Magdalena Bay
We awoke with the wind still blowing at our anchorage near Puerto Lopez Mateos on upper Magdalena Bay. However, this morning the Sea Lion was heading south with the wind and it was pleasant on deck for the "great gray whale count". Most of the whales were clustered between Lopez Mateos and the calving sanctuary and the count was 19 mothers and young and 7 singles. This was consistent with previous counts as well as a joy to see. After breakfast, most of us were up on deck to watch for birds and other wildlife as we passed through the circuitous mangrove channels of Hull Canal. We were not disappointed as our naturalists pointed out the large and beautiful egrets and herons as well as many of the smaller and less distinctive birds of this biologically rich area.
After a slide-illustrated talk on the life history of the California gray whale, the Sea Lion anchored near the narrowest part of Isla Magdalena and we were soon carried ashore in our trusty Zodiacs. Once on the beach, most of us walked across the dunes to one of the most beautiful and pristine beaches in Baja. Others of us went on a bird walk along a mangrove thicket and also over the dunes. In either case, the dune plant community was a real surprise. From the ship we could see only a few large, dead-looking shrubs. Close up, however, there were a number of wonderful and beautiful plants. Holding many of the smaller dunes in place were clumps of sand verbena, Abronia maritima. In addition to having a most pleasantly fragrant flower, this species was used by native people to induce lactation in new mothers. Another useful and beautiful plant that we found in the dunes (pictured above) is the purple-flowered milkweed. In addition to being famous for feeding monarch butterflies, some of the 2000 species of milkweed were used by the Seri Indians to treat headache, toothache and heart pain. Some species on Magdalena Island were used by the non-indigenous peoples as cattle feed and other species have been investigated for use as rubber and as a petroleum substitute. Lovely purple flowered sea purslane and yellow flowered evening primrose also adorned the dunes.
After lunch and a snorkel briefing, we were again on deck to watch a host of whales blowing all around us as we exited Magdalena Bay at La Entrada. These were the whales of the Baja singles scene and were seen rolling in tight groups and throwing their flukes as they sunk under the surface pursuing one another in what is technically known as "finorketoodling". The remainder of the afternoon was spent cruising offshore in search of open-ocean creatures. Not only did we see three humpback whales, but we also saw three sea turtles, countless black-vented shearwaters, a large school of long-nosed common dolphins and a glorious green flash sunset. The entire day was a tribute to the great beauty and diversity of this special place on the planet where the desert meets the sea.
We awoke with the wind still blowing at our anchorage near Puerto Lopez Mateos on upper Magdalena Bay. However, this morning the Sea Lion was heading south with the wind and it was pleasant on deck for the "great gray whale count". Most of the whales were clustered between Lopez Mateos and the calving sanctuary and the count was 19 mothers and young and 7 singles. This was consistent with previous counts as well as a joy to see. After breakfast, most of us were up on deck to watch for birds and other wildlife as we passed through the circuitous mangrove channels of Hull Canal. We were not disappointed as our naturalists pointed out the large and beautiful egrets and herons as well as many of the smaller and less distinctive birds of this biologically rich area.
After a slide-illustrated talk on the life history of the California gray whale, the Sea Lion anchored near the narrowest part of Isla Magdalena and we were soon carried ashore in our trusty Zodiacs. Once on the beach, most of us walked across the dunes to one of the most beautiful and pristine beaches in Baja. Others of us went on a bird walk along a mangrove thicket and also over the dunes. In either case, the dune plant community was a real surprise. From the ship we could see only a few large, dead-looking shrubs. Close up, however, there were a number of wonderful and beautiful plants. Holding many of the smaller dunes in place were clumps of sand verbena, Abronia maritima. In addition to having a most pleasantly fragrant flower, this species was used by native people to induce lactation in new mothers. Another useful and beautiful plant that we found in the dunes (pictured above) is the purple-flowered milkweed. In addition to being famous for feeding monarch butterflies, some of the 2000 species of milkweed were used by the Seri Indians to treat headache, toothache and heart pain. Some species on Magdalena Island were used by the non-indigenous peoples as cattle feed and other species have been investigated for use as rubber and as a petroleum substitute. Lovely purple flowered sea purslane and yellow flowered evening primrose also adorned the dunes.
After lunch and a snorkel briefing, we were again on deck to watch a host of whales blowing all around us as we exited Magdalena Bay at La Entrada. These were the whales of the Baja singles scene and were seen rolling in tight groups and throwing their flukes as they sunk under the surface pursuing one another in what is technically known as "finorketoodling". The remainder of the afternoon was spent cruising offshore in search of open-ocean creatures. Not only did we see three humpback whales, but we also saw three sea turtles, countless black-vented shearwaters, a large school of long-nosed common dolphins and a glorious green flash sunset. The entire day was a tribute to the great beauty and diversity of this special place on the planet where the desert meets the sea.
