The morning began with a bang – literally! Thunder rumbled in the distance and lightning forked to the water from angry storm clouds. Distant rain stretched from cloud to sea as the sun peeked over the horizon, lighting up the cliffs of Isla San Pedro Martir. A couple rounds of Zodiacs zipped out to explore. Some boats circumnavigated the island, searching for elusive Guadalupe fur seals amongst the barking California sea lions. The island was an oasis for bird activity. The air was filled with brown and blue-footed boobies, pelicans, cormorants, and the exceptionally beautiful red-billed tropicbird. Photographers went nuts shooting the birds in flight, their elegant long tail feathers wisping in the wind behind them. Some boats headed out to sea in pursuit of bottle-nose dolphins, running with the dolphins as they leapt playfully alongside the Zodiacs. Photographers were spread-eagled on the pontoons, cameras snapping frantically as dolphins leapt and arched through the water.
Near the end of lunch the dining room was vacated in a flurry of flying napkins and cookies to rush outside for the spotting of a sperm whale. A lone whale blew a few times at the surface, its breath spraying out at a 45 degree angle from its head, before sliding below the surface with a great display of flukes. A group of bottlenose dolphins surrounded the ship, leaping and bow-riding with exuberant enthusiasm. One flew several feet in the air directly below us on the bow! Then it was back to sperm whales – several of them – blowing and diving between dolphin runs. It even rained on us, driving everyone inside to don jackets! After we turned south to begin the long journey to tomorrow's destination, Ralph Lee Hopkins presented an aerial photography show on the aftermath of the winter's hurricane.
The evening concluded with another delicious meal followed by a video preview from our video chronicler Eric Wehrmeister.
