Isla San Jose Canal and Isla San Francisco, Baja California Sur, México
Early risers found that the weather today was slightly different than previous days – it was considerably warmer. The dusky blue sky was clear of any clouds and it promised to be a hot one. We were traveling through the canal between San Jose, a large granitic island, and the peninsula. Because of the depth and configuration of this channel, upwelling occurs here. Water surges to the surface, bringing up nutrients, which then become available to tiny suspended plants called phytoplankton. The sun penetrates this layer allowing photosynthesis to occur and these are fed upon by animals known as zooplankton. This rich soup is the food source for many marine organisms such as tiny crustaceans, small fish, dolphins and whales. With all eyes on deck, binoculars glinting in the morning sun, a bushy spout was sighted. As we maneuvered for a closer look, another spout followed immediately by a prominent gray dorsal fin told us that we had a whale here, but which kind? It can be difficult to properly identify whales. By the behavior of this one, we decided that it could be a Bryde’s whale. This species is also known as the tropical whale because it doesn’t migrate to the cooler waters of northern latitudes, but instead is content to bathe in warm tropical waters. We followed it for a while and were visited briefly by bottlenose dolphins, as we continued on to the protected bay of Isla San Francisco.
The wind was dropping, making conditions perfect for kayaking and any other water sports. Very few clouds were visible and the sun beat down unrelentlessly. White sparkling sands set against turquoise waters lured us to the beach and beyond. The bath water temperature encouraged many to take the plunge. Hikers set off in various directions, discovering beetle, scorpion, and species of salt tolerant plants. Located in a flat low area behind the beach is a “salt pan” used by locals to salt their fish in the absence of refrigeration. Crossing to the other side were encountered the fabled tide pools of John Steinbeck and Ed Ricketts. We have a fascination with the occupants of tide pools. What manner of creature could survive these harsh conditions? But as we peered under the barnacle-covered rocks, we caught a glimpse of this bizarre world. Writhing masses of spindly brittle stars, squirting sea cucumbers, and a showy nemertid worm with concentric circles of white and black were just a few of the occupants of this bizarre world.
And still later, the fire was lit, the tantalizing smell of barbeque filled our nostrils and we settled down to savor the final moments of a perfect day while listening to the voice of our resident story teller and gazing at the millions of faraway stars.
Early risers found that the weather today was slightly different than previous days – it was considerably warmer. The dusky blue sky was clear of any clouds and it promised to be a hot one. We were traveling through the canal between San Jose, a large granitic island, and the peninsula. Because of the depth and configuration of this channel, upwelling occurs here. Water surges to the surface, bringing up nutrients, which then become available to tiny suspended plants called phytoplankton. The sun penetrates this layer allowing photosynthesis to occur and these are fed upon by animals known as zooplankton. This rich soup is the food source for many marine organisms such as tiny crustaceans, small fish, dolphins and whales. With all eyes on deck, binoculars glinting in the morning sun, a bushy spout was sighted. As we maneuvered for a closer look, another spout followed immediately by a prominent gray dorsal fin told us that we had a whale here, but which kind? It can be difficult to properly identify whales. By the behavior of this one, we decided that it could be a Bryde’s whale. This species is also known as the tropical whale because it doesn’t migrate to the cooler waters of northern latitudes, but instead is content to bathe in warm tropical waters. We followed it for a while and were visited briefly by bottlenose dolphins, as we continued on to the protected bay of Isla San Francisco.
The wind was dropping, making conditions perfect for kayaking and any other water sports. Very few clouds were visible and the sun beat down unrelentlessly. White sparkling sands set against turquoise waters lured us to the beach and beyond. The bath water temperature encouraged many to take the plunge. Hikers set off in various directions, discovering beetle, scorpion, and species of salt tolerant plants. Located in a flat low area behind the beach is a “salt pan” used by locals to salt their fish in the absence of refrigeration. Crossing to the other side were encountered the fabled tide pools of John Steinbeck and Ed Ricketts. We have a fascination with the occupants of tide pools. What manner of creature could survive these harsh conditions? But as we peered under the barnacle-covered rocks, we caught a glimpse of this bizarre world. Writhing masses of spindly brittle stars, squirting sea cucumbers, and a showy nemertid worm with concentric circles of white and black were just a few of the occupants of this bizarre world.
And still later, the fire was lit, the tantalizing smell of barbeque filled our nostrils and we settled down to savor the final moments of a perfect day while listening to the voice of our resident story teller and gazing at the millions of faraway stars.
