The clear morning sky was interrupted only by brilliant Venus in the dawn light as we headed for Los Islotes. Our plans came to an abrupt halt with the sighting of a blue whale. These cetaceans are thought to be the biggest creatures to have ever lived. The exceptionally long back, mottled gray-blue color, and miniscule dorsal fin are diagnostic. Our captain maneuvered the ship perfectly for optimum viewing. He even positioned our vessel to maximize the photo angle for the best lighting. What a treat to discover a blue whale before breakfast!
We resumed our approach to some rugged volcanic islets that are home to California sea lions. The barking of local residents set the stage for activities that followed. First we climbed aboard our expedition landing craft to observe the shore from water level. Limp bodies draped across the volcanic rocks in total relaxation. Sally Lightfoot crabs foraged at the water’s edge, and blue-footed and brown boobies, yellow-footed gulls, and pelicans watched from above. Birds circled in the thermals created by the warming landmass, and upon careful inspection, we noticed a peregrine falcon among them.
There was also an opportunity to snorkel in the realm of the sea lions. Beneath the surface these animals transform into graceful ballerinas racing at full speed and then spinning, twirling, and changing directions in an instant. The sea lions seemed curious about the clumsy maneuvers of their human visitors and drifted past with effortless flaps of their broad front flippers. Schools of sergeant majors clustered near the surface as in the photos, their yellow and silver bands glinting in the sunlight. These social damselfishes live throughout the gulf to Peru and the Galápagos Islands. They feed on plankton, bottom invertebrates, and algae, and occasionally act as cleaning fish for other species. Pacific creolefish crowded beneath our boat, and king angels patrolled at greater depths with bright orange tails that contrasted sharply with velvety black bodies.
After lunch the National Geographic Sea Bird motored south, hugging the coast of Isla Partida Sur. A group of bottlenose dolphins swam by and lingered briefly to ride the bow wave. Several individuals leaped high in the air beside us, challenging even the most experienced photographers on board.
We stopped for a short while on Isla Espiritu Santo at a white-sand beach that embraces a teal-blue bay. In late afternoon we relocated offshore of a site known as Punta Dispensa for our last night together.
The ship lay quietly at anchor all evening as the stars filled the sky. It was a perfect time to reflect on all we had seen, from the friendly gray whales and shifting sand dunes of the Pacific to the fascinating dolphins and sperm whales of the Sea of Cortez on our voyage “Among the Great Whales.”
