Early risers aboard the National Geographic Sea Bird this morning were treated to a colorful sunrise, followed by visits from both bottlenose and common dolphins. How fun to watch them leap high in the air and make their way to get a free joy ride off the bow of the ship! After breakfast the ship anchored off Isla San Jose, the crew lowered our expedition landing craft and zipped us ashore to the stunning Punta Colorado. We spent this first morning of our voyage walking up a beautiful arroyo whose walls are formed of red and white sandstone. Longer hikes scrambled over rocks and some larger boulders, and enjoyed cliff-side “shade breaks” from the hot desert sun.
The afternoon/evening was devoted to exploring the area around Los Islotes at the north end Isla Partida. These little islets made of huge volcanic rocks are known for birds and for the California sea lions that haul out there. The highlight for many was to don snorkel, mask, and fins, and slip into the refreshing 70-degree water to get a closer look at the world below sea level. Zip! Zoom… Twirl… body and fins creating elegant spirals in and around people and fish. What amazingly graceful acrobats! The juvenile and female sea lions were curious and playful and some have become physically friendly with humans. They zip, twirl, approach, hang upside down, look into your eyes, and study you. Or zoom right up to you and at the last minute veer off to the side. Or you feel someone pressing up against your back and think it’s your snorkel buddy, but then your snorkel buddy swims out in front of you. Huh? The sea lion is hugging you from behind—whoa! The smiles of people coming back into the anchored snorkel boat told the whole story.
After returning to the ship for hot showers and dry clothes, we climbed back into the expedition landing craft and went cruising around the islets with cameras and binoculars to look at life above the waterline. The California sea lions continued with their antics, porpoising, chasing, twirling around the boats, and we gazed at them draped along the nooks and crannies and precipices of their rocky haul-out. How could some of those positions possibly be comfortable? The most adept of yogis would be jealous. Now we directed our gaze to the air, and higher up the rocky walls to pay homage to the winged creatures—blue-footed boobies, brown boobies, pelicans, cormorants, magnificent frigatebirds. And all this, set to the most amazing backdrop of brilliant colored sunset and near-full moonrise.
Back on board for cocktails and a quick Recap…our undersea specialist showed us some footage of his dive today, complete with several minutes of an octopus he and the second mate discovered. Wow—what an amazing first day of our voyage—a great taste of Baja California, where the desert indeed meets the sea.
