Sand Dollar Beach and Magdalena Bay, Baja
We began our day on Isla Magdalena, a barrier island on the west side of Magdalena Bay. We went ashore to stretch our legs, explore the sand dunes, and enjoy the surprises that the seemingly stark landscape had to offer. Tracks of black-tailed jackrabbits, coyotes, mice, birds and insects gave clues to earlier activities. Perhaps as surprised by us as we were by them, a coyote and a jackrabbit briefly appeared and then vanished leaving just tracks once again. The sand dune plants, like evening primrose (Camissonia spp.), that battle against the shifting sands and lack of water, surprised us with their colorful flowers. Sand Dollar Beach lived up to its name, while the rolling waves reminded us that we were looking out into the open Pacific.
Throughout the afternoon, we ventured north through the mangrove-lined Hull Canal. Binoculars in hand, we identified a peregrine falcon, white ibis, tricolored heron, long-billed curlews, double-crested cormorants, royal terns and many more. As we got to the northern part of the bay, the cry went out from the bow that our first gray whale cow and calf pairs were sighted. Although we have traveled far to be here, the gray whales have traveled even further. These amazing animals left their feeding grounds in the Bering Sea in the fall and swam 5000 miles to give birth in the warm, protected waters of Magdalena Bay. Tomorrow we will spend our day among them.
Today ended much as it began, peacefully anchored beside Isla Magdalena. Now, however, we are at least 50 miles north of our morning anchorage and better acquainted with this new locale and some of its inhabitants.
We began our day on Isla Magdalena, a barrier island on the west side of Magdalena Bay. We went ashore to stretch our legs, explore the sand dunes, and enjoy the surprises that the seemingly stark landscape had to offer. Tracks of black-tailed jackrabbits, coyotes, mice, birds and insects gave clues to earlier activities. Perhaps as surprised by us as we were by them, a coyote and a jackrabbit briefly appeared and then vanished leaving just tracks once again. The sand dune plants, like evening primrose (Camissonia spp.), that battle against the shifting sands and lack of water, surprised us with their colorful flowers. Sand Dollar Beach lived up to its name, while the rolling waves reminded us that we were looking out into the open Pacific.
Throughout the afternoon, we ventured north through the mangrove-lined Hull Canal. Binoculars in hand, we identified a peregrine falcon, white ibis, tricolored heron, long-billed curlews, double-crested cormorants, royal terns and many more. As we got to the northern part of the bay, the cry went out from the bow that our first gray whale cow and calf pairs were sighted. Although we have traveled far to be here, the gray whales have traveled even further. These amazing animals left their feeding grounds in the Bering Sea in the fall and swam 5000 miles to give birth in the warm, protected waters of Magdalena Bay. Tomorrow we will spend our day among them.
Today ended much as it began, peacefully anchored beside Isla Magdalena. Now, however, we are at least 50 miles north of our morning anchorage and better acquainted with this new locale and some of its inhabitants.
