Isla San Francisco
We awoke this morning in the calm of Half Moon Bay and Isla San Francisco. After breakfast we anxiously departed on hikes both short and long.
Our hikes revealed the amazing adaptations of Sonoran desert plants living in this arid environment. We spoke of the salt tolerant halophytes such as salt bush and pickleweed and their ability to live in salt saturated environments. Climbing the ridges we admired the volcanic rock that composes the island and were fascinated by the topography of the land, the two beaches separated by a small isthmus and the active salt pan. From the windy ridge, exhilarated by the intense breeze, we observed magnificent frigatebirds in acrobatic flight and brown boobies plunge diving below, feeding on the abundant fish. Under rocks we searched for creepy crawlies and had encounters of the reptilian kind unearthing chuckwallas and rattlesnakes. On “chuckwalla hill” we got good looks at this iquanid lizard. Chuckwallas are well known for their particular escape behavior of wedging themselves into rock cracks and gulping air to inflate their bodies. Wedging their inflated bodies into precarious positions makes it difficult for predators to remove them. Further up the hill 3 rattlesnakes (1 of the 15 species found in the Gulf of California) were found in the shadows of a large rock. Much larger and rattled (vs. the rattle-less rattle snake of Isla Santa Catalina) they are one of the top predators on this small island in the sea.
After lunch we enjoyed water sports from snorkel boat and kayak. Snorkelers swam amongst thousands of flatiron herring and all seemed to discover the particularly large guineafowl puffer hiding amongst the rocks. The flower urchin attempted to conceal itself in armor, covering itself with pieces of rock and shell. We are continually awed by the adaptations of the flora and fauna. To end the day we explored the tide pools and observed marine invertebrates in the low tide of the full moon rising. Nudibranches, sea stars, sea cucumbers, fire worms and a myriad of other creatures exposed us to a world few of us ever get to explore.
Back on the ship a full moon rose between the hills of the volcanic island with Mars rising by its side. The perfect closure to a perfect day, Isla San Francisco is a treasure chest full of the wonders of nature that draw us to the Gulf of California.
We awoke this morning in the calm of Half Moon Bay and Isla San Francisco. After breakfast we anxiously departed on hikes both short and long.
Our hikes revealed the amazing adaptations of Sonoran desert plants living in this arid environment. We spoke of the salt tolerant halophytes such as salt bush and pickleweed and their ability to live in salt saturated environments. Climbing the ridges we admired the volcanic rock that composes the island and were fascinated by the topography of the land, the two beaches separated by a small isthmus and the active salt pan. From the windy ridge, exhilarated by the intense breeze, we observed magnificent frigatebirds in acrobatic flight and brown boobies plunge diving below, feeding on the abundant fish. Under rocks we searched for creepy crawlies and had encounters of the reptilian kind unearthing chuckwallas and rattlesnakes. On “chuckwalla hill” we got good looks at this iquanid lizard. Chuckwallas are well known for their particular escape behavior of wedging themselves into rock cracks and gulping air to inflate their bodies. Wedging their inflated bodies into precarious positions makes it difficult for predators to remove them. Further up the hill 3 rattlesnakes (1 of the 15 species found in the Gulf of California) were found in the shadows of a large rock. Much larger and rattled (vs. the rattle-less rattle snake of Isla Santa Catalina) they are one of the top predators on this small island in the sea.
After lunch we enjoyed water sports from snorkel boat and kayak. Snorkelers swam amongst thousands of flatiron herring and all seemed to discover the particularly large guineafowl puffer hiding amongst the rocks. The flower urchin attempted to conceal itself in armor, covering itself with pieces of rock and shell. We are continually awed by the adaptations of the flora and fauna. To end the day we explored the tide pools and observed marine invertebrates in the low tide of the full moon rising. Nudibranches, sea stars, sea cucumbers, fire worms and a myriad of other creatures exposed us to a world few of us ever get to explore.
Back on the ship a full moon rose between the hills of the volcanic island with Mars rising by its side. The perfect closure to a perfect day, Isla San Francisco is a treasure chest full of the wonders of nature that draw us to the Gulf of California.
