Los Islotes
Another calm sunny day greeted the Sea Bird as she made her way towards her morning destination of Los Islotes. Once the crew had anchored the vessel, preparations for a rare opportunity to snorkel with California sea lions awaited all of us on board! As breakfast was being served, Zodiacs were being dropped from the lido deck of the Sea Bird. A snorkel boat was anchored just off of the tiny island, which serves as a haul-out for California sea lions and a rookery for several species of birds commonly found in the Gulf of California.
As soon as breakfast was finished we made our way to the aft section of the Sea Bird, snorkel gear in hand, entered our Zodiacs for a short ride to the snorkel boat. After a quick briefing, we slipped over the side and entered another world. One filled with a playful group of sea lion pups eager to show off their underwater world like a group of labrador puppies in their own backyard! They twirled, they barked (underwater), they came up nose to nose with our masks and generally were as cute as cute could be! Our flippers, the bottom of the Zodiac and even the anchor lines were all familiar to these sea lions, turning everything around them into toys.
As a compliment to our activity underwater our Expedition staff offered Zodiac explorations along the lee side of Los Islotes. From comfortable seats we listened to expert narration as each Zodiac pulled in for closer, above-water views of this safe haven for California sea lions, blue-footed boobies, brown boobies, brown pelicans and the occasional black turnstone.
Just before lunch, all guests, staff and crew returned to the Sea Bird along with all snorkeling equipment. As soon as everything was stowed on board, the anchor was lifted and our vessel began a slow cruise towards a secluded bay for an afternoon of hiking, swimming and kayaking.
The Sea Bird headed for Ensenada Grande located on Isla Espiritu Santos just south of Los Islotes. After lunch our Expedition leader came forward to explain our options for the afternoon. On a tiny beach the crew and staff would be staging kayaks and we would have an opportunity to make a slow paddle through several bays of gorgeous aqua-blue water while admiring the wonderfully eroded volcanic cliffs. It was as if the rock had been painted with dripping volcanic ash! On a near-by beach we could hike, enjoy the warm sunny afternoon, and even take a swim!
Several intrepid hikers took off for a climb up to the top of the ridges that surround the arroyo. Climbing over boulders the size of small and large appliances this group headed west up the arroyo, for a view over the east side of the island.
Another group made their way through this lovely, seemingly landscaped arroyo, admiring a myriad of plants, the occasional butterfly, an endemic chipmunk and a large flock of morning doves arriving for their afternoon roost…..the scent of Copal wafting around us, we moved slowly upward, looking back at a magnificent view, counting our blessings, while taking in the unique beauty of Baja California, a place of desert islands by the sea.
Another calm sunny day greeted the Sea Bird as she made her way towards her morning destination of Los Islotes. Once the crew had anchored the vessel, preparations for a rare opportunity to snorkel with California sea lions awaited all of us on board! As breakfast was being served, Zodiacs were being dropped from the lido deck of the Sea Bird. A snorkel boat was anchored just off of the tiny island, which serves as a haul-out for California sea lions and a rookery for several species of birds commonly found in the Gulf of California.
As soon as breakfast was finished we made our way to the aft section of the Sea Bird, snorkel gear in hand, entered our Zodiacs for a short ride to the snorkel boat. After a quick briefing, we slipped over the side and entered another world. One filled with a playful group of sea lion pups eager to show off their underwater world like a group of labrador puppies in their own backyard! They twirled, they barked (underwater), they came up nose to nose with our masks and generally were as cute as cute could be! Our flippers, the bottom of the Zodiac and even the anchor lines were all familiar to these sea lions, turning everything around them into toys.
As a compliment to our activity underwater our Expedition staff offered Zodiac explorations along the lee side of Los Islotes. From comfortable seats we listened to expert narration as each Zodiac pulled in for closer, above-water views of this safe haven for California sea lions, blue-footed boobies, brown boobies, brown pelicans and the occasional black turnstone.
Just before lunch, all guests, staff and crew returned to the Sea Bird along with all snorkeling equipment. As soon as everything was stowed on board, the anchor was lifted and our vessel began a slow cruise towards a secluded bay for an afternoon of hiking, swimming and kayaking.
The Sea Bird headed for Ensenada Grande located on Isla Espiritu Santos just south of Los Islotes. After lunch our Expedition leader came forward to explain our options for the afternoon. On a tiny beach the crew and staff would be staging kayaks and we would have an opportunity to make a slow paddle through several bays of gorgeous aqua-blue water while admiring the wonderfully eroded volcanic cliffs. It was as if the rock had been painted with dripping volcanic ash! On a near-by beach we could hike, enjoy the warm sunny afternoon, and even take a swim!
Several intrepid hikers took off for a climb up to the top of the ridges that surround the arroyo. Climbing over boulders the size of small and large appliances this group headed west up the arroyo, for a view over the east side of the island.
Another group made their way through this lovely, seemingly landscaped arroyo, admiring a myriad of plants, the occasional butterfly, an endemic chipmunk and a large flock of morning doves arriving for their afternoon roost…..the scent of Copal wafting around us, we moved slowly upward, looking back at a magnificent view, counting our blessings, while taking in the unique beauty of Baja California, a place of desert islands by the sea.
