Isla Partida and Los Islotes
True expeditions are set out with a plan to get from point A to point B, but throughout the course of a journey, how one reaches that final destination can take many convoluted routes. This is what makes expeditions so exciting; the first day of our expedition onboard the Sea Lion following in this tradition, as strong northerly winds have wrecked havoc on our intentions and caused us to get creative in our planning.
This morning was spent at Isla Partida, a small island off Isla Espiritu Santo, where some enjoyed walks up into the hills, inspecting the cacti and always on the look out for the endemic ground-squirrel. It also allowed us a chance to review our snorkeling skills in preparation for an exciting opportunity later in the day - the prospect to snorkel with Sea Lions.
From its top to the bottom below the waves, the volcanic rocks of the tiny island of Los Islotes are a habitat for a variety bird, mammal, and fish species. Blue and brown-footed boobies, great blue herons, and even the peregrine (reportedly the fastest bird in the world) all use these elevated cliffs as nests. Following the guano covered slopes as they descend into the blue-green water, hundreds of fish species can be found amongst the large boulders lining the coast, perhaps the most striking of which is the King Angelfish. Its bright orange tail trailing, this fish is one of the few who make a regular diet of sponges (many sponges have toxic substances which help protect them from predators), and help to control the sponge species diversity and their potential to monopolize the reef surface.
Sponges aside, the real reason we have come to Los Islotes is not in the boulder reef, or the cliffs above, but rather the rocky ledges and outcroppings lying close to shore, because here is where the California Sea Lions rest and play. The California Sea Lion is the circus performer of seals. Incredibly agile as well as intelligent, they have a habit of being curious and rambunctious with each other as well as visitors to their play pen. We found this out first hand, as we jumped into the water with hopes of merely catching a glimpse of these animals underwater, receiving a whole lot more. The displays were amazing, as one minute the seals showed us their elegance, holding poses mid water-column, gracefully twisting and turning (sometimes upside down) performing an underwater ballet. But certainly they wouldn’t let us leave without a display of their incredible speed and nimbleness, rising and falling from the bottom to the surface, making high speed passes within inches, but never touching us. Inherently curious, a few others wanted a closer encounter with the funny visitors in masks, testing to see exactly what kind of creature we were with gentle nips and deep looks into the eyes.
Change and flexibility are keys to partaking in a great expedition, and today we have certainly shown that the Sea Lion is capable of both. As the sun sets behind the Baja peninsula, we are all content and a little bit weary from our first day, but we crawl into bed with a smile and perhaps even a giggle as we remember our experiences from today and think of the possibilities for tomorrow.
True expeditions are set out with a plan to get from point A to point B, but throughout the course of a journey, how one reaches that final destination can take many convoluted routes. This is what makes expeditions so exciting; the first day of our expedition onboard the Sea Lion following in this tradition, as strong northerly winds have wrecked havoc on our intentions and caused us to get creative in our planning.
This morning was spent at Isla Partida, a small island off Isla Espiritu Santo, where some enjoyed walks up into the hills, inspecting the cacti and always on the look out for the endemic ground-squirrel. It also allowed us a chance to review our snorkeling skills in preparation for an exciting opportunity later in the day - the prospect to snorkel with Sea Lions.
From its top to the bottom below the waves, the volcanic rocks of the tiny island of Los Islotes are a habitat for a variety bird, mammal, and fish species. Blue and brown-footed boobies, great blue herons, and even the peregrine (reportedly the fastest bird in the world) all use these elevated cliffs as nests. Following the guano covered slopes as they descend into the blue-green water, hundreds of fish species can be found amongst the large boulders lining the coast, perhaps the most striking of which is the King Angelfish. Its bright orange tail trailing, this fish is one of the few who make a regular diet of sponges (many sponges have toxic substances which help protect them from predators), and help to control the sponge species diversity and their potential to monopolize the reef surface.
Sponges aside, the real reason we have come to Los Islotes is not in the boulder reef, or the cliffs above, but rather the rocky ledges and outcroppings lying close to shore, because here is where the California Sea Lions rest and play. The California Sea Lion is the circus performer of seals. Incredibly agile as well as intelligent, they have a habit of being curious and rambunctious with each other as well as visitors to their play pen. We found this out first hand, as we jumped into the water with hopes of merely catching a glimpse of these animals underwater, receiving a whole lot more. The displays were amazing, as one minute the seals showed us their elegance, holding poses mid water-column, gracefully twisting and turning (sometimes upside down) performing an underwater ballet. But certainly they wouldn’t let us leave without a display of their incredible speed and nimbleness, rising and falling from the bottom to the surface, making high speed passes within inches, but never touching us. Inherently curious, a few others wanted a closer encounter with the funny visitors in masks, testing to see exactly what kind of creature we were with gentle nips and deep looks into the eyes.
Change and flexibility are keys to partaking in a great expedition, and today we have certainly shown that the Sea Lion is capable of both. As the sun sets behind the Baja peninsula, we are all content and a little bit weary from our first day, but we crawl into bed with a smile and perhaps even a giggle as we remember our experiences from today and think of the possibilities for tomorrow.
