Isla San Pedro Martir
My days spent here in the Gulf of California never cease to amaze me.
As we kayaked from the ship and looked down into the crystal clear blue waters, it made me think of my own country of Belize in the Caribbean. It was tempting to roll out of the kayak and into the water. Kayaking allows one to get a close up look at nature without being intrusive. Our paddles were silent as we maneuvered closer to the sea lion pups nursing on the rocky shore of Isla San Pedro Martir. The island is home to many seabirds as well as other transients. The air was filled with the wing beats and even feathers of numerous birds such as the brown pelican, blue-footed and brown booby birds. The juvenile birds were unafraid and swooped down almost upon us. Some flew so close that I felt I could have plucked a bird from the air.
After a laid back morning of kayaking and Zodiac cruises, we lifted our anchor and headed to an area of deep water where we hoped to find marine cetaceans. Blows were soon spotted and identified as being those of the largest carnivore on earth – the sperm whale.
The Undersea Specialist and I entered the water with the intention of taking some under water footage and came upon a group of several adults, mostly females, in the process of exhibiting an interesting social behavior. They seemed to be performing an underwater dance, twisting, twirling and spinning, all in slow motion. As their massive bodies rubbed together, they shed pieces of grey skin that reminded me of pantyhose scattering throughout the water column. Then we spotted what we thought might be the purpose of this union. Inside this mass of churning whales was a small calf, maybe no more than a week old, and it seemed to be the object of attention. It was as if they were welcoming this new arrival to their group and saying, “Come see and admire this beautiful strong baby from the sea.” We felt honored to be allowed to witness this amazing encounter. After witnessing such an awe-inspiring event it’s difficult to look at life in the same manner as before. The Gulf of California is truly a place of profound beauty and reverence.
My days spent here in the Gulf of California never cease to amaze me.
As we kayaked from the ship and looked down into the crystal clear blue waters, it made me think of my own country of Belize in the Caribbean. It was tempting to roll out of the kayak and into the water. Kayaking allows one to get a close up look at nature without being intrusive. Our paddles were silent as we maneuvered closer to the sea lion pups nursing on the rocky shore of Isla San Pedro Martir. The island is home to many seabirds as well as other transients. The air was filled with the wing beats and even feathers of numerous birds such as the brown pelican, blue-footed and brown booby birds. The juvenile birds were unafraid and swooped down almost upon us. Some flew so close that I felt I could have plucked a bird from the air.
After a laid back morning of kayaking and Zodiac cruises, we lifted our anchor and headed to an area of deep water where we hoped to find marine cetaceans. Blows were soon spotted and identified as being those of the largest carnivore on earth – the sperm whale.
The Undersea Specialist and I entered the water with the intention of taking some under water footage and came upon a group of several adults, mostly females, in the process of exhibiting an interesting social behavior. They seemed to be performing an underwater dance, twisting, twirling and spinning, all in slow motion. As their massive bodies rubbed together, they shed pieces of grey skin that reminded me of pantyhose scattering throughout the water column. Then we spotted what we thought might be the purpose of this union. Inside this mass of churning whales was a small calf, maybe no more than a week old, and it seemed to be the object of attention. It was as if they were welcoming this new arrival to their group and saying, “Come see and admire this beautiful strong baby from the sea.” We felt honored to be allowed to witness this amazing encounter. After witnessing such an awe-inspiring event it’s difficult to look at life in the same manner as before. The Gulf of California is truly a place of profound beauty and reverence.
