At Sea in the Pacific Ocean & Isla Magdalena
This morning we enjoyed the gentle roll of the ship as we slept in a bit later than normal. A morning at sea was the perfect way to relax after our full days at San Ignacio Lagoon. To get from San Ignacio to the Gulf of California, we have over 300 miles to travel in the Pacific.
In the late morning we went ashore near Punta Belcher on Isla Magdalena for a chance to explore and to stretch our legs. Our first discovery was waiting at the landing – a Humboldt squid was washed up on the beach. Carlos used this specimen to teach us about squid and their habits, and of course there were plenty of photo opportunities. We were not the only ones happy to find a dead squid on the beach. Western and California gulls were enjoying a feast on other squid further down the beach.
From there we went in a variety of directions, some enjoying the shoreline, while others went up the arroyo to learn about the desert. Many of the plants were in bloom. The flowers made excellent subjects for macro photography. The fun thing about going slowly and looking closely was that there was always more there than it initially seemed. A closer look at the long-stamened flowers of the fairy duster revealed small ants crawling in the diminutive flower for the nectar.
In the mid-afternoon the call went out that some active humpback whales were spotted. A group of two or three whales were slapping the surface of the water with their tails and flippers. After a few minutes the “action” had calmed to the point where we were about to leave, when all of a sudden we witnessed a double breach ahead of us! Two huge humpbacks getting most of their bodies out of the water at the same time was awe inspiring. Cameras poised, we waited and hoped for more. Indeed there were! Whether the photos we took were with our cameras or with our memories, the images will be remembered for a long time.
From the very small to the gigantic, today, like other days, it was worth it to slow down and take time to look closely. Maybe there are some lessons here for our everyday life.
