Half Moon Bay
“Good Morning” was announced a few minutes early this morning to make sure that we all could take in the gorgeous sunrise. The sky slowly crept to life this morning, with the colors quickly set on fire by the ever-rising sun. The mackerel sky was full of warm oranges and burnt reds while the reflections in the water provided a mirror image of the sun rising over the horizon. What a great way to begin this special family voyage.
The day continued to get better. A sperm whale was spotted right after breakfast and everyone gathered on the deck to get a look. As we looked for the largest of the toothed whales, we learned about the deep diving behaviors of the sperm whales, and watched and waited for the whale to surface again. Sperm whales remain the most abundant of the larger whales even though they were one of the most sought after whales. We continued along our way only to find a different species of whale. A Bryde’s whale was spotted in the distance. This medium sized baleen whale is very sleek. Unique to most of the baleen whales, many of the Bryde’s whales do not migrate. Instead they spend most of their time in the warmer tropical waters.
The afternoon was filled with just as many delights. Anchored at Half Moon Bay at Isla San Francisco, most of us took to the water for our first chance to snorkel. We caught glimpses of puffer fishes, Sergeant Majors, several species of Damselfishes, and many sea creatures. After snorkeling, hikes and tidepooling were offered. While some of us learned about the desert and its habitat, others chose to walk across the island’s salt flat to find an inter-tidal zone. We had the chance to look at a moray eel, hold sea urchins and looked more closely at the small creatures of the sea. The day ended with a moon just past full rising over Isla San Francisco. What a great beginning to our voyage through the Sea of Cortez.
“Good Morning” was announced a few minutes early this morning to make sure that we all could take in the gorgeous sunrise. The sky slowly crept to life this morning, with the colors quickly set on fire by the ever-rising sun. The mackerel sky was full of warm oranges and burnt reds while the reflections in the water provided a mirror image of the sun rising over the horizon. What a great way to begin this special family voyage.
The day continued to get better. A sperm whale was spotted right after breakfast and everyone gathered on the deck to get a look. As we looked for the largest of the toothed whales, we learned about the deep diving behaviors of the sperm whales, and watched and waited for the whale to surface again. Sperm whales remain the most abundant of the larger whales even though they were one of the most sought after whales. We continued along our way only to find a different species of whale. A Bryde’s whale was spotted in the distance. This medium sized baleen whale is very sleek. Unique to most of the baleen whales, many of the Bryde’s whales do not migrate. Instead they spend most of their time in the warmer tropical waters.
The afternoon was filled with just as many delights. Anchored at Half Moon Bay at Isla San Francisco, most of us took to the water for our first chance to snorkel. We caught glimpses of puffer fishes, Sergeant Majors, several species of Damselfishes, and many sea creatures. After snorkeling, hikes and tidepooling were offered. While some of us learned about the desert and its habitat, others chose to walk across the island’s salt flat to find an inter-tidal zone. We had the chance to look at a moray eel, hold sea urchins and looked more closely at the small creatures of the sea. The day ended with a moon just past full rising over Isla San Francisco. What a great beginning to our voyage through the Sea of Cortez.
