Gulf of California
Menu for a perfect day
Hors d’oeuvres – a green flash,
Soup – mixed cetacean
Entrée - an idyllic bay and the desert in bloom
Dessert- a beach barbecue.
A feast was offered. We accepted and were satiated. And now as the moonlight catches the darkened waves, we relax in our own private ways.
A whale blow was snatched by the wind, its presence an interruption in our ceremonial welcome to the day. Should we watch or spin the boat to await the rising sun? Sol won momentarily and rewarded us with an emerald glow. In the west the opposite end of the spectrum embraced the steep eastern face of the Sierra de la Giganta evoking a carmine blush. With the gradual illumination of the day came an awareness that our corner of the Gulf of California, delineated by Islas Danzante and del Carmen, was awash with whales. Tall misty blows rose all around, some attended by smaller puffs. Long mottled blue-gray backs glistened as they broke the surface and rolled to reveal miniscule dorsal fins. Rare in worldwide numbers, the blue whale was common here. Adults, alone or in fast moving pairs, cows and their tiny calves seemed to be everywhere. Mix in a humpback, a Bryde’s whale and dozens of bottlenose dolphins, simmer for three or more hours and the soup was complete. But the morning was only half done!
The curving beaches and shallow turquoise bay of Bahia San Marte, invited a conversion of the traditional siesta or nap to a time of tranquil activity. Silently, slender, brightly colored kayaks cut across the waves, paralleling the shoreline of Punta San Marcial. Swimmers drifted lazily near shore. As the gentle breezes of late afternoon cooled the air, we meandered inland drawn by a broad tree lined arroyo. The generous rains of a summer past and the fortuitous showers of recent months had carpeted the desert floor with now flaxen grass. Verdant greens were backdrops for blossoms of purple, red or golden. Swollen with cellular moisture stores, cardon, organ pipe and old man cacti took on the golden glow of low angle light.
The silver light of the moon lit a path from ship to shore. Flames leapt from crackling logs. Good food, new friends, legends and songs brought an end to an ideal day.
Menu for a perfect day
Hors d’oeuvres – a green flash,
Soup – mixed cetacean
Entrée - an idyllic bay and the desert in bloom
Dessert- a beach barbecue.
A feast was offered. We accepted and were satiated. And now as the moonlight catches the darkened waves, we relax in our own private ways.
A whale blow was snatched by the wind, its presence an interruption in our ceremonial welcome to the day. Should we watch or spin the boat to await the rising sun? Sol won momentarily and rewarded us with an emerald glow. In the west the opposite end of the spectrum embraced the steep eastern face of the Sierra de la Giganta evoking a carmine blush. With the gradual illumination of the day came an awareness that our corner of the Gulf of California, delineated by Islas Danzante and del Carmen, was awash with whales. Tall misty blows rose all around, some attended by smaller puffs. Long mottled blue-gray backs glistened as they broke the surface and rolled to reveal miniscule dorsal fins. Rare in worldwide numbers, the blue whale was common here. Adults, alone or in fast moving pairs, cows and their tiny calves seemed to be everywhere. Mix in a humpback, a Bryde’s whale and dozens of bottlenose dolphins, simmer for three or more hours and the soup was complete. But the morning was only half done!
The curving beaches and shallow turquoise bay of Bahia San Marte, invited a conversion of the traditional siesta or nap to a time of tranquil activity. Silently, slender, brightly colored kayaks cut across the waves, paralleling the shoreline of Punta San Marcial. Swimmers drifted lazily near shore. As the gentle breezes of late afternoon cooled the air, we meandered inland drawn by a broad tree lined arroyo. The generous rains of a summer past and the fortuitous showers of recent months had carpeted the desert floor with now flaxen grass. Verdant greens were backdrops for blossoms of purple, red or golden. Swollen with cellular moisture stores, cardon, organ pipe and old man cacti took on the golden glow of low angle light.
The silver light of the moon lit a path from ship to shore. Flames leapt from crackling logs. Good food, new friends, legends and songs brought an end to an ideal day.
