Isla Santa Catalina and its surrounding waters, Baja California, Mexico
Plants and animals of the desert react immediately to any amount of rain. Plants explode into leaves and soon flower, decorating the desert in color and smell. Insects emerge from eggs and cocoons, birds start feeding on the abundant insects, and many of them start nesting. What looked dry, sterile and dead, turns into an active, noisy and very lively neighborhood in a short time.
Today we started searching for big marine mammals in the vicinity of Isla del Carmen and Monserrate, and success was almost immediate: a couple of blue whales! The largest living animal for the last 65 million years! Enormous to watch, very tall blow and oh so gratifying! We followed them for a good time, during which we also saw bottlenose dolphins and thousands of common dolphins jumping into the air and, on occasion, bowriding.
During the afternoon we explored Isla Santa Catalina which harbors the sassiest and healthiest collection of cacti on our planet! Here the 15-foot barrel cactus thrives, as well as the greenest and fattest cardones of Baja California, which are also the tallest cacti known. We found a great diversity of bird species to enjoy including the black-throated sparrow, verdin, white-winged dove, northern cardinal and American kestrel.
Not only did we see the wonders of Baja California above the water, but we also donned our snorkel gear and plunged into the refreshing waters to be rewarded with some beautiful sea stars, king angel fish, scissor tail damsels and a spiny lobster!
Plants and animals of the desert react immediately to any amount of rain. Plants explode into leaves and soon flower, decorating the desert in color and smell. Insects emerge from eggs and cocoons, birds start feeding on the abundant insects, and many of them start nesting. What looked dry, sterile and dead, turns into an active, noisy and very lively neighborhood in a short time.
Today we started searching for big marine mammals in the vicinity of Isla del Carmen and Monserrate, and success was almost immediate: a couple of blue whales! The largest living animal for the last 65 million years! Enormous to watch, very tall blow and oh so gratifying! We followed them for a good time, during which we also saw bottlenose dolphins and thousands of common dolphins jumping into the air and, on occasion, bowriding.
During the afternoon we explored Isla Santa Catalina which harbors the sassiest and healthiest collection of cacti on our planet! Here the 15-foot barrel cactus thrives, as well as the greenest and fattest cardones of Baja California, which are also the tallest cacti known. We found a great diversity of bird species to enjoy including the black-throated sparrow, verdin, white-winged dove, northern cardinal and American kestrel.
Not only did we see the wonders of Baja California above the water, but we also donned our snorkel gear and plunged into the refreshing waters to be rewarded with some beautiful sea stars, king angel fish, scissor tail damsels and a spiny lobster!