San Esteban Island
We awoke to the spectacular sight of the sun rising over Isla Tiburon. The water had hardly a ripple in it, except for the occasional eared grebes that ran in the water to get out of the ship's way. At the horizon it was hard to distinguish between water and sky. The scene was even more remarkable, enhanced with a breathtaking green flash that occurs at sunrise or sunset as the orb crosses the horizon. In the morning, we voyaged to San Esteban Island, through the Canal San Esteban, where we could revel in the magnificent plant and animal life on this island. In order to get close to reptiles we tried to get there as early as we could before these reptilians had a chance to increase their metabolism and speed through the rays of the sun. Upon first arriving on shore, we were greeted by nesting yellow-footed gulls. Careful not to disturb these beautiful birds, we tiptoed to the side of the nesting area and went on to explore this remarkable island that was once inhabited by the Seri people. We could still see some fascinating remnants of the Seris' life here including culinary ovens comprised of over one hundred rocks, placed with precision in perpendicular directions. In addition to the anthropological sights, we were in search of the elusive and mysterious San Esteban Island Chuckwalla, depicted above. This large lizard, which grows around 25 inches in length, is endemic to San Esteban Island. Despite its excellent camouflage of light orange combined with its charcoal markings, our watchful eyes and determination were able to discern it among the desert plant life.
In the early afternoon, we traveled to Isla Tiburon. Surrounded by a beautiful sandy beach, calm waters and amazing plant and water life, our biggest challenge was deciding which activity to pursue. Some of us kayaked through the gentle and clear waters with algae reaching well over 7 feet in the water column, while others took Zodiac rides around the shores. Still others explored the plants inland or strolled along the sandy beach, meditating on the meaning of life and our place in the cosmos. Our fantastic day was topped off with a beachside barbecue and campfire. We exchanged stories of the day's experiences and marveled at what adventures lay ahead tomorrow. All of this occurred in front of a calm ocean, singing birds, a slight breeze and a sunset with colors that defied reality. On the way back to the Sea Lion we were amazed by bioluminescence. The chill of the water and the complete darkness caused by the absence of the moon, were no match to our fascination and some of us jumped in (after returning to shore). We were immediately surrounded by thousands of small 1 to 3 mm moving lights that appeared on every one of our moving parts. We swam with our hands extended, and as we gained speed, more and more lights emanated from them and then drifted away. The experience was so exhilarating that it was difficult to sleep afterwards.
We awoke to the spectacular sight of the sun rising over Isla Tiburon. The water had hardly a ripple in it, except for the occasional eared grebes that ran in the water to get out of the ship's way. At the horizon it was hard to distinguish between water and sky. The scene was even more remarkable, enhanced with a breathtaking green flash that occurs at sunrise or sunset as the orb crosses the horizon. In the morning, we voyaged to San Esteban Island, through the Canal San Esteban, where we could revel in the magnificent plant and animal life on this island. In order to get close to reptiles we tried to get there as early as we could before these reptilians had a chance to increase their metabolism and speed through the rays of the sun. Upon first arriving on shore, we were greeted by nesting yellow-footed gulls. Careful not to disturb these beautiful birds, we tiptoed to the side of the nesting area and went on to explore this remarkable island that was once inhabited by the Seri people. We could still see some fascinating remnants of the Seris' life here including culinary ovens comprised of over one hundred rocks, placed with precision in perpendicular directions. In addition to the anthropological sights, we were in search of the elusive and mysterious San Esteban Island Chuckwalla, depicted above. This large lizard, which grows around 25 inches in length, is endemic to San Esteban Island. Despite its excellent camouflage of light orange combined with its charcoal markings, our watchful eyes and determination were able to discern it among the desert plant life.
In the early afternoon, we traveled to Isla Tiburon. Surrounded by a beautiful sandy beach, calm waters and amazing plant and water life, our biggest challenge was deciding which activity to pursue. Some of us kayaked through the gentle and clear waters with algae reaching well over 7 feet in the water column, while others took Zodiac rides around the shores. Still others explored the plants inland or strolled along the sandy beach, meditating on the meaning of life and our place in the cosmos. Our fantastic day was topped off with a beachside barbecue and campfire. We exchanged stories of the day's experiences and marveled at what adventures lay ahead tomorrow. All of this occurred in front of a calm ocean, singing birds, a slight breeze and a sunset with colors that defied reality. On the way back to the Sea Lion we were amazed by bioluminescence. The chill of the water and the complete darkness caused by the absence of the moon, were no match to our fascination and some of us jumped in (after returning to shore). We were immediately surrounded by thousands of small 1 to 3 mm moving lights that appeared on every one of our moving parts. We swam with our hands extended, and as we gained speed, more and more lights emanated from them and then drifted away. The experience was so exhilarating that it was difficult to sleep afterwards.
