San Jose del Cabo
On our first night together we assured everyone that we would be engaging all of our senses during this week-long exploration of Baja California. This is not an expedition that scratches the surface horizontally, this is a vertical exploration, where we plunge in feet first and explore the depths of a wild landscape and its salty perimeter.
The question of the morning: What are the whales doing? We sit with this watery enigma below us; the courtship, bravado, blustering and posturing. Is there a bombastic chatter of trash talk as the males attempt to take the role of escort beside the female? All of it is a labyrinthine of behaviors that generates more questions than it presents answers. Engaging a different sense, we gather more data as our hydrophone picks up the songs of nearby humpbacks. These are not laconic tunes; they can go on for a solid 20 minutes before starting again. They seem comical at times, with burpy blips and baritone hums climbing the scale to soprano shrieks followed by see-saw erkings. Yes, the sounds are hard to put into words.
Punctuating the sporadic surfacings of the whales were an occasional breaching whale, a pectoral fin slap here or there and leaping mobula rays. More questions as to why so many creatures of the sea feel the need to dry off and become ephemerally airborne. Peer pressure was the current theory circulated by observers on deck.
Other tangents explored included walking along the lifeblood of San Jose del Cabo, the estero, meaning “fresh water”. A multitude of birds took advantage of this reedy respite including moorhens, herons and blue-winged teals.
With sunset looming we traversed to the tailbone of Baja California, turned the corner into the Pacific Ocean and continued northward toward an evening green flash and more adventures in our vertical survey.
Inspired travelers share their musings with you today as well.
Sea Lions by Rollins Chapman, age 9
Sea lions are cute and sweet, just like you and me.
Sea lions are playful like children on a playground.
Sea lions can get into fights like brothers and sisters.
Sea lions are mammals just like us.
Sea lions by Frankie Chapman, age 13
Sea lions sleep during the day, they love to play.
The beach master is rather picky of where he lays, which is on the bay.
Sea lions eat fish, this is their favorite dish.
Gray Whales by Leslie Chapman, age11
Gentle giant of the everlasting sea
Radical and rambunctious
A splash of the tail
You’re lucky if you get to see one
Wonderful and wild
High tails splash in the air
A real joy to see
Loyal and lovable
Eager to see
Stupendous and everything!
