The relentless wind stirred the bay into small waves as our guests boarded expedition landing craft. Gray whale mothers and their several-week-old calves floated nearby. These 40-ton creatures have held our imagination since our travel plans were made, and now we had our chance to finally meet them.
Every round of outings had different experiences. The morning was cool and windy, but by late morning the wind started to die, and the ebbing tide caused many of the cow/calf pairs to seek out the Boca, an opening to the Pacific between two long barrier islands. This channel has sides that rise abruptly in some places where swift currents pass. At some times gray whales choose to swim in this dynamic water. This probably is helpful for the calves that will soon use these skills for swimming in the open ocean. The afternoon warmed even more as the flood tide started. Usually this pushes the whales farther into the lagoon, but today most stayed in the quiet water near the Boca and slowly milled about. Calves found our boats interesting, but their curiosity was quickly satisfied. Climbing over their mom’s tailstock or trying to stay balanced upon her broad body as she surfaced were two of the more popular activities. Today’s photograph shows a young calf with its eye out of the water taking a look at us. You can see a few of the white sensory hairs protruding from small dimples in the skin.
Guests that were not in boats explored a shell-strewn beach and the beautiful dunes on Isla Magdelena. Wind-borne sand has formed barchan dunes shaped like massive horseshoes. A highlight for most of the hikers was a curious and amiable pair of coyotes. They had exquisite coats of thick golden fur and intently watched every move the hikers made. Red and white mangroves lined much of the protected shoreline providing a great roost for frigatebirds and cormorants.
The evening’s dinner was a special Mexican fiesta. Live traditional music by the Los Coyotes from the nearby town of Lopez Mateos entertained us all with their guitars. They have played for National Geographic Sea Bird and Sea Lion long enough that one of the musician’s young sons has grown up and is now another adult member of the group.
