Bahia Magdalena
Sunrise brought building winds to the SEA LION this Friday morning. To the south and east we watched as the sun passed above the mountains of Isla Margarita a seemingly short distance from the SEA LION 'S anchorage. With the new day came the customary winds from the northwest and slowly increasing seas. This would not effect our morning's activities of whale watching!!! Soon Zodiacs were loaded with anxiously awaiting guests and off we went, heading for blows that were silhouetted in the morning sun on the waters of Bahia Magdalena. All Zodiacs moved to La Entrata, translated, "the entrance" to Bahia Magdalena and this mornings area for california gray whales. Our small crafts moved through three foot swells maneuvering for closer looks at a group of gray whales who seemed to stay at the surface of the water, perform quite shallow dives, stay under the surface for at least six minutes and then resume brief surface activities. Two rounds of whale watching were scheduled to be followed by a walk on Man-O-War beach with a look at mangroves and some of the bird life that frequents this complex ecosystem.
After a barbecue lunch, we reentered our Zodiacs for a quick ride to the beach, and began a wonderful relaxed walk towards the Mangrove community just south along a long expanse of deserted beach. Soon our group made its first subtle entry into the mangrove world. Upon adjusting our eyes and looking around we began to see the great diversity of this environment. Our first hosts were the black and white mangroves, respectively. The black mangrove, a unique plant seemed a bit scruffy, small and timidly colored in a light grayish-green! We soon learned that this member of the mangrove community is usually found on the outskirts farthest away from the salt water and a plant that does indeed take salt water into it's system, exuding it through the stomata of it's leaves……leaving a residue of sparkling salt crystals scattered all over the leaf surface.
Located near by was, a close cousin to the black mangrove, though not related botanically, was the white mangrove. Another rather rough looking character, this pale green-leafed plant exudes its intake of salt through two small glands located at the base of the leaf on the petiole.
Growing directly in the salt water was the primadonna of mangroves, the red mangrove. The leaves are silky dark green and quite lush in color. This gorgeous growth is due to a successful exclusion of salt from salt water near the root system of this plant. The red mangrove's salt exclusion system is a type of non-metabolic ultra filtration system. Transpiration at the leaf surface creates negative pressure in the xylem. This causes a type of "reverse osmosis" to occur at the root surface, where by the salt in salt water does not enter the plant! Mangroves have evolved physiological responses to specific conditions and have out competed other species, which would normally not be able to exist under these harsh conditions. Hence their ability to create actual forests in salt-water estuaries. Within the mangrove ecosystem many other species of fauna find shelter and a home away from predators. Birds use mangrove forests as nesting and roosting sights, as well as feeding areas. During our hike we watched as egrets, herons, marbled godwits, long-billed curlew and many other species enjoyed safety and good feeding! Upon closer exploration under the canopy of the mangrove we found a fierce pelagic crab and many species of snails and clams. Not to mention all the spiders, and butterflies small lizards, snakes and house entrances of the many different rodents who also make a living and share a home in the mangrove community.
As we began a slow retreat from well inside the saltwater estuary, the home of this particular mangrove world, we heard the yips and barks of a distant coyote, whose footprints we had followed during our afternoon walk, reminding each of us of the interconnectedness of this unique corner of our planet.
Sunrise brought building winds to the SEA LION this Friday morning. To the south and east we watched as the sun passed above the mountains of Isla Margarita a seemingly short distance from the SEA LION 'S anchorage. With the new day came the customary winds from the northwest and slowly increasing seas. This would not effect our morning's activities of whale watching!!! Soon Zodiacs were loaded with anxiously awaiting guests and off we went, heading for blows that were silhouetted in the morning sun on the waters of Bahia Magdalena. All Zodiacs moved to La Entrata, translated, "the entrance" to Bahia Magdalena and this mornings area for california gray whales. Our small crafts moved through three foot swells maneuvering for closer looks at a group of gray whales who seemed to stay at the surface of the water, perform quite shallow dives, stay under the surface for at least six minutes and then resume brief surface activities. Two rounds of whale watching were scheduled to be followed by a walk on Man-O-War beach with a look at mangroves and some of the bird life that frequents this complex ecosystem.
After a barbecue lunch, we reentered our Zodiacs for a quick ride to the beach, and began a wonderful relaxed walk towards the Mangrove community just south along a long expanse of deserted beach. Soon our group made its first subtle entry into the mangrove world. Upon adjusting our eyes and looking around we began to see the great diversity of this environment. Our first hosts were the black and white mangroves, respectively. The black mangrove, a unique plant seemed a bit scruffy, small and timidly colored in a light grayish-green! We soon learned that this member of the mangrove community is usually found on the outskirts farthest away from the salt water and a plant that does indeed take salt water into it's system, exuding it through the stomata of it's leaves……leaving a residue of sparkling salt crystals scattered all over the leaf surface.
Located near by was, a close cousin to the black mangrove, though not related botanically, was the white mangrove. Another rather rough looking character, this pale green-leafed plant exudes its intake of salt through two small glands located at the base of the leaf on the petiole.
Growing directly in the salt water was the primadonna of mangroves, the red mangrove. The leaves are silky dark green and quite lush in color. This gorgeous growth is due to a successful exclusion of salt from salt water near the root system of this plant. The red mangrove's salt exclusion system is a type of non-metabolic ultra filtration system. Transpiration at the leaf surface creates negative pressure in the xylem. This causes a type of "reverse osmosis" to occur at the root surface, where by the salt in salt water does not enter the plant! Mangroves have evolved physiological responses to specific conditions and have out competed other species, which would normally not be able to exist under these harsh conditions. Hence their ability to create actual forests in salt-water estuaries. Within the mangrove ecosystem many other species of fauna find shelter and a home away from predators. Birds use mangrove forests as nesting and roosting sights, as well as feeding areas. During our hike we watched as egrets, herons, marbled godwits, long-billed curlew and many other species enjoyed safety and good feeding! Upon closer exploration under the canopy of the mangrove we found a fierce pelagic crab and many species of snails and clams. Not to mention all the spiders, and butterflies small lizards, snakes and house entrances of the many different rodents who also make a living and share a home in the mangrove community.
As we began a slow retreat from well inside the saltwater estuary, the home of this particular mangrove world, we heard the yips and barks of a distant coyote, whose footprints we had followed during our afternoon walk, reminding each of us of the interconnectedness of this unique corner of our planet.
