Magdalena Bay, Hull Canal, Sand Dollar Beach
An expedition to Baja is a mixture of things. Take one part adventure (think African Queen crossed with High Plains Drifter), mix with another part freedom (something like the last day of your senior year…remember?) and blend with a healthy dose of positive emotion (perhaps seeing a child walk for the first time or a couple holding hands). If you were able to bottle these things, consume it, it may very well taste like life aboard Sea Lion in Baja.
We slept with visions of gray whales dancing in our heads and awoke this morning to find ourselves surrounded once again by these mighty, yet gentle giants. “Incredible” and “Amazing”, two words uttered more today than in recent memory, don’t begin to communicate the feelings coursing through us as we watched a Gray mom and her calf roll around us, nudge our Zodiac and look up at us as if wishing to say hello. All around are outstretched hands, met with the tactile uniqueness of whale at the other end. To touch one of these great mammals is humbling. We are not alone here on this blue sphere, nor are we in charge.
A place exists at the southern end of the Hull Canal named Sand Dollar Beach. It is here we go ashore for a walk to the Pacific Ocean side. Once again, the feeling of inspiration takes hold as we walk the dunes through fields of shells and thousands of sand dollars. A graveyard of sorts is at our feet and with due respect we navigate through so as not to disturb these marine skeletal remains, which stand silent watch over the ever changing sand. We take this chance to stand in the surf and reflect on our incredible experiences and commit them to a place they will remain, as pictures and stories told to friends and family upon our return.
Baja is a beautiful corner of our world. A walk on the sand today is to forget that it is February and in many other places, the white on the ground is not so warm and cozy.
An expedition to Baja is a mixture of things. Take one part adventure (think African Queen crossed with High Plains Drifter), mix with another part freedom (something like the last day of your senior year…remember?) and blend with a healthy dose of positive emotion (perhaps seeing a child walk for the first time or a couple holding hands). If you were able to bottle these things, consume it, it may very well taste like life aboard Sea Lion in Baja.
We slept with visions of gray whales dancing in our heads and awoke this morning to find ourselves surrounded once again by these mighty, yet gentle giants. “Incredible” and “Amazing”, two words uttered more today than in recent memory, don’t begin to communicate the feelings coursing through us as we watched a Gray mom and her calf roll around us, nudge our Zodiac and look up at us as if wishing to say hello. All around are outstretched hands, met with the tactile uniqueness of whale at the other end. To touch one of these great mammals is humbling. We are not alone here on this blue sphere, nor are we in charge.
A place exists at the southern end of the Hull Canal named Sand Dollar Beach. It is here we go ashore for a walk to the Pacific Ocean side. Once again, the feeling of inspiration takes hold as we walk the dunes through fields of shells and thousands of sand dollars. A graveyard of sorts is at our feet and with due respect we navigate through so as not to disturb these marine skeletal remains, which stand silent watch over the ever changing sand. We take this chance to stand in the surf and reflect on our incredible experiences and commit them to a place they will remain, as pictures and stories told to friends and family upon our return.
Baja is a beautiful corner of our world. A walk on the sand today is to forget that it is February and in many other places, the white on the ground is not so warm and cozy.
