Cruising Loreto Marine Reserve & Isla Santa Catalina
We awoke this morning with gentle following seas and a fiery sunrise on the Sierra de la Giganta in the Loreto Marine Reserve. Just after breakfast some blows were spotted and we approached a pair of blue whales. We maneuvered closer for some spectacular views and were rewarded with a few close up high flukes by the larger of the two whales. These are the largest animals to ever have lived and this individual was massive. The other smaller whale was exhibiting some odd behavior, surfacing very close to the ship and surging at the surface repeatedly. Certainly, it was a spectacular way to start the day.
Our afternoon was spent exploring the granitic island of Santa Catalina. First, we donned our wetsuits and plunged into the water for our first snorkeling opportunity. Fish and invertebrates were abundant, as the rocks were covered with sea urchins, sea stars, and rainbow hued Christmas tree worms. Harems of king angelfish circled us, while clouds of sergeant majors surrounded us as we explored the boulders underneath elephant rock.
Our final exploration for the day was hiking in a stunning arroyo filled with flowering plants and a great diversity of reptiles. Palo verde shrubs were in full bloom, and their yellow blossoms attracted many buzzing bees. Heavy rains from a hurricane last year made for a bumper crop of cactus blooms, and both the cardon and giant barrel cacti were covered with white and red flowers, respectively. Warm afternoon temperatures made for very active reptiles, and many photos were snapped of turquoise side-blotched lizards and larger desert iguanas. A certain highlight was an endemic rattleless rattlesnake. After probing into a hole for lizards, the rattlesnake coiled up for a rest and made for fantastic photos. A grand finale for a fantastic day!
We awoke this morning with gentle following seas and a fiery sunrise on the Sierra de la Giganta in the Loreto Marine Reserve. Just after breakfast some blows were spotted and we approached a pair of blue whales. We maneuvered closer for some spectacular views and were rewarded with a few close up high flukes by the larger of the two whales. These are the largest animals to ever have lived and this individual was massive. The other smaller whale was exhibiting some odd behavior, surfacing very close to the ship and surging at the surface repeatedly. Certainly, it was a spectacular way to start the day.
Our afternoon was spent exploring the granitic island of Santa Catalina. First, we donned our wetsuits and plunged into the water for our first snorkeling opportunity. Fish and invertebrates were abundant, as the rocks were covered with sea urchins, sea stars, and rainbow hued Christmas tree worms. Harems of king angelfish circled us, while clouds of sergeant majors surrounded us as we explored the boulders underneath elephant rock.
Our final exploration for the day was hiking in a stunning arroyo filled with flowering plants and a great diversity of reptiles. Palo verde shrubs were in full bloom, and their yellow blossoms attracted many buzzing bees. Heavy rains from a hurricane last year made for a bumper crop of cactus blooms, and both the cardon and giant barrel cacti were covered with white and red flowers, respectively. Warm afternoon temperatures made for very active reptiles, and many photos were snapped of turquoise side-blotched lizards and larger desert iguanas. A certain highlight was an endemic rattleless rattlesnake. After probing into a hole for lizards, the rattlesnake coiled up for a rest and made for fantastic photos. A grand finale for a fantastic day!
