Isla San Jose & Ensenada Grande
Some woke to the sound of the rising anchor just before sunrise. After the previous evening's beach barbecue, we got underway for a morning of Zodiac cruising in the mangroves at Bahia Amortajada, located on the southern tip of Isla San Jose. We loaded Zodiacs off the fantail in our familiar Baja desert atmosphere, and were soon encompassed by the dense green foliage of red and white mangroves in the only island estuary of its type in this part of Baja.
Utilizing the high tide to our advantage, we observed terns, snowy white egrets, a variety of herons, and mangrove warblers delicately navigating their way within and above the vegetation. Underwater, rays, and a variety of young fish were encountered in the clear and protected waters. In the bay at the southern end, brown pelicans exercised their unique dive and scoop feeding behavior on the small fish that larger fish from below were pushing to the surface.
Before lunch, we pulled anchor and headed south with the wind and swells on our stern to our final afternoon with the National Geographic Sea Bird at Ensenada Grande, located on the western side of Isla Partida. Ensenada Grande is composed of compressed volcanic ash which forms brilliant pink rock formations along its shore. With its picturesque turquoise waters, stratified rock hillsides, and white sandy beaches, folks enjoyed kayaking, snorkeling, and reflective beach-bumming as a way to wrap up a most memorable voyage.
The evening was capped with a Captain's Fair-well Dinner, and a feliz cumpleanos to Naturalist Alberto Montaudon-Ferrer.
