Del Carmen and Danzante Islands, Baja California, Mexico
Like every day here in Baja California, sunrise was spectacular. Isla del Carmen was known to the early missionaries for its finest salt. Money from the first load sold, in Guaymas, furnished mortar for the construction of the very first mission in the Californias, Alta and Baja. During the morning, we searched for large marine mammals, and promptly found them: a mother and calf blue whales, dolphins and a fin whale, off in the distance. Enormous animals. The largest living being on our planet yesterday and today. The adult had already had at least one close encounter with some predator, as she had part of her dorsal fin and the end of her fluke chewed off! But simply to see her come up to blow, and to be able to see such a great amount of her body out of the water caused sighs of admiration and wonder, as well as a cascade of light clicks and pings of so many cameras going off.
The later half of the morning was enjoyed on walks at Isla del Carmen, along a dry arroyo with a very good assemblage of plants, mostly dry and leafless, as it hasn’t rained for two years. Yet we found, on a water-stressed prickly pear, a flower, and the beginning of more buds. The almost vertical walls of this arroyo are of volcanic tuff, and of reddish hues, as well as other colors. Lunch was on board, and we moved north to Isla Danzante, a small island with very lovely beaches. Here we snorkeled, kayaked and took some tours along the seaside, on our Zodiaks. Everybody was satisfied with the day!
Like every day here in Baja California, sunrise was spectacular. Isla del Carmen was known to the early missionaries for its finest salt. Money from the first load sold, in Guaymas, furnished mortar for the construction of the very first mission in the Californias, Alta and Baja. During the morning, we searched for large marine mammals, and promptly found them: a mother and calf blue whales, dolphins and a fin whale, off in the distance. Enormous animals. The largest living being on our planet yesterday and today. The adult had already had at least one close encounter with some predator, as she had part of her dorsal fin and the end of her fluke chewed off! But simply to see her come up to blow, and to be able to see such a great amount of her body out of the water caused sighs of admiration and wonder, as well as a cascade of light clicks and pings of so many cameras going off.
The later half of the morning was enjoyed on walks at Isla del Carmen, along a dry arroyo with a very good assemblage of plants, mostly dry and leafless, as it hasn’t rained for two years. Yet we found, on a water-stressed prickly pear, a flower, and the beginning of more buds. The almost vertical walls of this arroyo are of volcanic tuff, and of reddish hues, as well as other colors. Lunch was on board, and we moved north to Isla Danzante, a small island with very lovely beaches. Here we snorkeled, kayaked and took some tours along the seaside, on our Zodiaks. Everybody was satisfied with the day!
