Los Islotes and Isla Espiritu Santo
Our second day of the trip sailing through the Gulf of California. The morning greeted us close to Los Islotes, which translates to "Islets". And just when we were getting close we were surprised by a blue whale, the largest of all the whales and in fact the largest animal that has ever lived on the planet. We had some great looks at this animal, being able to see its small dorsal fin and that bluish gray coloration. Itis always wonderful to have an encounter with this gentle giant of the sea.
During breakfast we made our way to the anchorage spot at Los Islotes. The wind was blowing and the conditions were a little bit choppy so the decision was made to just go for Zodiac tours. We were lucky to see some California sea lions jumping in the water to greet us and play with our wake. Meanwhile we had some adventurous scuba divers that wanted to explore the underwater world at Los Islotes and off they went for their experience. But at the end it did not matter where you were, either in the water or on the Zodiacs, we all had great looks at these sea lions and all the birds that land or nest on the islets, like brown and blue-footed bobbies, frigate birds, brown pelicans and many more.
When we were at Bahia Bonanza / Isla Espiritu Santo, our fleet of kayaks was laid out on the beach, and many of us decided to explore the shoreline of the island and venture through the crystal clear waters of the bay. Lots of different species of fish, colored marine invertebrates, sea birds and shore birds were seen from the kayaks, making our experience a lot more entertaining and fun. Some othersdecided to go on hikes through the desert, having the opportunity to meet and learn about the desert plants and their wonderful adaptations to their environment. Many people came back very happy after seeing several species of birds, among these were the loggerhead shrikes, northern mockingbirds, woodpeckers, and others.
As a great finale of the day, we had a barbecue dinner on a long white sandy beach, called Bahia Bonanza. This delicious meal and the warmth of a bonfire, music and the traditional "smores" made us all very happy.
Our second day of the trip sailing through the Gulf of California. The morning greeted us close to Los Islotes, which translates to "Islets". And just when we were getting close we were surprised by a blue whale, the largest of all the whales and in fact the largest animal that has ever lived on the planet. We had some great looks at this animal, being able to see its small dorsal fin and that bluish gray coloration. Itis always wonderful to have an encounter with this gentle giant of the sea.
During breakfast we made our way to the anchorage spot at Los Islotes. The wind was blowing and the conditions were a little bit choppy so the decision was made to just go for Zodiac tours. We were lucky to see some California sea lions jumping in the water to greet us and play with our wake. Meanwhile we had some adventurous scuba divers that wanted to explore the underwater world at Los Islotes and off they went for their experience. But at the end it did not matter where you were, either in the water or on the Zodiacs, we all had great looks at these sea lions and all the birds that land or nest on the islets, like brown and blue-footed bobbies, frigate birds, brown pelicans and many more.
When we were at Bahia Bonanza / Isla Espiritu Santo, our fleet of kayaks was laid out on the beach, and many of us decided to explore the shoreline of the island and venture through the crystal clear waters of the bay. Lots of different species of fish, colored marine invertebrates, sea birds and shore birds were seen from the kayaks, making our experience a lot more entertaining and fun. Some othersdecided to go on hikes through the desert, having the opportunity to meet and learn about the desert plants and their wonderful adaptations to their environment. Many people came back very happy after seeing several species of birds, among these were the loggerhead shrikes, northern mockingbirds, woodpeckers, and others.
As a great finale of the day, we had a barbecue dinner on a long white sandy beach, called Bahia Bonanza. This delicious meal and the warmth of a bonfire, music and the traditional "smores" made us all very happy.
