New Year’s Day kicked off for the guests of the National Geographic Sea Bird with a spin around the southern end of Isla Espiritu Santu in search of marine creatures on the way from the night’s harbor of “Playa Bonanza” to Ensenada Grande. Bird enthusiasts enjoyed the magnificent frigatebirds wheeling overhead and blue-footed boobies seeking out fish near the surface—both of which nest in large numbers in the Sea of Cortez.
Arriving mid-morning to Ensenada Grande guests had the chance for a last snorkel at the edge of the steep cliffs dropping into the sea. Around the expedition landing craft that served as the base of snorkel operations, a school of spinetail mobula rays—a species that resembles a miniature manta—spun graceful circles as they siphoned plankton from the rich water. The shallow, rocky reef teamed with cornet fish, sergeant majors, and an unusually high number of the aptly named guinea fowl puffer adorned with bright white speckles like their namesake.
After a delicious lunch, we returned to the island for a mixture of aquatic and terrestrial activities. Some ventured out on stand-up paddleboards or kayaks to explore the bays while others enjoyed just splashing about in the water. Naturalists Lee Moll and David Stevens as well as photo instructor Michael Nolan fanned out across the desert explaining the fascinating flora and fauna of the island with eyes peeled for the endemic ground squirrel black-tailed jackrabbit. Meanwhile Michelle led an ambitious group of hikers to a peak from which views of both sides of the island could be enjoyed. As the day drew to a close, guests returned to the ship and the kids had a special surprise of a holiday piñata before a farewell dinner. The night concluded with the guest slideshow and a viewing of the footage of our swim with whale sharks from the day before along with reflections on the wonderful adventures behind us.
