Isla Magdalena
Rosy-fingered dawn lit the dappled sky, the moon fell, and we started our day with whales. At the entrance to Bahia Magdalena, living geysers puffed and lifted their tails to give ponderous farewell waves. Near sunset at Boca de Soledad we found whales in pairs. Cows moved with gentle inexorability, and calves surfaced to take tentative and slightly panicky breaths. Bracketed by these experiences, our day was rich with exploring Isla Magdalena.
In the morning, we added our tracks to those of coyotes, beetles, hares and crabs. The sand of this barrier island preserves the rambling of every terrestrial creature, and we enjoyed interpreting the tales that the patterns suggested. Meandering over hummocks and vales, our trail reflected the rhythm of the dunes. Regularity was punctuated by discovered shells, bones and feathers that spoke of the island's natural and cultural history. This shell might have rested near a dune top for thousands of years, after supplying some early human visitor with ancient ceviche or escargot.
After lunch we threaded the narrow channel of Hull Canal. Curlews probed the sandy shores with extravagant decurved bills. Pelicans and terns plunged around us after careful aerial surveys. Herons and egrets paced the shore or eyed us from mangrove spires. Coyotes trotted along the strand, seeming at once vigilant and nonchalant.
The golden moon climbed from the horizon, and we were reminded of the day's span, filled with richness and beauty.
Rosy-fingered dawn lit the dappled sky, the moon fell, and we started our day with whales. At the entrance to Bahia Magdalena, living geysers puffed and lifted their tails to give ponderous farewell waves. Near sunset at Boca de Soledad we found whales in pairs. Cows moved with gentle inexorability, and calves surfaced to take tentative and slightly panicky breaths. Bracketed by these experiences, our day was rich with exploring Isla Magdalena.
In the morning, we added our tracks to those of coyotes, beetles, hares and crabs. The sand of this barrier island preserves the rambling of every terrestrial creature, and we enjoyed interpreting the tales that the patterns suggested. Meandering over hummocks and vales, our trail reflected the rhythm of the dunes. Regularity was punctuated by discovered shells, bones and feathers that spoke of the island's natural and cultural history. This shell might have rested near a dune top for thousands of years, after supplying some early human visitor with ancient ceviche or escargot.
After lunch we threaded the narrow channel of Hull Canal. Curlews probed the sandy shores with extravagant decurved bills. Pelicans and terns plunged around us after careful aerial surveys. Herons and egrets paced the shore or eyed us from mangrove spires. Coyotes trotted along the strand, seeming at once vigilant and nonchalant.
The golden moon climbed from the horizon, and we were reminded of the day's span, filled with richness and beauty.
