In the Gulf of California
After a quiet night spent at anchor listening to the barking of California sea lions at Los Islotes, we followed the calm seas farther north into the Gulf of California (also known as the Sea of Cortez). One of the best parts of the day, at least for this observer, is the early morning gathering on the bow of the National Geographic Sea Bird, steaming mug of coffee in hand, to watch Venus fade and the morning light spread across the sky from the east. It is especially enjoyable when we can make believers of skeptics. Today was one such morning. As the sunrise approached, we watched anxiously for that brief moment when the very top of the solar disk first appears over the horizon. As it did, an unmistakable, ever so brief flash of violet appeared, followed a fraction of a second later by the largest flare of green that I have ever witnessed. And that was when the skeptics joined the ranks of the believers. We never tire of the maritime tradition of watching for the green flash that appears over tropical to polar seas at sunrise and sunset, when conditions are right. They sure were right this morning.
Isla San Jose is one of the larger islands off the Gulf of California. It is mainly granitic but there is an area of bright red sandstone that we call Punta Colorado ("red point"). We came here to snorkel and to hike up a beautiful desert arroyo. The soft sandstone has been sculpted by the action of wind and water rushing down the arroyo to create smooth curves and rock faces, within which we could see the shells of marine creatures that lived some 20 million years ago, when the present Baja California Peninsula was still a part of the Mexican mainland.
And on we went, pointing to a spot on the Peninsula proper for afternoon activities. We didn't make it there. Our progress was interrupted by a pesky blue whale. Blue whales: the largest of all mammals; the largest of all animals; and to our knowledge, the largest of all animals to have ever lived on our planet, dwarfing the largest of the dinosaurs. An animal of this size could only exist in the ocean, where buoyancy helps to support the huge mass (more than 200 tons of it!). Each time the whale surfaced to breath, columns of vapor rose vertically, 20 to 30 feet, and seemed to hang in the desert air. Several breaths, and then the whale descended to feed, leaving a smooth circle of water pushed to the surface by a stroke of its powerful flukes. Once blue whales were heavily hunted, their great bodies converted into barrels of whale oil. Now, fortunately, blue whales are appreciated more for the magnificent creatures that they are, and many populations, including this one, seem to be increasing.
Reluctantly, we departed. Our revised destination was back on Isla San Jose, but on the other side from our morning adventure at Punta Colorado. As we walked up another desert arroyo or explored the beach, the Sea Bird crew quickly brought ashore the fixings for a barbecue dinner. The daylight that began with the green flash faded to be replaced by myriad stars lighting the desert sky. Another beautiful day in Baja California.
