San Marcos Island
Early risers were out on the deck this morning as we approached Isla San Marcos. Although some were up for their mandatory morning coffee, others showed up hoping to see one of Baja’s truly amazing sites – aerial leaping by mobula rays. Though we are not completely certain as to the reason for this behavior, some believe that it may simply be an expression of fun and ability. This morning, as we approached San Marcos, we were again fortunate enough to see twenty to thirty of rays leaping ten to twelve feet out of the water
From here we proceeded on to Isla San Marcos where Zodiacs took us ashore for a morning of hiking and sea-kayaking. Scuba divers meanwhile headed off with Vicky, our dive-master, to make their first dive nearby. While Carlos and Adrian led hikes up into one of San Marcos’s narrow arroyos, others stayed along the shore to kayak around the island’s narrow inlets and caves. Today was a beautiful morning along the shore line with the waters almost flat allowing for perfect paddling conditions. Ironically, we also saw a few drops of rain this morning as well – our first water from the sky in over five weeks!
Once the hikers returned, we headed back to the Sea Voyager where we collected our snorkel gear and went off for a few hours of snorkeling in a wonderful protected cave. Hidden away behind a large rock wall, snorkelers were able to enjoy this wonderful, protected dive location and to see an array of marine life as well.
The afternoon was spent searching out marine life. Several sperm whales as well as a Bryde’s whale (which we had not yet seen on this trip), were seen surfacing near to the ship. Closely resembling the Sei whale, the Bryde’s whale is recognized by its prominent ridges and is known for its level of curiosity. This evening was brought to a close as we retired to the upper deck for a casual lesson on stargazing by one of our guests. With a dark night sky and the moon absent, children and adults alike enjoyed a great time gazing up at the stars above the Gulf of California.
Early risers were out on the deck this morning as we approached Isla San Marcos. Although some were up for their mandatory morning coffee, others showed up hoping to see one of Baja’s truly amazing sites – aerial leaping by mobula rays. Though we are not completely certain as to the reason for this behavior, some believe that it may simply be an expression of fun and ability. This morning, as we approached San Marcos, we were again fortunate enough to see twenty to thirty of rays leaping ten to twelve feet out of the water
From here we proceeded on to Isla San Marcos where Zodiacs took us ashore for a morning of hiking and sea-kayaking. Scuba divers meanwhile headed off with Vicky, our dive-master, to make their first dive nearby. While Carlos and Adrian led hikes up into one of San Marcos’s narrow arroyos, others stayed along the shore to kayak around the island’s narrow inlets and caves. Today was a beautiful morning along the shore line with the waters almost flat allowing for perfect paddling conditions. Ironically, we also saw a few drops of rain this morning as well – our first water from the sky in over five weeks!
Once the hikers returned, we headed back to the Sea Voyager where we collected our snorkel gear and went off for a few hours of snorkeling in a wonderful protected cave. Hidden away behind a large rock wall, snorkelers were able to enjoy this wonderful, protected dive location and to see an array of marine life as well.
The afternoon was spent searching out marine life. Several sperm whales as well as a Bryde’s whale (which we had not yet seen on this trip), were seen surfacing near to the ship. Closely resembling the Sei whale, the Bryde’s whale is recognized by its prominent ridges and is known for its level of curiosity. This evening was brought to a close as we retired to the upper deck for a casual lesson on stargazing by one of our guests. With a dark night sky and the moon absent, children and adults alike enjoyed a great time gazing up at the stars above the Gulf of California.
