Magdalena Bay, Baja California
Morning found the National Geographic Sea Bird heading northward along the Pacific Coast of Baja California. The ride was just a little bit bumpy during the night as we headed into the swells, but it smoothed out as the morning progressed and it was downright pleasant as we neared La Entrada, the entrance into Magdalena Bay. Here we had our first encounter with California gray whales and, instantly, the ride up was all worth it. La Entrada is a breeding area where females who are not bearing a new calf come to breed with the male (or, if truth be told, males) of her choice.
We passed through La Entrada to enter the calm water of Magdalena Bay, and continued northward, to the area where pregnant females bear their calves and nurse their new young to prepare them for the long journey to feeding grounds in the far north (more on that, I am sure, tomorrow).
Today we gathered on the bow for our transit through narrow Hull Canal or Canal de Soledad, scanning the mangrove-lined shores for sightings of birds and the elusive wily coyote. Sometimes we were escorted by bottlenose dolphins riding the pressure wave of the ship's bow and occasionally breaking through the surface to grab a lung-full of air. Could they have been looking up at us as we hung over the rail to look down on them? Are they even aware of us as fellow creatures, or are we just a novel plaything in their environment? What do you think?
Rather suddenly, we rounded a corner and we began to see blows of gray whales - the larger blows of adult females and the smaller but more frequent blows of their calves, born less than two months ago in the warm water of the lagoon. The calves stay close by their mothers during their stay here. In preparation for our coming experiences with the whales, Naturalist Alberto Montaudon gave us a presentation on their biology and the history of their interaction with humans.
Having been on the ship all day, we were happy for the opportunity to stretch our legs with a walk over the sand dunes to watch the sun set over the Pacific Ocean. Under the influence of the persistent wind from the north, these huge dunes march resolutely, one by one, over the landscape. However, where dune vegetation has succeeded in taking hold and sending down roots, the fine sand is stabilized. The green leaves and red-purple flowers of beach sand verbena provided a splash of color against the pale background of the shifting sand.
Another color soon developed—the red-orange of the setting sun reflecting yellow off a cloud. We stood in awed silence to watch the spectacle. Few sights bring silence to humans like sunrises and sunsets in a wilderness setting. We absorbed the moment, and then returned to our ship to prepare for the adventures that await us tomorrow.
