After navigating our way north into the Sea of Cortez during the night, we greeted the new day off the eastern side of San Jose Island; the clear atmosphere and cloudless horizon made for the perfect conditions for a green flash and we waited expectantly for it. Believers and soon-to-be-converted sceptics both watched as the sun rising over the waters regaled both with the mythical green color. And as if it weren’t enough, shortly afterwards we encountered a group of bottlenose dolphins that approached our bow to get a free ride. And all before breakfast!
During the rest of the morning, National Geographic Sea Bird sailed around the northeastern coast of San Jose Island and between San Diego and Santa Cruz islands and found a large group of long-beaked common dolphins! Some 500 dolphins perhaps and many of them followed us for a long time, making everyone smile and the cameras work. We continued our way towards our evening destination on the western coast of San Jose Island and watched a couple of striped marlin and numerous Mobula rays jumping repeatedly high in the air. Some of the rays were clearly seen by everyone on deck as they slowly swim just beneath the surface in their never-ending search of the small planktonic creatures that they feed on.
After lunch we disembarked at Kelley’s beach and engaged in kayaking and hiking. Those who went exploring the interior of the island got to know the beauty and multiple adaptations of the plants and other creatures that call the desert home, including the cardon, organ pipe and galloping cacti, the elephant tree, and birds like the northern cardinal or the Xanthus hummingbird, endemic to Baja California Sur. Kayakers had the chance to explore the coastline and watch the blows of several baleen whales off in the distance, silhouetted against the towering La Giganta mountain range. Meanwhile, our crew prepared a wonderful barbecue dinner ashore and when the time came, we all enjoyed a delicious meal with a superb view, followed by some great storytelling by the one and only William Lopez-Forment and Jim Kelley, ending a wonderful day.
