Boca de Soledad & Bahia Santa Maria
We woke up to a beautiful sunrise in the Boca de Soledad this morning. As we were stretching on the bridge deck, the clouds were turning from shades of purple and red to pink and orange to yellow...the tapestry in the sky was alive and very colorful.
Many guests were eager to get aboard the Zodiacs for an early encounter with the grey whales while others were enjoying a leisurely morning with a late breakfast on board, waiting for their turn to visit with the whales.
When the first group returned, everyone was smiling and glowing from their personal experience with a friendly whale and her baby. We could tell we were going to have a wonderful experience as well.
As we got in the Zodiacs the sun was warming up and the blue sky reflected in the blue water of the lagoon. Eyes were sighting many whales but a friendly mother and her calf was the attraction for the morning. She was blowing hard to spray the people on board of the Zodiac. A few of the guest had a close experience with the baby as the mother was pushing him or her close to the Zodiac. The mother was very big and it was an impressive sight to watch this giant creature swimming ever so gently under the Zodiac and watching the baby riding on her back. In just a few weeks her body will be thinner as she spends much of her body fat feeding her young calf to make him strong enough for their long migration north in a couple of months. In the meantime, they are enjoying the safety of Magdalena Bay to prepare for the journey.
Alejandro Camacho, a local captain, came on board to navigate the National Geographic Sea Bird for the transit South, down the Hull Canal. We were all on the lookout for gray whale mothers and calves resting in the waters and gained a different perspective of their size as we got to see them from up higher. Many gulls and frigate birds were observed along the way.
Brian showed us the preview for the video chronicle of our week in Baja California.
Later on in the afternoon, upon reaching the southern end of the canal, we went ashore to walk a beautiful beach on the Pacific called Bahia Santa Maria. We walked across the dunes and discovered a display of sand dollars all along the Pacific shores.
The clouds offered a tapestry of deep grey patterns with patches of orange and red as the sun and the horizon were coming closer.
We all gathered back on board for our farewell dinner with captain Kay.
