Whale watching, hikes and kayaking at Ballandra on Isla Carmen
Baja’s winter sunrise found the Sea Bird moving north near the east end of Isla Carmen. The night had brought soft winter showers across the Gulf of California, the Baja peninsula and it’s neighboring islands. The air was filled with the perfume of fresh rain on desert islands and sea, bringing important moisture to a very dry ecosystem.
As soon as the sun provided enough light, the bow of the Sea Bird was crowded with naturalists and guests – all eyes searching for marine mammals. We were all soon rewarded with blows in the distance. During the next several hours careful maneuvering was made by the officers on the bridge of the Sea Bird, as we watched the large blows of at least three whales. The debate continued on the bow as to the identity of these marine mammals, and after another hour of dives and surfacing action, a conclusion was reached, –we were in the company of Fin whales. There are approximately 500 Fin whales that are residents in the waters the Sea Bird was cruising in, and have been seen in all months of the year. They are primarily in search of their favorite prey – a small shrimp-like organism called a euphausid found in large quantities in the rich, cool waters continually upwelling from the depths of the Gulf of California.
As the winter winds continued to change direction around the Sea Bird, we moved inside to finish mandatory drills and begin our lecture series of the trip.
In preparation for our afternoon on shore, William Lopez-Forment began his talk on the plants of Baja, sharing not just stories and images but emphasizing the diversity and abundance of plant species living in this desert by the sea. Just as William had worked himself well into the cactus family, the microphone on the bow made a short and quick announcement about the presence of a large school of common dolphins. The Sea Bird turned sharply, and within minutes bow-riding dolphins were gazing up at a long row of faces looking down. Squeaks could be heard from the dolphins as they road the pressure wave created by the Sea Bird; while our shipboard observers shared in their own human delight at being in such close proximity to this vast group of marine mammals.
Around and around our vessel continued, in and out of this multi-species feeding group! Brown and blue-footed boobies along with double-crested cormorants circling over the dolphins who were in turn circling a large bate ball of fish just under the surface of the water. Occasionally the dolphins would all race through the water obviously chasing their prey. Within the school there was a large nursery section of animals, some very small animals riding the windy waves close to their mothers, while yearlings hovered close by, all the animals in this varied grouping obviously enjoying the abundance that the Gulf of California could provide.
Very slowly we pulled away, heading for a deck lunch, taking in the necessary sustenance to carry us through the rest of our day. As the Sea Bird, slowly pulled away several dolphins stayed with our ship, just as several of our group could not be pulled away from the bow, our curiosity matching those animals we watched, the beauty and poetry of their effortless motion through the waves our ship created with its departure. Leaving finally, just one figure on the bow… one dolphin in the water until both were out of sight.
Baja’s winter sunrise found the Sea Bird moving north near the east end of Isla Carmen. The night had brought soft winter showers across the Gulf of California, the Baja peninsula and it’s neighboring islands. The air was filled with the perfume of fresh rain on desert islands and sea, bringing important moisture to a very dry ecosystem.
As soon as the sun provided enough light, the bow of the Sea Bird was crowded with naturalists and guests – all eyes searching for marine mammals. We were all soon rewarded with blows in the distance. During the next several hours careful maneuvering was made by the officers on the bridge of the Sea Bird, as we watched the large blows of at least three whales. The debate continued on the bow as to the identity of these marine mammals, and after another hour of dives and surfacing action, a conclusion was reached, –we were in the company of Fin whales. There are approximately 500 Fin whales that are residents in the waters the Sea Bird was cruising in, and have been seen in all months of the year. They are primarily in search of their favorite prey – a small shrimp-like organism called a euphausid found in large quantities in the rich, cool waters continually upwelling from the depths of the Gulf of California.
As the winter winds continued to change direction around the Sea Bird, we moved inside to finish mandatory drills and begin our lecture series of the trip.
In preparation for our afternoon on shore, William Lopez-Forment began his talk on the plants of Baja, sharing not just stories and images but emphasizing the diversity and abundance of plant species living in this desert by the sea. Just as William had worked himself well into the cactus family, the microphone on the bow made a short and quick announcement about the presence of a large school of common dolphins. The Sea Bird turned sharply, and within minutes bow-riding dolphins were gazing up at a long row of faces looking down. Squeaks could be heard from the dolphins as they road the pressure wave created by the Sea Bird; while our shipboard observers shared in their own human delight at being in such close proximity to this vast group of marine mammals.
Around and around our vessel continued, in and out of this multi-species feeding group! Brown and blue-footed boobies along with double-crested cormorants circling over the dolphins who were in turn circling a large bate ball of fish just under the surface of the water. Occasionally the dolphins would all race through the water obviously chasing their prey. Within the school there was a large nursery section of animals, some very small animals riding the windy waves close to their mothers, while yearlings hovered close by, all the animals in this varied grouping obviously enjoying the abundance that the Gulf of California could provide.
Very slowly we pulled away, heading for a deck lunch, taking in the necessary sustenance to carry us through the rest of our day. As the Sea Bird, slowly pulled away several dolphins stayed with our ship, just as several of our group could not be pulled away from the bow, our curiosity matching those animals we watched, the beauty and poetry of their effortless motion through the waves our ship created with its departure. Leaving finally, just one figure on the bow… one dolphin in the water until both were out of sight.
