National Geographic Sea Bird left the dock in La Paz last night and sailed north while we slept. We awakened near Isla del Carmen to bright sunshine amidst slightly hazy skies, a light breeze, and 68 degrees Fahrenheit. While some made their way to the bow to see what wildlife might be swimming around, others gathered on the aft bridge deck to greet the day with some qigong. We shook and tapped and grounded our bodies and took in energies of air and sea, sun and earth. At the moment we finished our massage circle, the PA crackled with an announcement of dolphins off the bow. Perfect timing! We made our way forward as the ship arrived upon a scene of a super pod of common dolphins. Wow–amazing to watch these energetic creatures effortlessly moving through the water, some leaping high into the air, some with teeny babies alongside. It’s hard to convey the feeling of being in the midst of this huge pod. We hung out with the dolphins for nearly a half-hour—but then breakfast beckoned us indoors.
The morning was devoted to cruising these rich waters in search of more wildlife. We were rewarded with many more sightings…a couple of hammerhead sharks came next, followed by a handful of blue whales, breaching humpbacks, more blue whales, and then back past the same breaching humpbacks on our way to our afternoon anchorage. What an amazing introduction to Baja California Sur—and all before noon!
After lunch we anchored off Isla Santa Catalina. We spent the afternoon exploring desert and sea. Many donned wetsuits and snorkel gear to explore the marine life around the geological formation of elephant rock. Long, medium, and short hikers wandered the desert arroyo, home to many endemic species including the rattle-less rattlesnake and the world’s largest barrel cactus. Due to a lot of rain during hurricane season the last two years, the desert was lush with vegetation, and we had a great introduction to the richness and diversity of the islands around the peninsula. At this writing we are back on board, gathering for cocktails and recap, followed by a delicious meal served up by our galley and hotel staff. Yum! And thus completes our first amazing—yet typical—day in Baja California.
