Bahia Magdalena
At 7:00 AM the Sea Lion was making her way north, with Isla Margarita just off her starboard side. Soft yellow clouds glowed above the silhouette of this great barrier island with an orange glow starting to form, as the sun began to rise. Our sea conditions had been calm and peaceful throughout the night, and as we all approached the bow to watch the sunrise, it was with ease and comfort from a wonderful night's rest. The orange glow soon changed to fiery yellow as the sun brought its bright light out to shine upon the sea and land. Immediately we began to see much of this ocean world come to life! A large bait ball had been formed by a group of long-beaked common dolphins, and a feeding frenzy was in full progress. Many species were all feasting together on the abundant food source being provided by the bountiful Pacific Ocean! Pelicans, terns, gulls, and cormorants were all diving, feeding in and amongst an enormous balled-up group of small fish. Pelicans dove from out of the sky, while several species of gulls waited patiently, sitting on the surface of the water, as is their nature, for a turn at the fish that rose to the surface of the water. The Sea Lion remained with this unusual grouping of different animals, all feeding for some time and then slowly returned to her course, making her way into La Entrada, the entrance to Bahia Magdalena. The naturalists were on the bow, each giving interpretation, adding information, answering questions and filling in the necessary details of the second part of our voyage, "Among the Great Whales."
We were, at present, in an area designated as the "Singles Bar." A body of water, located at the entrance to Bahia Magdalena where California gray whales spend approximately six to eight weeks of each year, milling about in courtship and mating activities. We saw between twenty and thirty individual adult whales in fairly relaxed poses of breathing at the surface, diving, showing off flukes, and generally getting to know one another after one of the longest migrations of any mammal on the planet. The gray whales travel from the Chukchi and Beaufort seas, in the far north, some five to seven thousand miles, one way, to the quiet lagoons of Western Baja California where they give birth to their young and resume mating for the next years generation of gray whales.
We continued our morning moving through a soup of gray whales. Every time we thought we had passed the general area of milling adult whales, yet another gray whale would surface right next to the Sea Lion! At 10:30 AM the anchor was dropped. Zodiacs followed shortly after, and we all gathered on the aft deck 200 level in preparation for a trip ashore. We would be guided across the sand dunes of Isla Magdalena, on the Lawrence of Arabia hike! We stopped occasionally to look at the unusual and tough dune plants that were often surrounded by many tracks from the obvious coyote and rabbit to the tiny White-footed mousie and even smaller beetle tracks. In a shell midden a small hand and very observant pair of eyes found a scraping tool left by indigenous peoples from long ago! We were on our way to "Sand Dollar beach." The hike was about three fourths of a mile, and ended on a small hill looking down on the Pacific Ocean and a beach scattered with hundreds of large Sand dollars! Slowly we wandered up and down an expanse of nearly fifteen miles of deserted beach. There was something for each inquisitive soul, who took a moment to find his or her special peaceful place on the vast and open space of sand and surf! From shells, to algae, to bones of marine mammals and birds, and even a tiny Tiger beetle received ample attention. All to soon it was time to return to the Sea Lion and begin the second portion of our day cruising north through Hull Canal heading for the northern section of Bahia Magdalena.
During lunch our vessel weighed her anchor and began moving north towards the entrance to Hull Canal. We would be picking up a Mexican pilot, who would guide our ship through this narrow passage, surrounded on both sides by tidal Mangrove forests. We were passing just before maximum low tide, which would expose all the Mangroves for closer examination, and most important, would give bird watchers a chance at some fabulous views of a myriad of species that spend their winters in the fertile waters of this Mangrove habitat. For the remainder of the afternoon, the Sea Lion continued a slow cruise north winding through this narrow channel passing several different Mangrove species all hosts to a very diverse grouping of bird life. Cormorants on nests with young poking their heads out from under mom. Great blue herons, Tri-colored herons, and Little blue herons were obvious while hunting for fish in the low waters. The Green-backed heron was much shyer, hiding under the Mangroves and occasionally raising its head feathers like a mad scientist! The Reddish egret did an awkward dance trying to corral its prey in the shallow waters, while Marbled godwits circled in a squadron overhead. Then in the distance we saw hundred of Brants, a smallish member of the goose family, rise up and fly directly over the Sea Lion! All in all it was a birders paradise with wonderful looks at many species living together in this remote barrier island environment. Then, much to everyone's delight a coyote moved out over the mud flats watching the Sea Lion cautiously but continuing its search for an afternoon snack!!!
After about one and half hours we entered the narrowest part of Hull canal called Devil's Elbow where the Sea Lion slowed as this was the part of our trip where the water under the hull of our vessel was less than twenty feet! As the ship made a sharp left hand turn, we saw the channel was marked with very unusual but functional containers, that led us through the part of the Hull canal that is dredged each year by our pilot and his family. It is at this point that the water of the canal changes direction. To the north the waters of the canal move north and flow in and out through the Boca de Soledad. To the south the waters flow to the south in and out through La Entrada. The Sea Lion continued on her northerly course, and headed into waters where Gray whales began to appear. We were now in the waters where Gray whales come to give birth and rear their young. It was not long and a lovely heart-shaped blow was spotted in the distance……followed by a much smaller, nearly insignificant blow. It was the first mother Gray whale and her baby! During the next hour 43 cow/calf pairs were spotted as the Sea Lion made her way towards the Boca de Soledad, where the California Gray whales enter into these protected lagoons.
As the sun set on yet another full day, we watched the breakers along the edge of the Pacific Ocean. In and amongst these waves we could see countless blows of whales moving along a tidal line…..soon the skies would darken, and as the Sea Lion would remain at anchor. The light wind died, and occasionally we could hear a blow of a Gray whale….reminding us of the old story about the soul of Gray whales who after death, return to this desert by the sea as the spirit in whirlwinds of sand, forever circling their birthplace.
At 7:00 AM the Sea Lion was making her way north, with Isla Margarita just off her starboard side. Soft yellow clouds glowed above the silhouette of this great barrier island with an orange glow starting to form, as the sun began to rise. Our sea conditions had been calm and peaceful throughout the night, and as we all approached the bow to watch the sunrise, it was with ease and comfort from a wonderful night's rest. The orange glow soon changed to fiery yellow as the sun brought its bright light out to shine upon the sea and land. Immediately we began to see much of this ocean world come to life! A large bait ball had been formed by a group of long-beaked common dolphins, and a feeding frenzy was in full progress. Many species were all feasting together on the abundant food source being provided by the bountiful Pacific Ocean! Pelicans, terns, gulls, and cormorants were all diving, feeding in and amongst an enormous balled-up group of small fish. Pelicans dove from out of the sky, while several species of gulls waited patiently, sitting on the surface of the water, as is their nature, for a turn at the fish that rose to the surface of the water. The Sea Lion remained with this unusual grouping of different animals, all feeding for some time and then slowly returned to her course, making her way into La Entrada, the entrance to Bahia Magdalena. The naturalists were on the bow, each giving interpretation, adding information, answering questions and filling in the necessary details of the second part of our voyage, "Among the Great Whales."
We were, at present, in an area designated as the "Singles Bar." A body of water, located at the entrance to Bahia Magdalena where California gray whales spend approximately six to eight weeks of each year, milling about in courtship and mating activities. We saw between twenty and thirty individual adult whales in fairly relaxed poses of breathing at the surface, diving, showing off flukes, and generally getting to know one another after one of the longest migrations of any mammal on the planet. The gray whales travel from the Chukchi and Beaufort seas, in the far north, some five to seven thousand miles, one way, to the quiet lagoons of Western Baja California where they give birth to their young and resume mating for the next years generation of gray whales.
We continued our morning moving through a soup of gray whales. Every time we thought we had passed the general area of milling adult whales, yet another gray whale would surface right next to the Sea Lion! At 10:30 AM the anchor was dropped. Zodiacs followed shortly after, and we all gathered on the aft deck 200 level in preparation for a trip ashore. We would be guided across the sand dunes of Isla Magdalena, on the Lawrence of Arabia hike! We stopped occasionally to look at the unusual and tough dune plants that were often surrounded by many tracks from the obvious coyote and rabbit to the tiny White-footed mousie and even smaller beetle tracks. In a shell midden a small hand and very observant pair of eyes found a scraping tool left by indigenous peoples from long ago! We were on our way to "Sand Dollar beach." The hike was about three fourths of a mile, and ended on a small hill looking down on the Pacific Ocean and a beach scattered with hundreds of large Sand dollars! Slowly we wandered up and down an expanse of nearly fifteen miles of deserted beach. There was something for each inquisitive soul, who took a moment to find his or her special peaceful place on the vast and open space of sand and surf! From shells, to algae, to bones of marine mammals and birds, and even a tiny Tiger beetle received ample attention. All to soon it was time to return to the Sea Lion and begin the second portion of our day cruising north through Hull Canal heading for the northern section of Bahia Magdalena.
During lunch our vessel weighed her anchor and began moving north towards the entrance to Hull Canal. We would be picking up a Mexican pilot, who would guide our ship through this narrow passage, surrounded on both sides by tidal Mangrove forests. We were passing just before maximum low tide, which would expose all the Mangroves for closer examination, and most important, would give bird watchers a chance at some fabulous views of a myriad of species that spend their winters in the fertile waters of this Mangrove habitat. For the remainder of the afternoon, the Sea Lion continued a slow cruise north winding through this narrow channel passing several different Mangrove species all hosts to a very diverse grouping of bird life. Cormorants on nests with young poking their heads out from under mom. Great blue herons, Tri-colored herons, and Little blue herons were obvious while hunting for fish in the low waters. The Green-backed heron was much shyer, hiding under the Mangroves and occasionally raising its head feathers like a mad scientist! The Reddish egret did an awkward dance trying to corral its prey in the shallow waters, while Marbled godwits circled in a squadron overhead. Then in the distance we saw hundred of Brants, a smallish member of the goose family, rise up and fly directly over the Sea Lion! All in all it was a birders paradise with wonderful looks at many species living together in this remote barrier island environment. Then, much to everyone's delight a coyote moved out over the mud flats watching the Sea Lion cautiously but continuing its search for an afternoon snack!!!
After about one and half hours we entered the narrowest part of Hull canal called Devil's Elbow where the Sea Lion slowed as this was the part of our trip where the water under the hull of our vessel was less than twenty feet! As the ship made a sharp left hand turn, we saw the channel was marked with very unusual but functional containers, that led us through the part of the Hull canal that is dredged each year by our pilot and his family. It is at this point that the water of the canal changes direction. To the north the waters of the canal move north and flow in and out through the Boca de Soledad. To the south the waters flow to the south in and out through La Entrada. The Sea Lion continued on her northerly course, and headed into waters where Gray whales began to appear. We were now in the waters where Gray whales come to give birth and rear their young. It was not long and a lovely heart-shaped blow was spotted in the distance……followed by a much smaller, nearly insignificant blow. It was the first mother Gray whale and her baby! During the next hour 43 cow/calf pairs were spotted as the Sea Lion made her way towards the Boca de Soledad, where the California Gray whales enter into these protected lagoons.
As the sun set on yet another full day, we watched the breakers along the edge of the Pacific Ocean. In and amongst these waves we could see countless blows of whales moving along a tidal line…..soon the skies would darken, and as the Sea Lion would remain at anchor. The light wind died, and occasionally we could hear a blow of a Gray whale….reminding us of the old story about the soul of Gray whales who after death, return to this desert by the sea as the spirit in whirlwinds of sand, forever circling their birthplace.
