Los Islotes/Isla Espiritu Santo
After billions of years of shining, the sun took a brief respite hiding behind a distant cloudbank before breaking forth to illuminate the offshore islets known as Los Islotes. These guano-covered rocky outcroppings are located at the northern end of the Espiritu Santo chain of islands near La Paz. From our first approach to Los Islotes we could hear the barks and cries of the California sea lions gathered there on the rocks to greet us.
Sea conditions allowed us the opportunity to anchor in the lee of this small formation, and take Zodiac tours to get closer looks at the sea lions, blue-footed and brown boobies, magnificent frigatebirds and the usual cast of characters. Since this trip is called “Among the Great Whales,” most guests focused their attention on the whale’s fellow “milk givers,” the sea lions.
Whales and other marine mammals are truly a marquee group of species that immediately draws the interest and empathy of humans. They are large, majestic, social and often very entertaining. As fellow “milk givers,” we feel they possess a kindred spirit to our own. However, a minority of us (the truly big thinkers) realize that, to paraphrase Senator Hillary Clinton, “it takes an ecosystem to raise a whale.” After all, “which came first… the plankton or the whale?”
The truly enlightened among us donned our wetsuits, snorkels, masks and fins, and entered the water in search of the true base of the ecosystems which support the great “milk givers:” the invertebrates and fishes. Unlike the whales who tease and taunt us by remaining underwater for many minutes and resurfacing exactly where we never expect them to be, the “lower” elements of the food webs are more readily spotted and accessible to us as snorkelers. In honor of these often overlooked, but equally important species, I have included images of a juvenile king angelfish hiding in elegant coral and a flower urchin with its tube feet, spines and pedicellaria. Of course there were also a number of very playful sea lion juveniles present to interfere with our attempts to view these and the other species that really make the ecosystem go ‘round.
Once back on board, naturalist Linda Burback gave a talk on the many adaptations plants use to survive desert conditions. Then the Sea Lion was underway to Isla Espiritu Santo while all aboard had a tasty lunch. Upon arrival at Bahia Bonanza at the southern end of the island, guests were taken to the beach by Zodiac for several varied nature walks into the interior, snorkeling or simply enjoying the extensive sandy beach. The naturalists pointed out plant species found only on this island, known as endemics, as well as interesting birds and other wildlife.
After freshening up on return to the ship, guests heard the naturalist’s staff “recap” the day’s activities. It was especially pleasing to this biologist to hear Lisa Sette talk of the many dead whale carcasses found at depth every five miles or so along the Alta California coastline. These dead whales provided much needed food for a host of bottom-dwelling invertebrates and fishes… a fitting “revenge” after these great “milk givers” had decimated invertebrates (largely plankton) and fish during their lifespan. Following dinner I gave a talk on “My Finny Friends,” the common fish of the Gulf of California and most settled in as the ship weighed anchor and cruised on towards a “milk giver’s” (and observer’s) paradise, the plankton rich waters of Gorda Banks.
After billions of years of shining, the sun took a brief respite hiding behind a distant cloudbank before breaking forth to illuminate the offshore islets known as Los Islotes. These guano-covered rocky outcroppings are located at the northern end of the Espiritu Santo chain of islands near La Paz. From our first approach to Los Islotes we could hear the barks and cries of the California sea lions gathered there on the rocks to greet us.
Sea conditions allowed us the opportunity to anchor in the lee of this small formation, and take Zodiac tours to get closer looks at the sea lions, blue-footed and brown boobies, magnificent frigatebirds and the usual cast of characters. Since this trip is called “Among the Great Whales,” most guests focused their attention on the whale’s fellow “milk givers,” the sea lions.
Whales and other marine mammals are truly a marquee group of species that immediately draws the interest and empathy of humans. They are large, majestic, social and often very entertaining. As fellow “milk givers,” we feel they possess a kindred spirit to our own. However, a minority of us (the truly big thinkers) realize that, to paraphrase Senator Hillary Clinton, “it takes an ecosystem to raise a whale.” After all, “which came first… the plankton or the whale?”
The truly enlightened among us donned our wetsuits, snorkels, masks and fins, and entered the water in search of the true base of the ecosystems which support the great “milk givers:” the invertebrates and fishes. Unlike the whales who tease and taunt us by remaining underwater for many minutes and resurfacing exactly where we never expect them to be, the “lower” elements of the food webs are more readily spotted and accessible to us as snorkelers. In honor of these often overlooked, but equally important species, I have included images of a juvenile king angelfish hiding in elegant coral and a flower urchin with its tube feet, spines and pedicellaria. Of course there were also a number of very playful sea lion juveniles present to interfere with our attempts to view these and the other species that really make the ecosystem go ‘round.
Once back on board, naturalist Linda Burback gave a talk on the many adaptations plants use to survive desert conditions. Then the Sea Lion was underway to Isla Espiritu Santo while all aboard had a tasty lunch. Upon arrival at Bahia Bonanza at the southern end of the island, guests were taken to the beach by Zodiac for several varied nature walks into the interior, snorkeling or simply enjoying the extensive sandy beach. The naturalists pointed out plant species found only on this island, known as endemics, as well as interesting birds and other wildlife.
After freshening up on return to the ship, guests heard the naturalist’s staff “recap” the day’s activities. It was especially pleasing to this biologist to hear Lisa Sette talk of the many dead whale carcasses found at depth every five miles or so along the Alta California coastline. These dead whales provided much needed food for a host of bottom-dwelling invertebrates and fishes… a fitting “revenge” after these great “milk givers” had decimated invertebrates (largely plankton) and fish during their lifespan. Following dinner I gave a talk on “My Finny Friends,” the common fish of the Gulf of California and most settled in as the ship weighed anchor and cruised on towards a “milk giver’s” (and observer’s) paradise, the plankton rich waters of Gorda Banks.
