Dawn exploded with color early this morning as National Geographic Sea Lion found herself safely anchored off the tiny islets known in Spanish as Los Islotes. As the sun rose higher in the east, the nearly full moon set in the west. We cruised around the tiny islets in our inflatable fleet, stopping to enjoy the sight, sound, and even the smell of the southernmost breeding colony of California sea lions here in the Sea of Cortez. Magnificent frigatebirds, brown and blue-footed boobies, yellow-footed gulls, and brown pelicans wheeled in the skies above us. The water was incredibly clear and called to us to jump in and play…so we went back to the ship to gather our snorkel equipment and returned to get wet with the sea lions!
For many of us this was the absolute highlight of the day, being surrounded by playful sea lions that make high-speed swimming and diving look effortless. Unusual in the collective staff experience, several huge bulls were not only tolerant to our presence, but also sought out close encounters with us! It is usually the pups who steal the show, but these adult males seemed to want to be made famous by all the photos being taken of them.
Early afternoon found us anchored off one of the most picturesque points in the Sea of Cortez; Punta Colorado on Isla San Jose. Expedition leader Larry Prussin had so many activities on offer that guests could easily design their own afternoon from among long hikes, photographic hikes, kayaking, swimming, beachcombing, and offshore inflatable cruising in search of rays, dolphins, and whales. One could go, go, go or simply drink in the magic at a more leisurely pace.
As the sun settled in the western sky head chef Adam Ziska and his galley crew provided an absolutely scrumptious BBQ dinner on the beach, while hotel manager Eva Saragosa and her team kept us plied with drink and everything else we could possibly want. Sunset brought our colors back and with time stars began to peek out amongst the scattered clouds. Marshmallow roasting began in earnest while the photographers in the group set up their tripods to catch star constellations from the beach. Just another perfect day on our remarkable journey!
