San Jose Channel and north
The Daily Program described the plan for hiking, kayaking and snorkeling, but marine mammals changed everything. Bottlenose dolphins rode the bow wave when only a few travelers had emerged for New Year’s Day. A bit later a wake-up call lured almost everyone out to watch the flashy antics of another species, the long-beaked common dolphin. Hundreds of individuals surrounded the ship. They mesmerized us, weaving back and forth beneath the clear water. Careful observers noticed the blue remoras that clung to the sides of some dolphins. The remoras’ highly modified dorsal fins tightly attach these interesting fish to marine mammals or even to sea turtles for a free ride.
A mid-morning presentation about sea lions by Octavio Maravilla was an excellent introduction to tomorrow’s visit to a colony of these curious creatures and, as often happens, a talk seems to coincide with marine mammal sightings. We raced to the decks at the report of sperm whales! This was an extraordinary opportunity. Bright sunlight glistened on the backs of uncounted animals that dotted the calm sea. These cetaceans are known to dive to great depths of at least 11,000 feet and can stay beneath the surface for up to 1-1/2 hours. Fortunately for us, this large aggregation included numerous calves. Youngsters remain close to the surface, providing excellent looks at both mothers and their offspring. Because this group appeared to be exceptionally cooperative and undisturbed by our presence, the captain and expedition leader changed the day’s schedule completely. The Hotel Manager altered lunch plans, crew and officers lowered Zodiacs, and impromptu cruises began. This is not a standard activity, but the conditions seemed perfect, and all the National Geographic participants seemed willing for some excitement.
Our fascination with these mysterious leviathans is in total contrast to that of our predecessors. Whalers harpooned sperms for the prized spermaceti - the high-grade oil within the head, along with the other oil rendered from the blubber and bones. Ambergris, a base for fine perfumes is another product of these animals. The fearsome whale, Moby Dick, was a sperm whale. Our perspective was quite different. For about an hour we observed these magnificent marine mammals from our black inflatables. Unlike typical whales, the blowhole of sperms is off-center to the left side of the head, so the spout shoots forward and to the left. Their brown, wrinkled skin looks like the surface of a giant prune. Sheets of water ran off the immense tails when the back arched and the flukes rose for terminal dives. It was exquisite! Once all were back aboard, the ship passed additional whales before motoring on. The hiking, snorkeling and kayaking could easily wait until tomorrow.
During cocktail hour, our younger guests took turns swinging a stout stick at a colorful piñata. After repeated whacks and misses, the tough surface tore through, and candy scattered about the deck. What a fun and exciting start to a new year!
The Daily Program described the plan for hiking, kayaking and snorkeling, but marine mammals changed everything. Bottlenose dolphins rode the bow wave when only a few travelers had emerged for New Year’s Day. A bit later a wake-up call lured almost everyone out to watch the flashy antics of another species, the long-beaked common dolphin. Hundreds of individuals surrounded the ship. They mesmerized us, weaving back and forth beneath the clear water. Careful observers noticed the blue remoras that clung to the sides of some dolphins. The remoras’ highly modified dorsal fins tightly attach these interesting fish to marine mammals or even to sea turtles for a free ride.
A mid-morning presentation about sea lions by Octavio Maravilla was an excellent introduction to tomorrow’s visit to a colony of these curious creatures and, as often happens, a talk seems to coincide with marine mammal sightings. We raced to the decks at the report of sperm whales! This was an extraordinary opportunity. Bright sunlight glistened on the backs of uncounted animals that dotted the calm sea. These cetaceans are known to dive to great depths of at least 11,000 feet and can stay beneath the surface for up to 1-1/2 hours. Fortunately for us, this large aggregation included numerous calves. Youngsters remain close to the surface, providing excellent looks at both mothers and their offspring. Because this group appeared to be exceptionally cooperative and undisturbed by our presence, the captain and expedition leader changed the day’s schedule completely. The Hotel Manager altered lunch plans, crew and officers lowered Zodiacs, and impromptu cruises began. This is not a standard activity, but the conditions seemed perfect, and all the National Geographic participants seemed willing for some excitement.
Our fascination with these mysterious leviathans is in total contrast to that of our predecessors. Whalers harpooned sperms for the prized spermaceti - the high-grade oil within the head, along with the other oil rendered from the blubber and bones. Ambergris, a base for fine perfumes is another product of these animals. The fearsome whale, Moby Dick, was a sperm whale. Our perspective was quite different. For about an hour we observed these magnificent marine mammals from our black inflatables. Unlike typical whales, the blowhole of sperms is off-center to the left side of the head, so the spout shoots forward and to the left. Their brown, wrinkled skin looks like the surface of a giant prune. Sheets of water ran off the immense tails when the back arched and the flukes rose for terminal dives. It was exquisite! Once all were back aboard, the ship passed additional whales before motoring on. The hiking, snorkeling and kayaking could easily wait until tomorrow.
During cocktail hour, our younger guests took turns swinging a stout stick at a colorful piñata. After repeated whacks and misses, the tough surface tore through, and candy scattered about the deck. What a fun and exciting start to a new year!
