Magic was in the air as we awoke to the harmonious sounds of barking California sea lions. As these pinnipeds propelled themselves through the water with their strong fore flippers guests were in awe of the speed and grace at which these animals moved. Every time our Zodiacs increased speed over the tranquil waters surrounding Los Islotes, the games would begin. Porpoising sea lions would be at our stern leaping effortlessly following us as if we were a pace car. Since water is so much more dense then air this behavior allows Zalophus californianus to obtain higher swimming speeds then to just move along against the friction of the aqueous environment alone.
After returning to the ship everyone was busy getting into the second skin of their wetsuits. As a congregation of excited neoprene clad guests gathered at the aft 200 deck, one could feel the energy of the event that was going to happen, the ultimate experience of swimming eye to eye with the ballerina of the Gulf of California. Once the snorkel boat was anchored, eager guests were shuttled to the stable platform and learned the “scooch” method of transfer. Each guest had their own individual method of transfer, which brought smiles and laughter to all involved.
Slipping into the “refreshing” water changed the perspective of all involved. There was so much to see that the limited view of the facemask allowed the senses to only take in a limited amount of excitement at a time. Looking down from the snorkel platform, this California sea lion was caught in the act of playing tug of war with the anchor line. Divers experienced this match on the same level playing field and looked on in amazement at the intelligent behavior of these marine mammals at play.
The afternoon followed with kayaking and beach walks and ended with a beautiful sunset. Does this sound like paradise or what?
