Isla Santa Catalina and Danzante, Golfo de California
Isla Santa Catalina is better known as “Catalana” among local people from the towns of Loreto and other communities along the Baja California Peninsula. This island emerged from the ocean, therefore, was never connected to any other land mass. After millions of years, this bare rock received colonizer species by several ways; some plants and animals which traveled either swimming, by rafts or by air. Evolution experimented with these species, playing with their shapes and adaptations to make some of them unique as a product of isolation over time.
Here we spent the morning on one of our favorite landings, “Roca Elefante.” We explored its pristine arroyos to discover some of its marvels. Giant barrel cacti, which exist nowhere else in the world, became evident as we approached the landing riding our Zodiacs. Shortly after beginning the hikes, we found two rattleless rattlesnakes, unique and interesting animals that exist nowhere else in the world. Giant barrel cacti adorned the landscapes along with cardones and other desert plants. An endemic chuckwalla was spotted by Adrian, a rare sighting of another special and elusive reptile.
We raised the anchor and headed towards Isla Danzante. As we approached the island, we spotted a big pod of pilot whales. The seas were calm and at that same moment the intentions for the day changed. We lowered the Zodiacs and in almost no time we were surrounded by pilot whales and bottle nose dolphins. The big males of pilot whale with their impressive dorsal fins emerged a few feet away from our boats and the sounds of their blows produced a true atmosphere of wilderness at its best. We spent almost two hours with these incredible animals as the Sea Voyager repositioned to our anchorage for the afternoon. Here we snorkeled from the shore of Isla Danzante to discover the underwater realm of this special place.
Isla Santa Catalina is better known as “Catalana” among local people from the towns of Loreto and other communities along the Baja California Peninsula. This island emerged from the ocean, therefore, was never connected to any other land mass. After millions of years, this bare rock received colonizer species by several ways; some plants and animals which traveled either swimming, by rafts or by air. Evolution experimented with these species, playing with their shapes and adaptations to make some of them unique as a product of isolation over time.
Here we spent the morning on one of our favorite landings, “Roca Elefante.” We explored its pristine arroyos to discover some of its marvels. Giant barrel cacti, which exist nowhere else in the world, became evident as we approached the landing riding our Zodiacs. Shortly after beginning the hikes, we found two rattleless rattlesnakes, unique and interesting animals that exist nowhere else in the world. Giant barrel cacti adorned the landscapes along with cardones and other desert plants. An endemic chuckwalla was spotted by Adrian, a rare sighting of another special and elusive reptile.
We raised the anchor and headed towards Isla Danzante. As we approached the island, we spotted a big pod of pilot whales. The seas were calm and at that same moment the intentions for the day changed. We lowered the Zodiacs and in almost no time we were surrounded by pilot whales and bottle nose dolphins. The big males of pilot whale with their impressive dorsal fins emerged a few feet away from our boats and the sounds of their blows produced a true atmosphere of wilderness at its best. We spent almost two hours with these incredible animals as the Sea Voyager repositioned to our anchorage for the afternoon. Here we snorkeled from the shore of Isla Danzante to discover the underwater realm of this special place.
