Isla San Esteban and Isla Tiburon
Our first stop this gorgeous Baja morning was at the island of San Esteban. It happens to be one of my favorite islands because the plants found here are primarily desert scrub species dominated by cacti. The vegetation is surprisingly varied and diverse. We hoped for an encounter with the endemic pinto chuckwalla, a large iguana that was probably and still is an important food source for the Seri people who once lived here. Not only did we find many of these lizards, but we also tracked down another reptile found here and possibly in one other location - the spiny-tailed iguana. Many were gorging themselves on the tasty red fruit of the massive cardon cacti.
The fastest way to lure wildlife to our ship is to announce a presentation by one of our expedition staff. And that is just what happened. No sooner was it announced when a cry went out that there was a whale shark off our port stern! While on our way to nearby Isla Tiburon (Spanish for shark), it should have been no surprise to spot the largest fish on earth, the whale shark. Even though we’d cruised right by it, one of our guests found it again after we circled back. We estimated the animal to be about fifteen feet long and had large remoras hanging from its long pectoral fins. While the second mate skillfully maneuvered toward the shark, another shout went out. A hammerhead shark was weaving back and forth off our starboard side close to the surface. I guess we now know how Isla Tiburon got its name.
The rest of the afternoon was spent on the sprawling sandy beach of Isla Tiburon. We were kept busy with kayaking, snorkeling and just frolicking in the warm shallow waters off the beach. Then out came the banana boat and off went the kids - young and old - holding tight as the chief mate tried his best to give them the ride of their life. This is how we ended our first glorious day in the Gulf of California.
Our first stop this gorgeous Baja morning was at the island of San Esteban. It happens to be one of my favorite islands because the plants found here are primarily desert scrub species dominated by cacti. The vegetation is surprisingly varied and diverse. We hoped for an encounter with the endemic pinto chuckwalla, a large iguana that was probably and still is an important food source for the Seri people who once lived here. Not only did we find many of these lizards, but we also tracked down another reptile found here and possibly in one other location - the spiny-tailed iguana. Many were gorging themselves on the tasty red fruit of the massive cardon cacti.
The fastest way to lure wildlife to our ship is to announce a presentation by one of our expedition staff. And that is just what happened. No sooner was it announced when a cry went out that there was a whale shark off our port stern! While on our way to nearby Isla Tiburon (Spanish for shark), it should have been no surprise to spot the largest fish on earth, the whale shark. Even though we’d cruised right by it, one of our guests found it again after we circled back. We estimated the animal to be about fifteen feet long and had large remoras hanging from its long pectoral fins. While the second mate skillfully maneuvered toward the shark, another shout went out. A hammerhead shark was weaving back and forth off our starboard side close to the surface. I guess we now know how Isla Tiburon got its name.
The rest of the afternoon was spent on the sprawling sandy beach of Isla Tiburon. We were kept busy with kayaking, snorkeling and just frolicking in the warm shallow waters off the beach. Then out came the banana boat and off went the kids - young and old - holding tight as the chief mate tried his best to give them the ride of their life. This is how we ended our first glorious day in the Gulf of California.
