Isla Santa Catalina and Puerto Los Gatos, Baja California Peninsula
Santa Catalina Island rose to the east as the first rays of morning sun played across the distant mountains of the peninsula. Eager adventurers gathered to board Zodiacs for shore when bottlenose dolphins appeared off the stern of the ship. Shuttles struck off to provide close views of these delightful creatures as they surfaced and jumped clear of the water. It was hard to pull away from their antics, but we finally moved on for our morning landing.
Once we arrived on the cobble-strewn coast, hiking parties strode up a scenic arroyo through towering cardon cacti (see photo), similar to the saguaros found farther north. Giant barrel cactuses are also here, found only on Isla Santa Catalina and a couple of adjacent islands, and nowhere else in the world. The rugged cacti stood in stark contrast to delicate tissue-paper blossoms of purple nightshade, shown in the photograph. Gnarly stalks of palo adan and toji, a showy mistletoe, sported scarlet hummingbird flowers that splashed additional color through the desert. Some hikers climbed to the crest of the island for spectacular views, while others spent more time investigating the lowlands, taking pictures and examining the diversity of plant life. In addition, a Zodiac cruise provided opportunities to spend more time watching dolphins, as well as spotting birds and poking into watery hollows.
When everyone returned to the ship, Dr. William Gilly, a National Geographic scientist, offered a fascinating presentation about his research on the oxygen minimum zone within the Gulf of California, a topic closely tied to the abundance of Humboldt squid in this region.
By early afternoon the National Geographic Sea Bird lay at anchor at Puerto Los Gatos on the Baja California Peninsula. Sculpted red sandstones flanked several beaches where we spent the rest of the day. Hikers traveled inland to explore, while snorkelers swam around a rocky point in search of marine life. An unusual wildlife sighting caught us by surprise: seven cows wandered to the water’s edge and waded into the sea fairly close to our landing, including several calves with very floppy ears. These animals were tough and lean, well-suited to desert life.
Dinner tonight was served as a barbecue ashore. Sangria, pulled pork, and yellow fin tuna tasted especially good outside in the fresh air. Brownies, watermelon and s’mores finished off our evening meal. The bonfire crackled beneath the emerging stars as the smell of roasting marshmallows wafted through the air.
