Spring Break! Many people come to the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula for spring break to escape the end of winter and party. For most of us, we have a different focus for our journey. We came to see the natural wildlife that is here visiting at this time. Granted, it is still fun and crazy, but in a slightly different way than most tourists experience.
Many of us were up on deck before sunrise, which certainly was not happening for most spring breakers. Shortly after sunrise, we spotted our first humpback whales of the day. Humpback whales breed in this area, spending the winter months in these relatively sheltered waters. For spring break, many of these whales are beginning to leave the area and head north for the summer. However, we were treated to a mother calf pair, followed by a group of three or four adults. We were quickly distracted by an energetic group of dolphins. Rough-toothed dolphins! These dolphins are very rarely seen here, maybe just arriving as the water warms. They were hanging around the whales, and our undersea specialist got in the water to try and film them. Alberto had an incredible encounter with not only curious dolphins, but also two inquisitive silky sharks.
As the morning progressed, we found another mother and calf humpback. The calf was probably about a month old, and growing fast. They appeared to be beginning to migrate as well, heading to the north and west. The calf seemed to be enjoying the spring break festivities as it decided to breach repeatedly. We don’t know why it was doing it, but it was spectacular!
In the afternoon, it was time to enjoy a different aspect of spring break. While some of us went to town and did some shopping, most of us went to the estuary to look for birds. Some of the birds here are residents, but most are just visiting. As spring migration is heating up, most of the birds pass through and enjoy the spring break just like us! Many species of ducks were seen, as well as quite a few shorebirds. The surrounding desert scrub was swarming with migrating warblers and sparrows. Osprey fished from palm trees, while many ibis were seen probing in the mud.
Around sunset, we passed the famous rocks at Land’s End, the southernmost point of the peninsula of Baja. Here, we saw some of the humans enjoying spring break, but luckily for us it didn’t detract from the stunning beauty of this place. As we entered the Pacific Ocean, we witnessed a spectacular sunset including a green flash. Good tidings for tomorrow as we head into Magdalena Bay.
