Isla Angel de la Guardia
There is always plenty to do on an expedition, and this morning was no exception. We started our day a little earlier than normal at Bahia Refugio so that we could take advantage of all that this location had to offer. Many of us began with “tidepooling” along the shore. This activity was new to many of us, but we caught on right away. It was much like a treasure hunt, where the treasures we sought were marine animals hidden among the rocks. The rocks, usually covered with one to many feet of water, were exposed this morning due to an especially low tide (because of the nearly full moon) that left animals stranded in the pools of water, waiting for the rest of the ocean to return. The animals were not the furry kind, but instead slimy, brittle or with shells. The highlights of our search were: several nudibranchs (picture an oceangoing slug), a many-armed, gulf sea star, brittle stars, hermit crabs, snails, some small fish, polycheate worms and an octopus. Once we had enough of the intertidal zone, many of us went for a short hike through the desert where tall elephant trees added artistic shapes to the stark scenery. Those wished to explore more of the coastline boarded the kayaks once again for some peaceful exploring in the picturesque bay.
That was just the first half of the morning! In the late morning, we took the Zodiacs across the bay to the smaller island of Granito. Here we were greeted by a friendly and curious group of California sea lions. This was our first chance to SCUBA dive and snorkel. The chilly water made some of us choose a Zodiac tour over a swim. But those that chose to visit the sea lions in their habitat were not disappointed. Although awkward on land, the sea lions turn into graceful, fluid acrobats in the water. The most surprising find of this outing was two sub-adult elephant seals hauled out with the sea lions!
The afternoon was spent cruising, relaxing, bird watching, and looking for marine mammals. To add a fine finishing touch to a lovely day, our cocktail hour was served on the sky deck – appetizers for the palate in the form of cerviche, and appetizers for the eyes in the form of the stunning cliffs of Isla Angel de la Guardia.
There is always plenty to do on an expedition, and this morning was no exception. We started our day a little earlier than normal at Bahia Refugio so that we could take advantage of all that this location had to offer. Many of us began with “tidepooling” along the shore. This activity was new to many of us, but we caught on right away. It was much like a treasure hunt, where the treasures we sought were marine animals hidden among the rocks. The rocks, usually covered with one to many feet of water, were exposed this morning due to an especially low tide (because of the nearly full moon) that left animals stranded in the pools of water, waiting for the rest of the ocean to return. The animals were not the furry kind, but instead slimy, brittle or with shells. The highlights of our search were: several nudibranchs (picture an oceangoing slug), a many-armed, gulf sea star, brittle stars, hermit crabs, snails, some small fish, polycheate worms and an octopus. Once we had enough of the intertidal zone, many of us went for a short hike through the desert where tall elephant trees added artistic shapes to the stark scenery. Those wished to explore more of the coastline boarded the kayaks once again for some peaceful exploring in the picturesque bay.
That was just the first half of the morning! In the late morning, we took the Zodiacs across the bay to the smaller island of Granito. Here we were greeted by a friendly and curious group of California sea lions. This was our first chance to SCUBA dive and snorkel. The chilly water made some of us choose a Zodiac tour over a swim. But those that chose to visit the sea lions in their habitat were not disappointed. Although awkward on land, the sea lions turn into graceful, fluid acrobats in the water. The most surprising find of this outing was two sub-adult elephant seals hauled out with the sea lions!
The afternoon was spent cruising, relaxing, bird watching, and looking for marine mammals. To add a fine finishing touch to a lovely day, our cocktail hour was served on the sky deck – appetizers for the palate in the form of cerviche, and appetizers for the eyes in the form of the stunning cliffs of Isla Angel de la Guardia.
