Exploring the Gulf & Isla Rasa
On the Sea Voyager this morning, some of us started our day with a pre-breakfast stretch with Ines on the Sun Deck while others stretched out in their comfy chairs and watched the orange sun begin its slow climb into the clear eastern sky. The air was cool, crisp and clean.
As we motored along in a northwesterly direction, we hoped to find marine mammals, sea birds and any other objects of interest. It didn’t take long before someone spotted a couple of dark triangular fins slicing through the surface of the water – dolphins, and lots of them! Our eager guests shifted and traded positions on the bow, hoping to get a closer look or compose that perfect picture. Strong upwellings of cold nutrient-rich water make this area highly productive, consequently attracting and supporting diverse populations of marine mammals (like our dolphins), fishes and sea turtles.
We then took a break and joined Mike in the lounge as he continued with the presentation that he had started yesterday afternoon but couldn’t finish because he had been rudely interrupted by the appearance of sperm whales. We ended our morning with an enlightening introduction to Mexico by one of our expedition staff.
By early afternoon, we anchored near the entrance to Isla Rasa and went ashore to observe a sight that is not easily forgotten. Thousands of birds were scattered across the island and most if not all were sitting on nests with eggs. The unmistakable smell of bird guano assaulted our nostrils and our ears were filled with the constant din of shrieking birds. The island seemed inhospitable with the presence of thick “groves” of jumping cholla cactus and a dry sun baked surface. Approximately half a million sea birds are attracted to this tiny island every year for a period of about ten weeks to breed and nest. This includes about 95% of the world’s population of Heerman’s gulls and elegant terns. The abundance of sardines, the gulls’ staple food, and the island’s location geographically, make this a very desirable area for nesting birds. A tour by Zodiac around the island gave us a chance to observe a breeding pair of Peregrine falcons which also nest here and prey upon the birds.
But our day wasn’t finished yet. After a little planning, it was decided that we could easily offer one more visit to the nearby island of Isla Partida. We put our kayaks down in the calm water of the protected bay and a number of guests were soon happily paddling away from the ship to explore this new territory. Other options offered were a Zodiac outing and a walk on the island with the expedition staff. The least and black storm-petrels can be found nesting here along with a fish-eating bat under the loose rocks on the islands slopes.
Baja California is truly a remarkable and special place.
On the Sea Voyager this morning, some of us started our day with a pre-breakfast stretch with Ines on the Sun Deck while others stretched out in their comfy chairs and watched the orange sun begin its slow climb into the clear eastern sky. The air was cool, crisp and clean.
As we motored along in a northwesterly direction, we hoped to find marine mammals, sea birds and any other objects of interest. It didn’t take long before someone spotted a couple of dark triangular fins slicing through the surface of the water – dolphins, and lots of them! Our eager guests shifted and traded positions on the bow, hoping to get a closer look or compose that perfect picture. Strong upwellings of cold nutrient-rich water make this area highly productive, consequently attracting and supporting diverse populations of marine mammals (like our dolphins), fishes and sea turtles.
We then took a break and joined Mike in the lounge as he continued with the presentation that he had started yesterday afternoon but couldn’t finish because he had been rudely interrupted by the appearance of sperm whales. We ended our morning with an enlightening introduction to Mexico by one of our expedition staff.
By early afternoon, we anchored near the entrance to Isla Rasa and went ashore to observe a sight that is not easily forgotten. Thousands of birds were scattered across the island and most if not all were sitting on nests with eggs. The unmistakable smell of bird guano assaulted our nostrils and our ears were filled with the constant din of shrieking birds. The island seemed inhospitable with the presence of thick “groves” of jumping cholla cactus and a dry sun baked surface. Approximately half a million sea birds are attracted to this tiny island every year for a period of about ten weeks to breed and nest. This includes about 95% of the world’s population of Heerman’s gulls and elegant terns. The abundance of sardines, the gulls’ staple food, and the island’s location geographically, make this a very desirable area for nesting birds. A tour by Zodiac around the island gave us a chance to observe a breeding pair of Peregrine falcons which also nest here and prey upon the birds.
But our day wasn’t finished yet. After a little planning, it was decided that we could easily offer one more visit to the nearby island of Isla Partida. We put our kayaks down in the calm water of the protected bay and a number of guests were soon happily paddling away from the ship to explore this new territory. Other options offered were a Zodiac outing and a walk on the island with the expedition staff. The least and black storm-petrels can be found nesting here along with a fish-eating bat under the loose rocks on the islands slopes.
Baja California is truly a remarkable and special place.
