Perfection. Today was one of those days. From sunrise to sunset, it was a classic perfect Baja day. Filled with wildlife and scenery, accompanied by perfect weather, it was a wonderful way to end our trip.
Beginning the day with not only a green flash, but a purple flash, we awoke to not a breath of wind and glassy seas. Our morning was spent enjoying the sea lions of Los Islotes. Both above and below, we were surrounded by sea lions. We watched them pile on top of each other on the rocks, mothers nursing their pups, and individuals sleeping in various yoga poses. As we entered their realm underwater, this is where we enjoyed their true grace and beauty. We participated in their underwater ballet, many times coming face to face with each other.
After lunch, the search for wildlife was on. We saw a few turtles, played with bottlenose dolphins bow riding on the ship, and even spotted numerous dwarf sperm whales. For most of the day, the ship was sailing through a sea filled with Mobula rays. Similar to the larger mantas, these rays were everywhere today. Many were seen cruising just below the surface with wing tips sometimes breaking the surface. However, more exceptional, was the breaching above the water. In one area, there easily were hundreds of them, all doing various forms of flips and landing with a large splash.
For sure, the highlight of the day for me was what came next. We discovered a group of killer whales. Rare here in the gulf, they are always exciting to encounter. There were at least twenty individuals, and the seas were still glassy calm. Numerous times, a group of four killer whales would go under the ship, giving us views of their entire bodies. Synchronized surfacing just off the bow with the backdrop of the mountains of the Baja Peninsula was one of the greatest wildlife encounters in the world.
