Colorful sandstone cliffs of Isla San José provided an impressive backdrop as the National Geographic Sea Bird slipped through the calm water at dawn. Before breakfast, bottlenose dolphins raced towards the bow where they caught the pressure wave. We peered over the rail to see the sleek, streamlined animals steering back and forth just ahead of the ship. It was a perfect start to our week together in the Sea of Cortez! As the morning continued, we cruised north, always on the lookout for marine life. The tall spout of a large whale rose and lingered at the horizon. We gradually drew closer and discovered not only one, but two blue whales traveling together. These are the biggest animals in existence and probably the largest to have ever lived. We watched and listened to them gracefully rise, exhale, and then descend out-of-sight. Over and over they surfaced, providing us with marvelous views of the first baleen whales of the voyage. A little later, a humpback whale appeared, even showing its flukes as it arched for a deeper dive.
Our destination for the afternoon was Isla Santa Catalina within Loreto Bay National Park. This island is home to a number of endemic reptiles, meaning that they are found here and nowhere else in the world. The Santa Catalina rattlesnake is unique because it has no rattle, although it still retains the potent venom of its relatives. Before going ashore for hikes, many opted for a chance to snorkel in the clear water beside a prominent formation known as Elephant Rock. Schools of yellowtail surgeonfish milled near shore, barred porcupinefish watched us swim by, and a variety of sea stars decorated the seafloor.
Although this desert island had seemed quite barren from the ship, it was alive with life upon closer inspection. We could pick from a variety of hikes for the late afternoon. Some headed for a fast-paced walk, while others meandered along the dry creek bed, or arroyo, to take in the beauty of the majestic cardons (similar to saguaros) and the endemic giant barrel cacti (see photo) in this wild environment. One group spotted a rattlesnake. Lizards dashed across the warm sand at our approach. The side-blotched lizards that reside here display vibrant turquoise tails unlike more camouflaged individuals found elsewhere. Palo verde shrubs splashed the desert with a display of yellow flowers. Loggerhead shrikes, white-winged doves, and black-throated sparrows perched on the towering cardons. Eventually all returned to the Sea Bird for a relaxing evening as we motored on to more adventures.
