Loreto Bay National Park - Isla del Carmen
We spent our final day within Loreto Bay National Park, beginning with a colorful green flash sunrise while cruising northward under great sea and visibility conditions on the east side of Isla del Carmen. We were searching for marine life and were rewarded throughout the morning.
Before symposium participants had a chance to settle into the morning session, a group of bottlenose dolphins appeared and entertained us by riding the pressure wave created by our bow as the ship pushed through the water. Dolphins always seem to delight people of all ages and instill in them an uplifted feeling; a good way to start the day.
The search resumed, and shortly the morning meeting was deemed worthy of interruption by a sighting of a dwarf sperm whale! These unusual and elusive animals are recognized by their behavior of bobbing stationary at the surface, showing a prominent dorsal fin. They are deep divers that feed on squid. Very little is known about their life history. We were fortunate to approach for a good look and see four of them at the surface.
Other sightings in the area included a thresher shark, a variety of birds (pelicans, cormorants, shearwaters, storm-petrels, and red-billed tropicbirds), a sea turtle, rays, and marlins, all testament to the great productivity and diversity in the Sea of Cortez. Charts on the ship’s bridge showed a shelf that dropped precipitously to deep water (>1,000 ft.) off the east side of Isla del Carmen, where much marine activity occurs.
Following lunch, our vessel headed back to the west and the final meeting session commenced along with the ice cream bar in the dining room. Meanwhile, the ship encountered a large group of long-beaked common dolphins. The ship was strategically positioned so that the dolphins could be seen from the dining room windows. The sight brought everyone out onto the decks with cameras, where the astounding sounds of the nearby animals could be heard. We turned to take several passes by the dolphins for this sensational experience.
At last the final session of the symposium at sea came to a close, its success enhanced by the encounters with nature during the past few days.
Conservationist and author, Carl Safina summarized the symposium with a tongue-in-cheek amalgamation of several works of Miguel de Unamuno, Leonard Cohen, Mary Oliver, and George Orwell:
Learn to Throw Your Anthem So Far
“by” Carl Safina
The birds at the break of day sing:
Start again. Meditation is old and honorable but
don’t dwell on what has
passed away. Throw yourself like seed,
Because delight, unlike havoc, is the suggestion that buds towards radiance.
Can one be passionate about the wars
About the holy dove that has been bought and sold, and yet
Commit to no labor?
There is a crack in all beginnings;
The dove is never free. But what lasts is the work
So be ignited, or the elephant will die.
In the late afternoon, the National Geographic Sea Lion shared a scenic bay and landing site on the northeast side of Isla del Carmen with sister ship the National Geographic Sea Bird and there was a rare mingling of guests, staff and crew. Various activities were offered and Lindblad Expeditions’ owner, Sven Lindblad, played gracious host to friends, old and new, on both vessels.
Back on board, the evening was taken up with the composing of a group photo, cocktails, dinner, crew introductions, guest slideshow, inevitable packing, and continuing dialogues that were started just a few days before, and hold hope, dedication and promise for a better planet.
