San Jose Channel & Isla San Francisco, Baja California Sur
We awoke to a gorgeous dawn with the full moon sitting on the mountainous eastern escarpment of Baja California. During the night we had sailed as far north in the Gulf of California as Isla Santa Cruz. The morning was spent enjoying the southbound transit through San Jose Channel.
The fascinating geology of the region was spectacularly displayed in the early morning light. Beneath the Gulf of California lies a rift which separates the North American plate in the east from the Pacific Plate on the west. In conjunction with its formation, huge sheets of lava, explosive airfall ash and ash flows blanketed western Mexico and what would eventually become the Baja peninsula. About 6 million years ago, the peninsula started traveling north along a southward extension of the San Andreas Fault. As the land split and the Gulf was formed, large blocks of the earth shifted up and down. Many of these blocks became tilted or were left stranded as islands within the gulf. With the moon rising over the Sierra de la Giganta, we knew we were about to experience a special day.
Shortly after breakfast, we encountered our first of many marine mammals for the day, a mother Bryde’s whale and calf. While our looks at this pair were fleeting, it whetted our appetites and our hopes for seeing many more marine mammals. We did not have to wait long. Soon after this we crossed the path of a large group of bottlenose dolphins, some of which soon joined our ship for a fun time of bow riding. But perhaps the highlight of the day was our discovery of several sperm whales. We were awestruck by their size. Their long dives afforded us the opportunity to drop a hydrophone to listen in on their sonic clicks as they scanned the sea floor for elusive prey. As they logged at the surface to re-oxygenate, we were able to examine the identifying characteristics of these Moby Dicks of the deep. As if three species were not enough, 200 to 300 common dolphins decided to join our transit, leaping, tail slapping and bow riding. Numerous mother/baby pairs were observed. They constantly communicated with high pitched squeaks audible to our ears even through the hull of the ship.
In the late afternoon we hiked the desert and explored the tide pools of Isla San Francisco. A beach barbeque followed with Aztec tales around a campfire where marshmallows toasted on the glowing coals.
The Gulf of California is truly one of those unique and special places on earth.
We awoke to a gorgeous dawn with the full moon sitting on the mountainous eastern escarpment of Baja California. During the night we had sailed as far north in the Gulf of California as Isla Santa Cruz. The morning was spent enjoying the southbound transit through San Jose Channel.
The fascinating geology of the region was spectacularly displayed in the early morning light. Beneath the Gulf of California lies a rift which separates the North American plate in the east from the Pacific Plate on the west. In conjunction with its formation, huge sheets of lava, explosive airfall ash and ash flows blanketed western Mexico and what would eventually become the Baja peninsula. About 6 million years ago, the peninsula started traveling north along a southward extension of the San Andreas Fault. As the land split and the Gulf was formed, large blocks of the earth shifted up and down. Many of these blocks became tilted or were left stranded as islands within the gulf. With the moon rising over the Sierra de la Giganta, we knew we were about to experience a special day.
Shortly after breakfast, we encountered our first of many marine mammals for the day, a mother Bryde’s whale and calf. While our looks at this pair were fleeting, it whetted our appetites and our hopes for seeing many more marine mammals. We did not have to wait long. Soon after this we crossed the path of a large group of bottlenose dolphins, some of which soon joined our ship for a fun time of bow riding. But perhaps the highlight of the day was our discovery of several sperm whales. We were awestruck by their size. Their long dives afforded us the opportunity to drop a hydrophone to listen in on their sonic clicks as they scanned the sea floor for elusive prey. As they logged at the surface to re-oxygenate, we were able to examine the identifying characteristics of these Moby Dicks of the deep. As if three species were not enough, 200 to 300 common dolphins decided to join our transit, leaping, tail slapping and bow riding. Numerous mother/baby pairs were observed. They constantly communicated with high pitched squeaks audible to our ears even through the hull of the ship.
In the late afternoon we hiked the desert and explored the tide pools of Isla San Francisco. A beach barbeque followed with Aztec tales around a campfire where marshmallows toasted on the glowing coals.
The Gulf of California is truly one of those unique and special places on earth.
