Hundreds of frigatebirds appeared soaring above the National Geographic Sea Bird this morning before sunrise. What a show! They seemed to be stationary, hanging from a low-lying sky, or painted on a cupola, just like a Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel fresco of black, pterodactyl-like mythological creatures. There was a light breeze and a cloudy sky, too. The bow was covered by dozens of small patches of fish-smelling white substances produced and released by many of those big and magnificent marine birds. The crew kept busy cleaning the sticky guano. We took hundreds of photos, and soon we went down to attend the call for breakfast.
Later, boats were boarded with local permit holders, guests and staff for our first whale watching experience. Gray whales were scattered everywhere at Boca de la Soledad, and soon we got close to pairs of cows and calves. A couple of boat parties found the so-called “friendly whales” and, one by one, the rest of us took turns to visit. Soon, guests and staff stretched arms out to touch the confident mothers and babies! Expressions like: “I will never wash my hands again!” and other equally funny quotes were heard as the performance progressed. Many other whales, in the meantime, offered a delightful bonus in the form of numerous spy-hopping events. What a way to start our whale watching!
For the afternoon, after a delicious lunch, the ship moved south closer to La Florida. In this quiet section of the lagoon many calves are born, subsequently there is a low energy expenditure required by the mothers during the first week of life of their babies. More whale-watching cruises were organized and again the giants displayed a lot of their behavioral repertoire, including a calf’s breeching. There were also hikes on Magdalena Island, and the afternoon light was phenomenal because it was almost yellow with a touch of orange tincture. The endless ochre-brown and even orange-colored sand dunes made the place look like a Mars or Venus landscape. Coyotes were heard howling and barking in the distance. Shorebirds accompanied us at the beach. Everything was fantastic! It had to be that way. It was Magdalena Island and its lagoon!
