Partida Norte & Rasa Islands
La Giganta watches after us as we sail north into the Gulf of California, exploring one of the richest seas in the world. Giganta is the backbone of the Baja peninsula. From sunrise to sunset, it shines from the west keeping us from getting lost in a sea that sometimes looks like an endless ocean.
Partida island isn’t far from the peninsula, only eleven miles away. However Partida is more related to the sea floor than to the peninsula itself. Molten rock coming from deep within the earth poured out; lava flows eventually rose above sea level, forming Partida, and its smaller sibling, Rasa, tips of mounts made up of basalt.
We explored Partida in different ways. Sea Voyager hikers crossed the isthmus from its northwestern crescent beach to the southeastern shores. Kayakers enjoyed paddling through calm waters in the company of eared grebes, Craveri’s murrelets and the occasional visit of California sea lions. Zodiacs took people around the tiny rock north of Partida (Partidita) home of several California sea lions, brown and blue-footed boobies. A couple of Hermann’s gulls fed on sea lion placenta while few-day old babies played and crawled all over their moms.
The afternoon found us at Rasa, home of half a million birds, and for the last months, home of one of our naturalists, Alberto Montaudon and his wife, former Lindblad video chronicler Sarah Poisson. They are field assistants for a researcher who has dedicated her life to Rasa and its birds, Enriqueta Velarde. For the last thirty years Enriqueta has been banding Hermann’s gulls and elegant terns. At the beginning, she wanted to learn about their habits and diet. Today her goal is to assess the health of the oceans through these two species. She makes the birds regurgitate their dinner, to then measure and describe it. She sends the fish inner-ear bones to a lab to establish the creature’s age. Knowing size, kind, and age of fish eaten by gulls and terns it’s possible to infer if the balance of life at sea has been disturbed.
Enriqueta counts on the support of “Baja Forever” campaign, an initiative of Lindblad Expeditions, the Mexican Fund for the Conservation of Nature and the David and Lucile Packard foundation. Thanks to them, and Lindblad guests, Enriqueta (and Alberto and Sarah) can continue with their research.
It’s sunset now, at an unusual time for someone who has lived on the equator for most of her life. It is 9:00 pm and the Giganta looks red still, luminous and beautiful. She is about to hide the sun until tomorrow morning.
La Giganta watches after us as we sail north into the Gulf of California, exploring one of the richest seas in the world. Giganta is the backbone of the Baja peninsula. From sunrise to sunset, it shines from the west keeping us from getting lost in a sea that sometimes looks like an endless ocean.
Partida island isn’t far from the peninsula, only eleven miles away. However Partida is more related to the sea floor than to the peninsula itself. Molten rock coming from deep within the earth poured out; lava flows eventually rose above sea level, forming Partida, and its smaller sibling, Rasa, tips of mounts made up of basalt.
We explored Partida in different ways. Sea Voyager hikers crossed the isthmus from its northwestern crescent beach to the southeastern shores. Kayakers enjoyed paddling through calm waters in the company of eared grebes, Craveri’s murrelets and the occasional visit of California sea lions. Zodiacs took people around the tiny rock north of Partida (Partidita) home of several California sea lions, brown and blue-footed boobies. A couple of Hermann’s gulls fed on sea lion placenta while few-day old babies played and crawled all over their moms.
The afternoon found us at Rasa, home of half a million birds, and for the last months, home of one of our naturalists, Alberto Montaudon and his wife, former Lindblad video chronicler Sarah Poisson. They are field assistants for a researcher who has dedicated her life to Rasa and its birds, Enriqueta Velarde. For the last thirty years Enriqueta has been banding Hermann’s gulls and elegant terns. At the beginning, she wanted to learn about their habits and diet. Today her goal is to assess the health of the oceans through these two species. She makes the birds regurgitate their dinner, to then measure and describe it. She sends the fish inner-ear bones to a lab to establish the creature’s age. Knowing size, kind, and age of fish eaten by gulls and terns it’s possible to infer if the balance of life at sea has been disturbed.
Enriqueta counts on the support of “Baja Forever” campaign, an initiative of Lindblad Expeditions, the Mexican Fund for the Conservation of Nature and the David and Lucile Packard foundation. Thanks to them, and Lindblad guests, Enriqueta (and Alberto and Sarah) can continue with their research.
It’s sunset now, at an unusual time for someone who has lived on the equator for most of her life. It is 9:00 pm and the Giganta looks red still, luminous and beautiful. She is about to hide the sun until tomorrow morning.
