Magdalena Bay
This morning we woke to sparkling blue skies and rolling Pacific Ocean waves. We had traveled north all night, from Cabo San Lucas towards Magdalena Bay, and this morning we were just a few miles south of the major southern entrance of the bay.
As we entered the bay at about 10 AM, we saw the distinct blows of gray whales. There were so many of them! Gray, mottled backs and heart-shaped blows made them easy to identify as grays. We continued north a few more miles into the bay, and then dropped anchor and went ashore on Magdalena Island. The sand here, soft as silk, feels luxurious on bare feet. We walked up and over the dunes, pausing to look at shells, delicate flowers, or tiny tracks in the sand. Some of us climbed up the dunes and jumped off the top, and as we landed and rolled in the soft sand, it filled every pocket . . . plus one.
Sand Dollar Beach, on the Pacific side, is aptly named, and some of the more creative among us made pictures with them. Many of the crew did high energy body surfing in the Pacific Ocean waves. The wide, sandy beach was ours to explore; it continued for miles in both directions.
When we returned to the ship, our trusted pilot Alejandro was already aboard. We headed north into narrow and shallow Hull Canal, and Alejandro guided the ship using the buoys and markers he has placed over the years. As we traveled north, we had excellent bird watching; wading birds and herons were abundant on the mudflats and mangroves. By the end of the afternoon we were anchored near the north end of Magdalena Bay, nearly 60 miles north of where we had entered this morning.
We will remain here, among the gray whales, for the next two days.
This morning we woke to sparkling blue skies and rolling Pacific Ocean waves. We had traveled north all night, from Cabo San Lucas towards Magdalena Bay, and this morning we were just a few miles south of the major southern entrance of the bay.
As we entered the bay at about 10 AM, we saw the distinct blows of gray whales. There were so many of them! Gray, mottled backs and heart-shaped blows made them easy to identify as grays. We continued north a few more miles into the bay, and then dropped anchor and went ashore on Magdalena Island. The sand here, soft as silk, feels luxurious on bare feet. We walked up and over the dunes, pausing to look at shells, delicate flowers, or tiny tracks in the sand. Some of us climbed up the dunes and jumped off the top, and as we landed and rolled in the soft sand, it filled every pocket . . . plus one.
Sand Dollar Beach, on the Pacific side, is aptly named, and some of the more creative among us made pictures with them. Many of the crew did high energy body surfing in the Pacific Ocean waves. The wide, sandy beach was ours to explore; it continued for miles in both directions.
When we returned to the ship, our trusted pilot Alejandro was already aboard. We headed north into narrow and shallow Hull Canal, and Alejandro guided the ship using the buoys and markers he has placed over the years. As we traveled north, we had excellent bird watching; wading birds and herons were abundant on the mudflats and mangroves. By the end of the afternoon we were anchored near the north end of Magdalena Bay, nearly 60 miles north of where we had entered this morning.
We will remain here, among the gray whales, for the next two days.
