After ship drills and safety briefings, we were off to explore the mangrove-lined channels of Magdalena Bay. We took to Zodiacs and kayaks for an up close and personal examination of the mangroves and their saline world. Ospreys, magnificent frigatebirds, pelicans, and a variety of gulls wheeled overhead while curlews, ibis, and other shore birds probed the muddy banks with their long, sensitive bills.
Following a required afternoon siesta, our expedition leader, Ralph Lee Hopkins kicked off our lecture series with “Creativity and Your Camera”. Late afternoon found us crossing the dunes of Isla Magdalena. Wind and sea have piled pale tan sand, fine as powder, into sensuous hills and ridges. The comings and goings of dune creatures were recorded as ephemeral tracks – most would be gone with next breeze or high tide.
The sky had become overcast and the photographers packed up their gear thinking that sunset would be a gray dud. But by the time the last Zodiac was cruising back to the Sea Lion, wisps of clouds began to turn pink. Within a few minutes the pink had become an intense coral and distant rugged mountains stood out in sharp silhouette. The clicking of shutters and whir of motor drives filled the air as we attempted to capture the day’s surprisingly dramatic finish.
