Today we awoke to a tumultuous morning on the National Geographic Sea Lion. The swell and wind were quite ferocious as we made our way up the inside of the Baja Peninsula. As we journeyed on in the morning, only a few came for breakfast while others passed the time in their cabins.
Nevertheless, we ventured through the swell and as the day progressed we came upon our goal: Bahia Bonanza on Isla Espiritu Santo.
Here the ocean was calm, the wind nothing more than a bit breezy, and the water full of life. We made our way onto the island for a variety of activities. Some simply enjoyed their time on the beach. Happy to get off the boat and relax after some time traveling at sea. Others went on hikes to stretch their legs, explore the local flora, and to take photographs with our photo instructor.
Still some heard the call of sea and would head nothing else. As if lured by a siren song, they put on their wetsuits, grabbed their masks and fins, and ventured off along the reef here. On this beautiful beach, we had a great amount of coral reef and fish to go along with it. Eels hid in rocky crevices, sea stars crept about, puffer fish were numerous and large. As we kicked around and explored this rocky outcropping and all the life it had to offer, we began to understand how lush and beautiful the sea life in the Sea of Cortez truly is.
Eventually the daytime activitie9 s ended and we assembled ashore for one last hurrah for the day. Our crew had assembled us an impressive beach BBQ here and we made ourselves at home around a fire with friends and drinks.
At last, as night took over some set out to explore the landscape once more in search of a bright prize, scorpions under ultraviolet light. When placed under these lights these scorpions light up a bright green while they would otherwise be camouflaged and nearly impossible to find. A sign here on Isla Espiritu Santo that sometimes the most interesting things are hidden in plain sight.
