Gorda Bank and Cabo San Lucas
After sailing south all night and entering the tropics, we awoke surrounded by whales. Gorda Bank and the East Cape of the Baja peninsula is a winter breeding ground for humpback whales. We had blows in all directions, and a few competitive groups chasing after each other. We also were very excited to identify an individual that we have now seen for three consecutive weeks. The real treat was yet to await us.
Gorda Bank is a seamount that rises to within 100 feet of the surface, and is a magnet for charismatic megafauna. As we approached, a humpback was slapping its pectoral fin repeatedly. We drew closer and saw it was a younger animal, maybe 1-3 years old, and accompanied by 2 adults. Then the show began. The youngster rose straight out of the water, pirouetted, and came slamming down on its back. Then it did it again, and again, and again. Sixty-two times in total it breached!! Everyone was overwhelmed by this tremendous display of acrobatics.
Just to keep our interest, it changed its behavior. It started peduncle tossing, which is throwing the lower half of its body into the air and then slamming it back down. We lost count of how many times this happened, and then it resumed breaching again. Reluctantly, we had to leave these animals behind and head to Cabo San Lucas.
In Cabo, we divided into two groups and set out to discover more of the Cape Region. Some people braved the small surf of Chileno beach to enjoy the aquatic world. More coral grows in this area as the water is warmer year round, and a more diverse group of fish accompanies this including guineafowl puffers and sunset wrasses. The rest set out on a bird watching excursion and were rewarded with a plethora of birds, including Scott’s and hooded orioles, and the endemic grey thrasher. Sunset at Land’s End and entering the Pacific Ocean were a fitting end to this fantastic day among the great whales.
After sailing south all night and entering the tropics, we awoke surrounded by whales. Gorda Bank and the East Cape of the Baja peninsula is a winter breeding ground for humpback whales. We had blows in all directions, and a few competitive groups chasing after each other. We also were very excited to identify an individual that we have now seen for three consecutive weeks. The real treat was yet to await us.
Gorda Bank is a seamount that rises to within 100 feet of the surface, and is a magnet for charismatic megafauna. As we approached, a humpback was slapping its pectoral fin repeatedly. We drew closer and saw it was a younger animal, maybe 1-3 years old, and accompanied by 2 adults. Then the show began. The youngster rose straight out of the water, pirouetted, and came slamming down on its back. Then it did it again, and again, and again. Sixty-two times in total it breached!! Everyone was overwhelmed by this tremendous display of acrobatics.
Just to keep our interest, it changed its behavior. It started peduncle tossing, which is throwing the lower half of its body into the air and then slamming it back down. We lost count of how many times this happened, and then it resumed breaching again. Reluctantly, we had to leave these animals behind and head to Cabo San Lucas.
In Cabo, we divided into two groups and set out to discover more of the Cape Region. Some people braved the small surf of Chileno beach to enjoy the aquatic world. More coral grows in this area as the water is warmer year round, and a more diverse group of fish accompanies this including guineafowl puffers and sunset wrasses. The rest set out on a bird watching excursion and were rewarded with a plethora of birds, including Scott’s and hooded orioles, and the endemic grey thrasher. Sunset at Land’s End and entering the Pacific Ocean were a fitting end to this fantastic day among the great whales.
