A compendium of impressions from our week on the Sea Lion

With high expectations we boarded our ship
A most sought after booking – the Baja Photo trip.

Focused photographers seeking the golden light at dawn, sped away in Zodiacs…
While the civilized travelers stretched, turned over and yawned.

We were surrounded by sea lions, a sight we all savored
And we munched on bobitos, a most interesting flavor.

Calm placid waters invited us in,
Bedecked with wet suits, snorkels and fins.

Barking, twirling sea lions performed for our pleasure
Or were we the show? Either way, the memories we’ll treasure.

A nuzzling sea lion seemed to want to be our friend
In the warm fish filled waters, we didn’t want this to end.

Pilot whales breached, splashed and rolled, Steve said “kafuffeling” was the word
A cetaceantional term, before today, none of us had ever heard.

Mild mannered mobulas waved wing tipped greetings or farewells?
Why the congregation? No one could really tell.

Bottlenose dolphin splashed and leaped about
They squirted tail first from the water, a difficult feat, no doubt.

Smoothly sculpted red rocks, radiate with splendor
Some of the folded shapes even suggest a gender.

“Tell your story with photographs,” is what Richard said
We added a chapter at Carmen, amongst an arroyo known as “red.”

Ralph told us of a change of plan, wearing his tousled “expedition hair.”
Enjoyed were walks, ice cream and dolphins, leaping high into the air.

Long beaked “common” dolphins, is the name the books have said,
We prefer “Magnificient!” and have so named the dolphins instead.

Let’s not forget the birds, with Lindy scanning there’s no lull,
Phalaropes and shearwaters and quasi-endemic Heermann’s gulls.

To see a blue whale up close was the guest’s current cry
We woke up to two this morning, and a fluking terminal dive.

Mama and baby surfaced, exhaled and took a breath
The order was filled twofold, onto the next mammalian request.

The Sea Lion spawned kayaks, colorful offerings for solitude afloat
From them we spied Grant on the cliffs, imitating a mountain goat.

Spiny-tailed iguanas climbed cardons as we stood below and gawked
An eye for a flower and the other for hungry hawks.

Fin whales across the clock from nine all the way to four
A field of geysers tempting us, Captain! Put the pedal to the floor!!

White lips were lunging through concentrated patches of krill
The euphausiids were running scared but we were all quite thrilled!!

Like squirrels playing basketball making squeaky sneakers sounds
The peeping phalaropes spun about swirling plankton all round.

So much to see, so much to do, in such a short, short week
So busy watching whales and wildlife, no time to brush our teeth!


Additional impressions from some of our younger guests:

Dolphins

Magnificent dancers of light,
Gray streaks in the night
Like angels from heaven
They live by the continents seven
They swim in the sea, but each time they visit me.

Sea Lions

Bathing in the sun
How much fun could they possibly be?
Life is a mere joy to them
As it is to me.

-- Maddy Leman, age 11 and Katie Caulfield, age 12

The boat runs over the water
White streaks trail behind
A nice slish-slosh sound
Reaches my ears
Cruising along
Whales appear
And dolphins draw near.

--Maddy Lemann, age 11

Whales

These gentle giant creatures,
How magnificent could they be?
Long bodies in the water
Swimming right towards me.

--Katie Caulfield, Age 12