a phenomenally peaceful ride north from Cabo San Lucas, we awoke to clear skies and a broad, gentle ocean swell. With a thick fog layer filling the entrance to Bahia Magdalena, we decided to take the Sea Bird a little offshore, and search for more pelagic marine mammal and bird species. Dozens of black-vented shearwaters maneuvered over the waves, while a rare masked booby inspected our bow deck at close range. Magnificent frigatebirds drafted behind the bridge windows and clasped our radio antenna in their bills. The bright disk of the sun flashed green before floating above the horizon. Lookouts on the bow spotted a pair of humpback whales ambling by, apparently swimming slowly southward and showing us their flukes several times. A small band of common dolphins raced in to ride our bow and surf in our wake before encountering a snack and peeling away as quickly as they’d come.
Late in the morning we turned the ship eastward toward La Entrada, the southern entrance to Magdalena Bay. Bright sun had burned off the morning fog, so we watched both seabirds and sea lions perched on the navigational aids marking the channel. During the transit to our afternoon anchorage, Paula shared her knowledge of geology with an illustrated presentation. Lunch soon followed and then an opportunity to go ashore and explore the sweeping dunes of Isla Magdalena.
As the first Zodiac landed on shore, we spotted a rangy coyote to the north and inspected the parchment-like dwellings of tubeworms buried in the sand. Then we set out to cross the dunes and see the Pacific. Jokes about Lawrence of Arabia and camels in the distance aside, we explored the beautiful dunes of this island. With patience and imagination we teased the stories of the island’s inhabitants from their tracks in the sand and their remnants left behind. Shell collectors on the beach made artful displays with their finds, while aspiring sculptors molded figures in the sand. A soft sea breeze and waves washing ashore even lulled some folks to sleep.
We eventually returned to our floating home, as the sun dropped toward the sea, and found warm showers, cold drinks, good food and fine company. A beach bonfire and stargazing completed another beautiful day in Baja California.
