Cabo San Lucas
We woke this morning in the tropics—overnight, we had crossed the Tropic of Cancer. Although the skies were moody, the whales were certainly in the spirit of things. More than one group of humpback whales were surging through the waves. Off the port bow, a group of three trumpeted; to starboard, a pair surged through the waters. It was hard to decide where to point our cameras, binoculars, and eyes.
Given that all the whales were of a similar size, these were probably adults sussing each other out for mating. Is that guy fast enough to keep up? Can this one slice his pectorals quickly through the water? The female humpback has many evaluations to make, and each will be part of what determines the success of the calf born to her about twelve months later when she returns the following winter.
As we waited for the humpbacks to rise, groups of bottlenose dolphins cavorted in the waves, some leaping from the crests into the air. It was a splendid to see such wildness in such close proximity to the civilization on the tip of Baja California.
After a moment with the granitic outcroppings of Friar’s Rocks, we turned into the harbor of Cabo San Lucas. There, we each followed our own course of exploration: some into the bright streets of this popular town; some to a snorkeling beach rich with fish; and others to a fantastic birding spot in the nearby town of San Jose Del Cabo, where a wild proliferation of bills and plumage, as in this white-faced ibis, poked and paddled through shallow waters.
The day’s natural dramas could not have been better punctuated by the evening sky. As we pulled away from Cabo San Lucas to head toward Magdalena Bay, a sailor’s delight of a sunset beckoned us north. We travel with excitement and confidence to discover just what it signifies.
We woke this morning in the tropics—overnight, we had crossed the Tropic of Cancer. Although the skies were moody, the whales were certainly in the spirit of things. More than one group of humpback whales were surging through the waves. Off the port bow, a group of three trumpeted; to starboard, a pair surged through the waters. It was hard to decide where to point our cameras, binoculars, and eyes.
Given that all the whales were of a similar size, these were probably adults sussing each other out for mating. Is that guy fast enough to keep up? Can this one slice his pectorals quickly through the water? The female humpback has many evaluations to make, and each will be part of what determines the success of the calf born to her about twelve months later when she returns the following winter.
As we waited for the humpbacks to rise, groups of bottlenose dolphins cavorted in the waves, some leaping from the crests into the air. It was a splendid to see such wildness in such close proximity to the civilization on the tip of Baja California.
After a moment with the granitic outcroppings of Friar’s Rocks, we turned into the harbor of Cabo San Lucas. There, we each followed our own course of exploration: some into the bright streets of this popular town; some to a snorkeling beach rich with fish; and others to a fantastic birding spot in the nearby town of San Jose Del Cabo, where a wild proliferation of bills and plumage, as in this white-faced ibis, poked and paddled through shallow waters.
The day’s natural dramas could not have been better punctuated by the evening sky. As we pulled away from Cabo San Lucas to head toward Magdalena Bay, a sailor’s delight of a sunset beckoned us north. We travel with excitement and confidence to discover just what it signifies.
