Bahia Magdalena & Hull Canal
After leaving Cabos San Lucas last evening, we motored up the western coast of the peninsula thru the night to reach La Entrada, the entrance to Bahia Magdalena. We awoke to a beautiful sunrise and relatively calm waters. Soon we were witness to many spouts from the grey whales in the near distance. This region harbors one of three coastal lagoons in Baja California used as breeding and calving grounds by the California Gray whale. One of the longest migrations of any mammal, the gray whale covers some 12000 miles from its breeding territory in Baja California to the feeding grounds in the Bering, western Beaufort, and Chuckchi seas. We spent the morning in the ships Zodiacs and pangas from the local fisherman. These magnificent creatures seemed to be everywhere.
After returning to the ship and enjoying lunch, we began our journey north through the Hull Canal. Due to the shallow and treacherous channel, we enlisted our local pilot, Alejandro, a local fisherman who resides in the northern town of Lopez Mateos, to help us navigate these waters. At times, the Canal was only 8 feet deep and our engines churned mud out the stern of our vessel. As we traveled up the canal, lined by red and white mangroves, and Barchan sand dunes, we encountered a large variety of birds including double-crested baby cormorants, willets, godwits, egrets, terns, and a belted kingfisher. We also spotted a group of coyotes scavenging the sandy shores for food. Several bottled-nosed dolphins rode our bow for a short time as well.
As the day came to an end, we anchored in Boca de Soledad, were we will spend the next 1.5 days attempting to get a close encounter with new mothers and their calves.
After leaving Cabos San Lucas last evening, we motored up the western coast of the peninsula thru the night to reach La Entrada, the entrance to Bahia Magdalena. We awoke to a beautiful sunrise and relatively calm waters. Soon we were witness to many spouts from the grey whales in the near distance. This region harbors one of three coastal lagoons in Baja California used as breeding and calving grounds by the California Gray whale. One of the longest migrations of any mammal, the gray whale covers some 12000 miles from its breeding territory in Baja California to the feeding grounds in the Bering, western Beaufort, and Chuckchi seas. We spent the morning in the ships Zodiacs and pangas from the local fisherman. These magnificent creatures seemed to be everywhere.
After returning to the ship and enjoying lunch, we began our journey north through the Hull Canal. Due to the shallow and treacherous channel, we enlisted our local pilot, Alejandro, a local fisherman who resides in the northern town of Lopez Mateos, to help us navigate these waters. At times, the Canal was only 8 feet deep and our engines churned mud out the stern of our vessel. As we traveled up the canal, lined by red and white mangroves, and Barchan sand dunes, we encountered a large variety of birds including double-crested baby cormorants, willets, godwits, egrets, terns, and a belted kingfisher. We also spotted a group of coyotes scavenging the sandy shores for food. Several bottled-nosed dolphins rode our bow for a short time as well.
As the day came to an end, we anchored in Boca de Soledad, were we will spend the next 1.5 days attempting to get a close encounter with new mothers and their calves.
