Cabo San Lucas/Gorda Banks
Today’s report really starts the night before, when a guest strolled into the lounge after dinner during a game of Charades – “Excuse me, if anyone is interested there are bioluminescent dolphins riding the bow.” Paper fluttered to the floor and chairs swirled as the lounge quickly emptied. The agile marine mammals were using the pressure wave of the bow to have a fun ride. The bioluminescence was caused by tiny dinoflagelates being excited and emitting light as the dolphins swam through the water.
This morning, “Finisterra,” or “Land’s End” at Cabo San Lucas was off the port side as we rounded the sunrise-lit beige, creamy, tannish rocks. This place was favored by British pirates or privateers between the years of 1585 to 1815, being the mandatory route of the Manila Galleons. These ships brought riches to the New Spain’s port of Acapulco from the Philippines. The last of the Manila Galleons sailed off Acapulco in 1815 after the independence of Mexico and the Napoleonic invasion in Europe, and thus pirates became history in Baja California Sur. We paused long enough for fine views of the rocks, sea lions and the birds before heading to the marina in Cabo. The docking intention was interrupted when someone spotted a breaching humpback whale. There were only one or two jumps from the adult and then the baby whale started breaching and kept us captivated for 15 minutes. Yes, on Lindblad expeditions, we do “stop for whales” and that is why our daily schedule is called the daily intention. As everyday, options were presented. Most of the guests opted for snorkeling at “Friar’s Rock.” Here the visibility of the water was crystal clear, and the marine life was exuberant. One of the many examples of the fish we saw was the group of yellowtail surgeonfish shown in the picture. Mike Greenfelder, our undersea specialist, encountered Moorish idols, guineafowl puffers and even a white-tipped shark! Meanwhile, a few of us went on a pleasant and very productive bird walk, seeing 20 different species including the endemic gray thrasher and the more common, but equally interesting, pyrrhuloxia and Costa’s hummingbirds.
After a brief shopping excursion in Los Cabos, we were off to Gorda Banks. We witnessed more whale love as 4 males were pursuing and showing off for a female. Humpback whale encounters can get rambunctious as males jockey for the best position to mate with the female. The evening recap included Captain Kalbach discussing and playing humpback whale song tapes and underwater footage. Our undersea specialist talked about mobula rays. As we made our way in to dinner, the Sea Bird bobbed along, and our thoughts turned to the adventures awaiting us in the Gulf of California!
Today’s report really starts the night before, when a guest strolled into the lounge after dinner during a game of Charades – “Excuse me, if anyone is interested there are bioluminescent dolphins riding the bow.” Paper fluttered to the floor and chairs swirled as the lounge quickly emptied. The agile marine mammals were using the pressure wave of the bow to have a fun ride. The bioluminescence was caused by tiny dinoflagelates being excited and emitting light as the dolphins swam through the water.
This morning, “Finisterra,” or “Land’s End” at Cabo San Lucas was off the port side as we rounded the sunrise-lit beige, creamy, tannish rocks. This place was favored by British pirates or privateers between the years of 1585 to 1815, being the mandatory route of the Manila Galleons. These ships brought riches to the New Spain’s port of Acapulco from the Philippines. The last of the Manila Galleons sailed off Acapulco in 1815 after the independence of Mexico and the Napoleonic invasion in Europe, and thus pirates became history in Baja California Sur. We paused long enough for fine views of the rocks, sea lions and the birds before heading to the marina in Cabo. The docking intention was interrupted when someone spotted a breaching humpback whale. There were only one or two jumps from the adult and then the baby whale started breaching and kept us captivated for 15 minutes. Yes, on Lindblad expeditions, we do “stop for whales” and that is why our daily schedule is called the daily intention. As everyday, options were presented. Most of the guests opted for snorkeling at “Friar’s Rock.” Here the visibility of the water was crystal clear, and the marine life was exuberant. One of the many examples of the fish we saw was the group of yellowtail surgeonfish shown in the picture. Mike Greenfelder, our undersea specialist, encountered Moorish idols, guineafowl puffers and even a white-tipped shark! Meanwhile, a few of us went on a pleasant and very productive bird walk, seeing 20 different species including the endemic gray thrasher and the more common, but equally interesting, pyrrhuloxia and Costa’s hummingbirds.
After a brief shopping excursion in Los Cabos, we were off to Gorda Banks. We witnessed more whale love as 4 males were pursuing and showing off for a female. Humpback whale encounters can get rambunctious as males jockey for the best position to mate with the female. The evening recap included Captain Kalbach discussing and playing humpback whale song tapes and underwater footage. Our undersea specialist talked about mobula rays. As we made our way in to dinner, the Sea Bird bobbed along, and our thoughts turned to the adventures awaiting us in the Gulf of California!
