Cruising & Isla Santa Catalina
We started the first day of the Baja California season with great weather. Last night we had a smooth ride from the Bay of La Paz, where we embarked. This morning with the first morning light, we could see Del Carmen Island on the west and Santa Catalina towards the east. The entire area has been experiencing unusually frequent rains. As evidence of such events, the sky was still wearing the majestic cumulus clouds that combined with the morning light, made is display an unusual beauty.
We took advantage of time spent on deck, and suddenly the ship was surrounded by bottlenose dolphins. These marine mammals are extremely intelligent and one of the qualities of smart creatures is play. And so, the dolphins approached the bow of our ship to ride it with joy. This was a widespread group, since we could see dolphins under our bow and also far away into the horizon.
We sailed east towards one of the Gulf of California’s biological jewels; Isla Santa Catalina. We had the opportunity of exploring not only the island, but to submerge ourselves into the surrounding waters. Snorkelers plunged into the Gulf for the first time. The water temperature was warmer than we had predicted, and the visibility was quite good. Propelling ourselves with our colorful fins, we admired the rocky bottom, home to a wide array of fish and invertebrates. Some examples of the fish we saw today were king angels, sergeant majors, porcupine fish, and giant hawk fish. Different kinds of damselfishes were also seen, like the giant and Cortez damsels. These two species are not necessarily stunning to the eye as adults, but we found some of the electric-blue colored juveniles that really stand out from the rest.
Exploring Santa Catalina by foot is a real treat. After the rains the desert looks peaceful and content. This dot of land surrounded by sea is home to the unique giant barrel cactus and to a number of reptiles that exist nowhere else in the world. What a privilege to be able to explore these remote and almost untouched landscapes!
