Loreto Bay National Park
At sunrise, National Geographic Sea Bird was cruising in the vicinity of Isla del Carmen, within the Loreto Bay National Park. A few islands and their surrounding water make up this protected area where we have come to look for marine life. The morning light illuminated the volcanic layers of the Sierra de la Giganta (Mountains of the Giantess) on the nearby Baja California Peninsula. Calm seas offered excellent viewing conditions and we were rewarded with sightings of bottlenose dolphins, some of which approached our bow to catch a ride. At times, a number of them would suddenly leap from the water in an impressive and delightful aerial display. It was definitely a photographic challenge but it didn’t deter us from trying to capture some images.
A while later we were fortunate to come across a blue whale in the area. Even from a distance this largest of whales can be recognized by its tall columnar spout, large size, mottled coloration and tiny dorsal fin. Without disturbing the whale we respectfully waited for it to come to the surface, where we could observe its behavior and marvel at its size before it would raise its flukes and disappear into the depths. It was like an elegant, slow motion water ballet—impressive for such a large animal!
Some of the birds we observed during the morning included magnificent frigatebird, yellow-footed gull, brown pelican, Brandt’s cormorant, eared grebe, black storm-petrel, and the lovely red-billed tropicbird.
We rounded out the morning with various shipboard drills and briefings and a photography presentation by Alberto before proceeding to our lunch buffet as we continued to our afternoon destination.
Isla Santa Catalina is an isolated island where giant barrel and cardon cacti flourish and interesting animal species have evolved uniquely over time. Hikers searched in vain for the rattleless rattlesnake but instead found a leaf-toed gecko and a side-blotched lizard that can be seen nowhere else but on this one island. The cacti and even a few birds made good photographic subjects in the golden late afternoon light.
Snorkelers had an opportunity to explore the colorful underwater world. Though a little chilly for humans, these waters support a good variety of fish and invertebrates.
We were introduced to some of the giants of the plant and animal kingdoms today. It conjures up a sense of wonder, awe, and humility, and appreciation of this very special place where we are privileged to travel. We have had a wonderful start to our expedition and we look forward to more adventures in the days to come.
