Before the wake-up call this morning, whales were spotted as we headed north along the last part of the Hull Canal. A gray whale cow-calf pair was moving south into the canal and four bottlenose dolphins came in to bowride briefly. With high expectations, we anchored near the Boca de Soledad (Mouth of Solitude) and boarded the Zodiacs. Unfortunately for us, Solitude was an apt name for this area in the early morning, as far as the gray whales were concerned. Though we eagerly combed the horizon for glimpses of the telltale heart-shaped blows, none were to be seen. Despite a lack of cetaceans, our morning was still an exciting adventure. Braving the impressive breakers at the mouth of Magdalena Bay, our small craft bobbed like corks. When we turned and headed into the calmer inner lagoon, the surfing rivaled a decent day in Hawaii as the Zodiacs caught the waves. Above our heads frigatebirds wheeled and cormorants flew in formation like bomber squadrons. Brown pelicans skimmed the waves, deftly maneuvering each mounting mass of water and never getting doused while white pelicans gathered en masse on an emerging sandbar. Up in the sky a strange, glowing object was seen, faint at first but rapidly increasing in intensity: the SUN! For the first time in our trip, the sun appeared with gusto and was obviously here to stay. Not willing to allow a bit of dampness, some wind and a dearth of whales quell our spirit of adventure, we headed out again to seek the behemoths and our perseverance was rewarded. Our whale karma changed as the original cow-calf pair made a beeline back towards the Sea Lion and another pair came in from the Boca to join us. We got views of the cow-calf pair so close that their exhalation spray misted over us and we could see individual barnacles on their sides. The baby showed some definite interest in us, breaching three times, almost next to the boat. The sight was magical, as camera shutters clicked and film whirred. The afternoon had similar luck, with some close experiences with the mother and baby diving around the boats before they headed out towards the breakers at the Boca. The last set of Zodiacs were entranced by six playful bottlenose dolphins that took a shining to the wake tossed out behind the boats. These playful, small, toothed whales leapt around the boats and took turns visiting each of the boats, making new friends.
Hiking along the beach and sand dunes while not out whale watching, we were amazed at the diversity of life. Continually bending to examine the multitude of shells, we identified at least twenty species of invertebrates. Gorgeous Venus clams recorded the instrument of their sad demise, displaying perfectly circular beveled holes. Their elongate, tapered spines may prevent them from tumbling in the sand and surf, but are an ineffective defense against the voracious drilling moon snails. Intricate star-shaped patterns of sand castings drew our attention to the small openings of fiddler crab retreats. In the shallows, blue crabs ferociously menaced us with their claws, retreating as we stepped in for a closer look. They have much to fear from the many shorebirds that hunted along the edges of the inland lagoons. White ibis strutted along the water line, probing the sand with their beaks. A raucous chattering ripped through the air as two oystercatchers noisily landed. In response to a curious croaking we looked at each other questioningly: Are there frogs down here in Baja, on this island, in the trees? As understanding dawned, we smiled and peered at the cormorants that perched in the mangroves and emitted those strange sounds. Coyote tracks were abundant across the dunes. Some of the guests were lucky enough to spot these elusive animals, while others had the dubious honor of being followed by two of these wily canines. The weather was simply perfect, with a slight breeze that whisked away our footprints and prevented us from overheating in the rippling seas of sand. Hiking through the talcum-powder-soft sediment and sliding down the slipfaces built up an appetite. Returning to the ship, we satiated our hunger pangs with a local delicacy, cuitlacoche, romantically called corn truffles but also known as corn smut. A fungus it may be, but it is also delicious! We nibbled on this concoction while local musicians serenaded us. Climbing into bed, we dreamed of gray whales breaching all around the ship, eager for the sun to rise again.
