Isla del Carmen and Isla Santa Catalina, Baja California Sur, Mexico
Of the great number of islands inside the Gulf of California in northern Mexico, we visited the surrounding waters of Isla del Carmen, where the finest salt of the world was produced. These islands are surrounded by very deep, cold waters that have enormous upwellings. These rising waters bring up sediments off the bottom, which act as a fertilizer for the countless phytoplankton near and at the surface, which bloom, and in their turn act as available food for zooplankton, which, in their turn again, feed small and larger fish. These waters are therefore enormously rich, creating the beginnings of many food chains, which end in small-medium sized fish and krill.
These animals are fed upon by dolphins, birds and countless other predatory fish species, as well as the giants of the seas: the blue and the fin whales, the first- and second largest animals on our planet today and ever ( almost 30 meters, and 27 meters, respectively) in this area of the world. Other smaller baleen whales partake in the feast here, including the gray, the humpback, the minke and Bryde’s whales, and the smaller Sei whale. Among the toothed whales we can see the mighty sperm whale as well as 22 other species.
So we followed three of these behemoths, one blue- and two fin whales around for a while before and after breakfast, as well as a big school of common dolphins and smaller schools of bottlenose dolphins, foraging for krill and fish. Eventually we turned our ship south, and headed for the island of Santa Catalina. After lunch we snorkeled in the fresh waters of a small bay, to enjoy many lovely colored fish, as well as many invertebrates, such as sponges, corals, sea urchins, sea stars, etc… Others of us hiked into the large island, marveling at the great variety of plants, dominated by the cacti and other flowering plants, such as the purple-flowered nightshade, blue salvia, desert mallow and the coyote melon. Biodiversity at its best!
Of the great number of islands inside the Gulf of California in northern Mexico, we visited the surrounding waters of Isla del Carmen, where the finest salt of the world was produced. These islands are surrounded by very deep, cold waters that have enormous upwellings. These rising waters bring up sediments off the bottom, which act as a fertilizer for the countless phytoplankton near and at the surface, which bloom, and in their turn act as available food for zooplankton, which, in their turn again, feed small and larger fish. These waters are therefore enormously rich, creating the beginnings of many food chains, which end in small-medium sized fish and krill.
These animals are fed upon by dolphins, birds and countless other predatory fish species, as well as the giants of the seas: the blue and the fin whales, the first- and second largest animals on our planet today and ever ( almost 30 meters, and 27 meters, respectively) in this area of the world. Other smaller baleen whales partake in the feast here, including the gray, the humpback, the minke and Bryde’s whales, and the smaller Sei whale. Among the toothed whales we can see the mighty sperm whale as well as 22 other species.
So we followed three of these behemoths, one blue- and two fin whales around for a while before and after breakfast, as well as a big school of common dolphins and smaller schools of bottlenose dolphins, foraging for krill and fish. Eventually we turned our ship south, and headed for the island of Santa Catalina. After lunch we snorkeled in the fresh waters of a small bay, to enjoy many lovely colored fish, as well as many invertebrates, such as sponges, corals, sea urchins, sea stars, etc… Others of us hiked into the large island, marveling at the great variety of plants, dominated by the cacti and other flowering plants, such as the purple-flowered nightshade, blue salvia, desert mallow and the coyote melon. Biodiversity at its best!
