Marine Mammal Searching & Puerto Gato
“Today I shot nearly 30 gigabytes.”
Yes, it was one of those days. It was the classic Baja day with marine mammal overload in the morning and a desert landing in the afternoon. To top it all off, a beach barbecue amongst petrified sand dunes. Does it get any better than this?
Sunrise in the San Jose Channel started us off with a large group of long-beaked common dolphins. Glassy smooth conditions made for the perfect photo opportunities. Tens of thousands of pictures were snapped, with many bowriding dolphins allowing for some great reflection shots.
Next, a blue whale appeared. This largest of all animals amazed us with its size, and the towering blow against the volcanic mountains was perfect for a sense of place. A distant sperm whale, a few elusive dwarf sperm whales, and then a large group of pilot whales followed this. Once again, marine mammals surrounded us and many memory cards were filled. Slow moving and somewhat curious, the pilot whales allowed for nearly endless opportunity to observe them interacting with each other. The diversity and abundance of marine mammals today was certainly a thing to remember.
In the afternoon we went ashore on the peninsula in a stunning bay called Puerto Gato. Kayaking, snorkeling and desert hikes were enjoyed. To finish off another perfect day, we enjoyed a sunset feast amongst the petrified sand dunes. Many stayed late into the night, enjoying a campfire, some wonderful music, and the incredible stars.
This was the quintessential Baja day!
