Magdalena Bay Whale Watching & El Barril Explorations
All good things must come to an end. But perhaps it’s a beginning too. From this day forward, we have a new relationship with whales. We have been in their midst up-close and personal for two days. Considering humans’ past relationship to these gentle giants, we are amazed at their level of trust. We won’t soon forget the sound of their breath rising through the morning fog or the rainbow of colors in their exuberant exhalations. What a gift to be in their presence. A lesson in benevolence.
Saying goodbye to the whales late in the morning, we set sail for a kayak adventure to the mangrove forest and our last foray into the dunes. The world of the mangroves is an unusual one. It’s a forest, but without trees. These tenacious thickets form shaded and shallow sanctuaries for small fish and those ever-stealthy herons and egrets that eat them. Meanwhile on the dunes, we took off our shoes and left them and our cares behind. For some it was a time of contemplation and beachcombing, for others a joyous romp down the slopes of the dunes. For all, a nice relaxing afternoon without to-do lists and deadlines. None were in a hurry to leave.
At the Captain’s Farewell Dinner, we toasted to a wonderful week, one filled with contrasts. Fish and cactus, dusty hikes and refreshing swims, soft Spanish phrases and spicy Mexican foods, moments of quiet and whoops of joy, the new life of a young whale and the abandoned shells of a life long gone.
It’s been a week of mystery and magic. In the words of Sigurd Olson, “When you lose the power of wonder, you become old, no matter how old you are. If you have the power of wonder, you are forever young – the whole world is pristine and new and exciting.” Let’s hope we have the wisdom to save these wild places, where wonder abounds and we can be young again. If you’re feeling less philosophical, there are always the words of Mae West, “Too much of a good thing is WONDERFUL!”
All good things must come to an end. But perhaps it’s a beginning too. From this day forward, we have a new relationship with whales. We have been in their midst up-close and personal for two days. Considering humans’ past relationship to these gentle giants, we are amazed at their level of trust. We won’t soon forget the sound of their breath rising through the morning fog or the rainbow of colors in their exuberant exhalations. What a gift to be in their presence. A lesson in benevolence.
Saying goodbye to the whales late in the morning, we set sail for a kayak adventure to the mangrove forest and our last foray into the dunes. The world of the mangroves is an unusual one. It’s a forest, but without trees. These tenacious thickets form shaded and shallow sanctuaries for small fish and those ever-stealthy herons and egrets that eat them. Meanwhile on the dunes, we took off our shoes and left them and our cares behind. For some it was a time of contemplation and beachcombing, for others a joyous romp down the slopes of the dunes. For all, a nice relaxing afternoon without to-do lists and deadlines. None were in a hurry to leave.
At the Captain’s Farewell Dinner, we toasted to a wonderful week, one filled with contrasts. Fish and cactus, dusty hikes and refreshing swims, soft Spanish phrases and spicy Mexican foods, moments of quiet and whoops of joy, the new life of a young whale and the abandoned shells of a life long gone.
It’s been a week of mystery and magic. In the words of Sigurd Olson, “When you lose the power of wonder, you become old, no matter how old you are. If you have the power of wonder, you are forever young – the whole world is pristine and new and exciting.” Let’s hope we have the wisdom to save these wild places, where wonder abounds and we can be young again. If you’re feeling less philosophical, there are always the words of Mae West, “Too much of a good thing is WONDERFUL!”
