Isla Carmen, Gulf of California, Mexico
We were enticed to rise well before sunrise today for the rare opportunity to catch a glimpse of Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn and the Southern Cross in our pre-dawn sky! Conditions were perfect as we also hoped for a green flash from the eastern sunrise, but planets and constellations would have to be our reward for such an early morning endeavor.
Before breakfast, we sighted our first blows on the south side of Isla del Carmen. Whales! At this distance it was difficult to see just what kind they were, but careful maneuvering by Captain Graves afforded us a wonderful view of an adult Blue whale. The massive body, tiny dorsal fin, and light coloration left no doubt. Just as a final confirmation our Blue whale lifted its mighty flukes clear of the water for a deeper dive, allowing us to snap a photo to record our sighting.
Soon after, additional blows led us to a mother and calf Fin whale in our area as well. While these two magnificent creatures held our attention, yet another blow was sighted off in the distance. This animal was later confirmed to be a Bryde’s whale. Our first morning at sea aboard the Sea Lion and all ready we have sighted three of the largest creatures to ever have roamed the Earth!
A little later in the afternoon some of us chose to explore the desert flora and fauna of Monserrat Island. Many of us chose to explore the undersea critters of the island by snorkel. Colorful Cortez Rainbow wrasse, King Angelfish, Sergeant Majors, and even a Jewel Moray eel delighted us in these calm and clear waters.
Our day was capped off by a beautiful sunset over the Baja Peninsula in the west as Orion, the mighty hunter, was rising in the east. Head chef Carl Reier and his staff had prepared a scrumptious barbeque dinner on the beach, complete with tiki torches and a beach bonfire. After dinner, naturalists Steve Engle and Alberto Montaudon pulled out their guitars and serenaded us beneath stars that glittered in the sky like diamonds on black velvet. Canis Major, Orion’s faithful companion, was high in the sky as we ended our day just as we had begun it, under a perfect Baja sky!
We were enticed to rise well before sunrise today for the rare opportunity to catch a glimpse of Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn and the Southern Cross in our pre-dawn sky! Conditions were perfect as we also hoped for a green flash from the eastern sunrise, but planets and constellations would have to be our reward for such an early morning endeavor.
Before breakfast, we sighted our first blows on the south side of Isla del Carmen. Whales! At this distance it was difficult to see just what kind they were, but careful maneuvering by Captain Graves afforded us a wonderful view of an adult Blue whale. The massive body, tiny dorsal fin, and light coloration left no doubt. Just as a final confirmation our Blue whale lifted its mighty flukes clear of the water for a deeper dive, allowing us to snap a photo to record our sighting.
Soon after, additional blows led us to a mother and calf Fin whale in our area as well. While these two magnificent creatures held our attention, yet another blow was sighted off in the distance. This animal was later confirmed to be a Bryde’s whale. Our first morning at sea aboard the Sea Lion and all ready we have sighted three of the largest creatures to ever have roamed the Earth!
A little later in the afternoon some of us chose to explore the desert flora and fauna of Monserrat Island. Many of us chose to explore the undersea critters of the island by snorkel. Colorful Cortez Rainbow wrasse, King Angelfish, Sergeant Majors, and even a Jewel Moray eel delighted us in these calm and clear waters.
Our day was capped off by a beautiful sunset over the Baja Peninsula in the west as Orion, the mighty hunter, was rising in the east. Head chef Carl Reier and his staff had prepared a scrumptious barbeque dinner on the beach, complete with tiki torches and a beach bonfire. After dinner, naturalists Steve Engle and Alberto Montaudon pulled out their guitars and serenaded us beneath stars that glittered in the sky like diamonds on black velvet. Canis Major, Orion’s faithful companion, was high in the sky as we ended our day just as we had begun it, under a perfect Baja sky!
