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Report from the FieldWelcome to Northern Lights' Journal! An up-to-date report of what's going on here at Northern Lights - check here for information about the highlights of our recent adventures, our guides and other important news.
“The second evening, after a day of some windy conditions, we watched a mother and calf humpback pass within 100 yards of camp as we gathered on the shoreline. We watched in awe at their enormity and the misty spouts that lingered in the evening light. "And if whales understood dramatics, they certainly played the part on our final morning. On the glassy, calm waters they passed well ahead of us. Just hoping for a final glimpse, we followed. Suddenly they stopped and turned. For an hour we sat as the orcas foraged for salmon all around us. A great finale to a wonderful trip.” “Sea lions were seen almost every day, passing by camp and even stopping for a few breaths to take a closer look at us. Our now-familiar baby seal kept an eye on us. Dall’s porpoises were seen regularly. A group of Pacific white-sided dolphins was following the orcas on our last morning. At one point, they were all jumping clear of the water as they were racing amongst the whales. Incredible sight. “Rosemary
celebrated her 50th birthday the first night out with a great campfire,
a perfect, starry sky and a big surprise birthday cake. Lots of
fun. We had a beautiful night paddle, some of us got up very early
to do a sunrise paddle on the final morning of the season. Our entire
group – Britons, Australians, Canadians and Americans, had
the perfect attitude to make this the best ending of a season possible.”
“Our first day, having just arrived in camp, we were sitting overlooking the ocean and a group of fifty Pacific white-sided dolphins raced by our rocky perch. They threw up numerous ‘rooster tails,’ and did a few leaps clear of the water. And for the rest of the day, they continued to move back and forth in an area within sight of camp. “Humpbacks stole the show this week, being sighted five of the six days. And on two separate days, they surfaced within 20 yards of our kayaks on the flat calm water. At that distance, we all gained a true appreciation of the spectacular size and incredible grace of these gentle giants. And of course, there was almost always a group ‘Ahhhh’ . . . in unison, watching tail flukes come up on the final deep dive. “We only saw orcas one morning as the A30 pod passed us traveling in Johnstone Strait. Numerous sea lions, seals, river otters, Dall’s porpoises, harbour porpoises, bald eagles, common murres, phalaropes, cormorants and great blue herons all combined to make this a big week for the encounters we all came for. “Perfect September conditions were a true highlight this week. Mirror-like water and sunny afternoons in combination with the fact that we almost had the waters to ourselves made for excellent kayaking. The moonless night gave us a midnight blue sky and brightly sparkling luminescence as we paddled in the dark. “A fantastic group who took every advantage to paddle and was rewarded with perfect September weather and incredible wildlife encounters. It's great to be back!”
“On a week without much luck with orcas, which seldom happens, we were very fortunate with great humpback and northern sea lion encounters, not to mention the beautiful, sunny and warm weather. At the end of the season, the waters of the Inside Passage are once again at their calmest month of the year. Most of the summer boat traffic has gone and we really felt isolated from civilization. “After a very pleasant afternoon paddle on our first day, visiting the beautiful and peaceful waters of our secret tidal lagoon, the group split and paddled and hiked to Cracroft Point. We were presented with a show given by a humpback whale feeding in Blackney Passage, swimming in circles and breaching while accompanied by about 100 Pacific white-sided dolphins. “That was one of several humpback whale encounters and very close views of wild Northern sea lions who seem to have gotten very interested in our Wild Orca groups from week to week. A harbour seal pup has taken to hanging out on a rock near camp and seems very comfortable with kayakers passing by. “We were able to see all the ‘usual’ Inside Passage sea birds, as well as eagles and herons, but also joined by several migrating species and some of the birds that come to inshore waters after a summer at sea. We had a very diverse and interesting group who appreciated the humpbacks despite the mysteriously vanished orcas this week.”
“The first day we were treated to a visit by some of the locals: orcas, humpbacks and sea lions put out the welcome mat! We had a big first day’s paddle which was eagerly completed by a strong crew. The second day involved a morning’s paddle through some of our favorite little islands. “We followed that with a walk through the forest as sun filtered through the canopy of trees. Our arrival at a clifftop was timed perfectly for the crystal clear skies to emerge. We had a great interpretive talk from one of the whale researchers there.
“We bonded on our first night around the camp fire. Our newlywed couple from Japan was very friendly and curious about everything. We ended as a very close group who all had something to offer and to share.”
“We were land bound by wind on our 5th day. One of our guides and a few guests decided on a big hike to OrcaLab, a research station on the far side of the island where one of our guests had done some volunteer research work a few years ago. A challenging hike ensued, but it was a happy reunion and all were able to pass ancient cedar and spruce trees along the way. “This group wanted to see orcas! And they did, with sightings almost every day. One of our guides and a guest who had stayed up after midnight heard the blows of orcas coming. They turned up the hydrophone volume enough to wake up most of our group, who then got to listen to the R Pod passing by for a good half hour. “Our closest encounter in the kayaks was during our move from one camp to the next. Four orcas came out of nowhere and surprised us by surfacing right next to our kayaks, surprising us all. We also saw humpback whales on two occasions. A ‘friendly’ sea lion made a very close pass, snorting and splashing for us on our final paddle. And we kayaked into a symphony of birds calls as we approached a couple of ‘herring balls,’ (tightly packed schools of herring being herded by birds from above and fish from below). Common murres dove on the herring, tiny northern phalaropes joined in at the edges and even loons added to the bird life. “We had a variety of weather: sun, wind, calm water. The group really appreciated the warm, sunny days and the beautiful, mystical landscape, revealed as the morning fog burned off as each day unfolded. We had a very relaxed, easy going group who shared a great sense of humour and had a great time despite some wind during the week. Everyone enjoyed themselves, the sun, the whales and the kayaking.”
Our August 26 Inside Passage/Orca Humpback Odyssey was made up of 13 guests and led by Cory, Luke and Ryan. Luke’s report: “A highlight would have to be the ease with which we saw the orcas! They went straight past camp on the very first day; after that we saw them up close from the kayaks. It was hard to know where to look as they were surfacing all around us, breaching and spyhopping. “Two of our six days of weather weren’t ideal but everyone made the most of everything that came: walks through the forest, reading and relaxing, and enjoying a wet campfire evening. “To sum up the whales – most days we had ‘heaps of them’ (a Kiwi-ism from our New Zealand guide), plus dolphins surfing the wake of a whale watching boat, Dall’s porpoises, etc. “The night paddle was great fun, as always, with an amazing echo filtering around the bays and an array of animal noises being projected from the kayaks! This was a really fun group! The last day summed it up when one of the guides managed to connect a line to Craig & Ken’s kayak. The two doctors ended up towing everyone without realizing it and a great sense of appreciation was shown by everyone (watch a clip of the joke here).” “This group made the trip seem like a dream to even the guides – helpful, caring people, great whale encounters and plenty of light hearted humour going around!”
“The first day brought some amazing weather and within the first ten minutes of paddling we were greeted by orcas who were foraging around the point (about 100 yards from camp). So we sat in the kelp bed and were entertained for over an hour. Not a bad start! “There’s a secret lagoon we can only explore at the times of very high tides. This week we had big tides, so, after an exciting trip through the lagoon’s narrow mouth, we were able to spend some magical time inside the lagoon. “Returning to town on the water taxi, the whales came by to say goodbye and put on an awesome show. We had bald eagles every day, as always, nearly 30 blue herons fishing from the kelp beds, and Steller’s (northern) sea lions each day as well. “This was a fun group of nine guests who were inspired and awed by the whales and the incredible landscapes.”
“The main highlight of this week’s trip was a late night orca encounter. One of our English guests spotted the A30 pod coming down the passage in front of camp. After a hasty kayak launch, we were treated to an up close visit. The whole group was very vocal and stayed with us for a good five minutes. At the same time, we had a group of three sea lions competing for our attention. “We had a group of early risers this week and had a rare treat of doing a dawn paddle with a portion of our guests. We sat in a kelp bed while another group of three sea lions checked us out as successive waves of sea fog enveloped us and then cleared. “Each morning as we left camp, a plump, baby seal dubbed ‘Tugs’ was nestled in the seaweed on the rocks. He stayed as content and relaxed as ever as we drifted closely by to watch a big yawn and a blink of its big, dark eyes. “Cory demonstrated her sea lion growl when a sea lion leaved himself out of the water a few yards from her kayak, displaying his flippers amidst a huge splash. “Another great group who all got along fantastically well. Superb trip.”
“We woke to a foggy Johnstone Strait on Day 3. By 9am we could hear the whales’ blows and on the hydrophone we could hear their calls but the fog was too thick to see them. Slowly it lifted to reveal a gorgeous morning and the whales, to give us a beautiful show. “We celebrated two birthdays on our last night out, eating a delicious birthday cake before heading out in the dark for our night paddle on the luminescent waters. “We saw two humpbacks on our fourth morning as well as the A33, A12 and I pods of orcas. Two black bears and lots of sea lions and of course eagles. We also took a hike that allowed us to meet David Garrick at his home, one of the original Greenpeace members who now lives on of the islands we camp on, working on projects that aim to preserve the area’s habitat. “Blessed by beautiful
weather and lots of whales and other wildlife, we seemed to see
another amazing show around every corner. We had a fun group and
an awesome overall week.”
“On the very first day, as we finished settling in and having lunch, a pod of orcas welcomed us moving past our camp in Johnstone Strait. After they passed, we got into our kayaks on the absolutely flat calm water and paddled in the direction of another pod of whales that was approaching from the distance. We usually see whales coming and make sure to give them plenty or room, but these whales had disappeared for a long time underwater and we thought we had missed our chance to see them. They then stunned us by rising to the surface just ahead of us and swimming under our kayaks. Closely behind them was a group of Pacific White-sided dolphins and then more orcas. All we could do was guess which way to look, as the orcas breached and swam around us. What a beginning! “We paddled three times at night on this trip. Our favorite was the one on the night following the peak of the Perseid meteor shower. It was hard to decide whether to look down at the explosion of bioluminescence in the water or up at the still numerous meteors in the sky. They shot in every direction, scratching the night sky with light and keeping us cheering. “We had a number of other close encounters with orcas, dolphins, and humpback whales. Bald eagles are still plentiful enough to get used to seeing them as a normal part of the landscape. And we had a diverse group of people who to entertained themselves, shared experiences and fully enjoyed the week.”
“On another occasion, a visit from three large, male sea lions just before our arrival back in camp opened eyes and put big grins on faces. We saw numerous pods of orcas this trip. We had a honeymoon couple, one on their 10th wedding anniversary trip, and even one who claimed to be a “whale whisperer,” and no doubt she was as it worked almost too well!” “This was a strong,
fun, laugh-a-minute crew, mixed in with excellent wildlife encounters
that made for a brilliant week.”
Three humpback whales entertained us during the morning, including some very close encounters. In the afternoon, the group split up as our five friends from Oklahoma wanted to do a little fishing and hiking while the rest of our group went for a leisurely paddle in Blackfish Sound and Knight Inlet.
On Day 5, we awoke to about 20 orcas swimming right past the beach at camp. Not long after, they returned for another pass. We followed that with a wonderful island hike through the island. The evening was spent with a great dinner and guitar and harmonica around the campfire. Finally on Day 6, orcas right by our camp again and humpbacks passing by offshore. We all became close on this trip and had a ton of fun. A real appreciation for nature was shown by all. This was a unique trip that allowed a bunch of interesting people to come together and share a common adventure. And the wildlife seemed to reward these great folks with close encounters and special moments.
We knew we were off to a good start when a humpback appeared just off camp on our first day out. A sea lion came close to our kayaks and when Cory imitated a sea lion growl, it swam under her kayak. Orcas appeared numerous times for us to encounter and watch. One mystical, foggy morning we made our way along the shoreline to a beach with a trailhead. We began our hike that ended at the top of a cliff and a spectacular view of Johnstone Strait, overlooking most of the best orca habitat in this area. The bioluminescence that
sparkled during our night paddle got a very enthusiastic response
from our group. Always a surprising highlight for those who have
never seen it, the shimmering plankton that are so bright under
a dark sky were for many the highlight of the trip. But as we have
found for 25 seasons, it’s the orcas, especially when seen
in such numbers as this week, that leave an indelible imprint on
our guests and guides.
“On day three the orcas were in the strait again and a female with a calf and a male unexpectedly came up the strait right off camp, very near the shore. A pleasant surprise as we watched them make their way slowly up the coastline for a good half hour.
“On day two, almost all our guests went swimming – we’ve been having wonderful, hot weather here this summer and it’s always great to jump in the cold water to cool off. “On our last day we finally got a glimpse of a humpback whale – far away across the sound, his blows clear against the green islands. “The sea glittered during our night paddle, but the most spectacular part was the flashes of lightning far away against the sky. “We really enjoyed this group – it was a great mix of mostly solo travelers from all over, making a fantastic blend of people. They were always joking and laughing and we all had a great time together.”
“This group came to find a refuge from everyday life and to relax. They loved to kayak and to learn about nature. What they didn’t necessarily expect was to find such peace, friendship and understanding, and the joy of appreciating the moment. “ “This was a trip
that overcame expectations. Incredible weather, amazing wildlife
and, above all, a very special group of people that have marked
my life forever. Within this group each of us could find friendship
and understanding and share life experiences.” Both our trips went out this week with high expectations and from our guides’ reports, it looks like everyone’s hopes were well satisfied.
On a clear evening after dinner, Darren took a couple of guest out in the kayaks. They were surprised by a hundred Pacific white-sided dolphins who took a liking to the kayaks and swam all around and under them, leaping into the air and racing alongside. Another day, a seal rolled on the surface near our kayaks, looking very cute with its big, brown eyes. It eventually swam under our kayaks, gliding gracefully through the kelp. We were surprised by a humpback whale just outside Port McNeill on our way back to town. He surfaced just a couple of yards from our water taxi amid excited shouts from our group. On our last day out, the A24 pod of orcas passed by camp, hitching a ride on the current that carried them into Johnstone Strait. Every morning we awoke to the sound of the baby eagle in the nest above our camp chirping for food – a very sweet sound. This was a very fun trip with a great group.
Every day an incredible variety of animals were sighted. Humpback whales, black bears (young and adult on different beaches), deer (mother and fawn and another buck in our camp site), river otters, Steller’s sea lions, harbour seals, great blue herons, pileated woodpeckers (rarely seen), belted kingfishers, Dall’s porpoises, dozens of bald eagles and, with a very low tide on our last day, great intertidal life during a very relaxing, shoreline paddle. The glassy calm waters this week gave us some very lazy, laid back paddles. We even had tea and hot chocolate and snacks while afloat one day on our ‘floating café.’ We started a night paddle on a gorgeous, starry night with a beautiful moon that set behind the mountains, darkening the night and allowing the bioluminescense to glow at its brightest. We had a small group of two couples from Britain who all enjoyed each others’ company and quickly got into the pace of living outdoors. They were very keen on learning all they could and we were happy to spend lots of time exploring habitat and wildlife all new to them. We paddled a lot and relaxed a lot this week – just right. Somehow the orcas that
were around just weren’t where we were at the right times,
but we had good luck with a humpback whale mother and calf, the
little one breaching about 200 yards from our kayaks. This was a
great week of both Wildlife Discovery and personal discovery. Can’t
wait until next week.
“What a start to a ‘Wild Orca!!’ Arrived at camp with reports of orcas just around the corner, so after a hastened departure from camp, we paddled out and encountered them immediately, a big male and female feeding on salmon. A good hour was spent watching before heading back to camp for lunch, passing Dall’s porpoises and eagles along the way. “Day two started with a fantastic journey through the intertidal zone, looking at and even touching some of the many wonderful creatures below. We paddled to a beautiful, pebble beach and hiked through the lush, mystical forest, arriving at a cliff top with spectacular views. A perfect site for lunch. “Once back at camp, we were treated to a humpback putting on a show shortly after dinner. We followed that up with an amazing night paddle, with the highlight for many being the 3-foot long salmon swimming by under us, lit up by the glowing, luminous plankton. “We lazed in the sun on day three on a white shell beach and later paddled through our favorite lagoon, a very unique and mysterious habitat that always inspires a sense of reverence in all of us. A close encounter with a sea lion topped off a great day’s paddling. A little drizzle in the evening brought everyone together in the kitchen and led to a lot of fun around meal time. “We had a great
group of people, enjoyed wonderful marine life, the blows of a humpback
whale echoing off the cliffs across from camp, dolphins, harbour
and Dall’s porpoises, tons of sea birds and eagles, big Chinook
salmon visible below, and a bit of fog to add a sense of mystery
to it all. A very peaceful, contemplative four days with people
who were happy with such a special time in the wilderness, relaxing
and soaking it all up.” July 15, 2007 Two Inside Passage, trips ran this week, a six-day Wildlife Discovery adventure and another six days of for a custom, family adventure. From our guides’ reports, it’s easy to see that all is well on the waters of Johnstone Strait and Blackfish Sound this July season.
We had a very enthusiastic group of kayakers this week, so we covered more distance than usual. Our first day was one of distance; we paddled to an abandoned Native village under a beautiful, sunny sky, which was to become the norm for the entire week. We saw the old totem poles and lazed on the beach eating ripe thimbleberries and blackberries. Our third day was one of navigating around an island, staying close to shore at first because of fog. The fog created a surreal, albeit hidden world of porpoises, breaching humpback whales, huge clusters of eagles and happy faces. It was hot enough for some of us to go swimming in the frigid water in the afternoon. The night paddle was a highlight for many, including the guides. We had a close encounter with porpoises in the dark, all manner of strange chants, brilliantly echoed, intense bioluminescense and a pack of strangely human sounding wolves howling at the stars. Jay’s birthday was his “best one ever,” our Kiwi guide Luke gave Jay a “Haka,” (new Zealand’s Maori warrior dance), as a present via firelight. We saw the baby humpback breaching in the distance; otherwise, the orcas have been incredibly slow to show up in regular numbers this season and we missed them this week. We did see 35 or more dolphins feeding in front of camp. The people made this trip the best one imaginable for Cory and Luke and everyone had tears as all hugged and said goodbye at trip’s end.
The flat calm waters we saw all week joined with the sometimes hot sun and the clear, starry nights to give us ideal conditions for kayaking and living in the wilderness. Lots of music from the guitars and voices around the campfire lent a lot of enjoyment to our evenings. On the next to last day, one of our guests decided to ride in the center cockpit of the one three-person kayak and play guitar and sing. Exploring the islands under the eyes curious seals and bald eagles accompanied by music made this the most relaxing end enjoyable paddle ever. A humpback whale was seen on our journey to our first camp and, while it wasn’t a strong week for wildlife sightings, the orcas encountered on the final day, allowing us to take a very close look as they surfaced near us, seemingly in slow motion. A number of sea lions, Dall’s porpoises and of course bald eagles gave us some unique sightings. This was a great family
to share the week with, full of music, interested in paddling, exploring
a new environment to them and having fun singing and playing together.
This was a week of exploration and fun! The family really enjoyed
their time together, both on the water and back in camp.
Orcas have been unusually slow to show up in large numbers this year, apparently due to an abundance of salmon just outside our area. No doubt they’ll be moving in this week, as they are usually quite regular residents by the end of June. But the group saw one whale briefly on its first day out and on the last day were treated to a great show from a mother and calf humpback whale, with the baby repeatedly launching itself out of the water. Pacific White-sided dolphins passed by camp on one occasion while feeding in Johnstone Strait, spraying water, leaping well clear of the water and kicking salmon into the air. A river otter was seen scampering out of the water toward its burrow ashore and a Steller’s sea lion passed by camp at dusk one evening. Harbour porpoise and seals were sighted. Four black bears sighted on beaches at various times, watching one foraging on a beach was one of the group’s highlights. Apparently tired from its meal, it was seen walking into a clump of brush only to lie down and take a nap. One of Cory’s comments: “Great trip with a diverse and fun group of people.”
With ten minutes of that encounter, we were again surprised when two orcas appeared close by. As we were reveling in those special experiences, a pod of nine more orcas appeared and before we had a chance to respond they were surfacing quite close to our kayaks. We later identified these as resident orcas from the “southern community.” The whales of the southern and northern communities rarely overlap their large territorial boundaries. But occasionally the southern residents make a quick trip through our area, apparently to sweep up some salmon while they are waiting for them to arrive further south. Our Wild Orca camp is located in an area where tidal currents rush one way or another, especially on larger tides like we had mid-week. Kayakers can use the currents to get some very nice, “free rides” and we were all impressed by the movement of the water and by learning a little about how to time our journeys around the forces of nature. Drifting through a tidal lagoon on flat, calm waters and collecting driftwood to fuel our warm campfire were some of the things that made this both an exciting and a relaxing adventure. We enjoyed how the seals followed our kayaks at times. The bald eagle nest in a tree within our campsite is always an exciting presence. Sighting a humpback whale during our water taxi ride at trip’s end was a nice bonus and a great way to end an exceptional journey. Ryan’s
summary: “A relaxed sea kayak exploration with a great team
who all achieved something special on all different levels.”
Our guides led our first Wildlife Discovery group through a highly enjoyable week of adventure. We’re seeing more and more visitors from across the water and this group included two from Britain and one from Australia. While orcas were seen by whale watching boats in the area, we were unlucky enough to miss them this week. But we did have two special encounters with a humpback whale and her calf on the first and last days of the trip. A black bear also let us have a peek at its life by overturning rocks on a beach in search of small crabs and fish. This group was
always happy to be wherever they found themselves, whether paddling
glassy waters in the sun, taking an afternoon hike while avoiding
a windy afternoon’s choppy waters, consuming the fare our
camp kitchens turned out, reading and relaxing. ‘Relaxation
101’ was the designated course for the week and all passed
with honours. The group bonded extremely well and simply knew how
to have a good time. It was a great group to start off our 25th
season with. Thanks to all for traveling so far to spend a few memorable
days with us.
Our guides are just wrapping up our 2007 pre-season training. We spend two weeks intensively working on preparing our new and veteran guide team for all our coming trips. From Northern Lights Expedition Director David Arcese, who still trains all our guides for now the 25th year: “It’s different every year as both Northern Lights and the sea kayak guiding community evolves. We have great new gear and some new cuisine for everyone to become familiar with. New personalities as always dominate the feel of each group of guides. We’ve got a truly international crew this year.” “In addition to Samanta returning as our Brazilian head guide, we welcome Ryan and Luke from New Zealand (a source of a few of our favorite all-time guides over the years), and Matt from Australia. Of course we have Canadians back with us: Cory, Darren, Mat and Emily. And 6th year guide Luke Gutowski is promising to return in September for a trip or two.” Our week on the water was really inspiring. It’s always fun to see how the new group shapes up and blends into our veteran staff. We had some June winds, just enough to help us with our route planning, just one day of with a light shower and nice, calm days the rest of the week. We all got sun burns on our last day out as things heated up. We had a very nice visit from 15-20 Dall’s porpoises scattered across the water near one of our camps. An estimated 150 Pacific white-sided dolphins were seen by our whale watching friends, just around the island from our camp. We missed seeing them ourselves but they’ll be back. We heard one loud blow we believe was a humpback whale but we were just rounding a bend going the opposite direction. Eagles were everywhere as they always are in June. We saw four bears on beaches and paddled up close enough to one to exchange some friendly eye contact. It went about its business of turning over rocks and licking up little crabs without minding our presence. We also revisited an abandoned Native village that’s been on our route for many years and remembered the feeling of awe we have at the culture that thrived there for thousands of years. Being back on the water and drifting through the
islands is a big event to those of us who feel like it’s been
too long between kayaking seasons. And who feel it’s been
too long since we’ve had a chance to watch the sky turn pink
at the end of the day over the ocean, hear the blows of the porpoises
and whales and watch the eagles locking talons while deciding whose
territory is whose. We’re starting our first trips on Sunday
and we’re anxious to greet our first group of travelers.
April 23, 2007
Well, we're back. Six days in wonderful Baja, and while words and pictures don't come close to the real experience, we'll do our best. We boarded our mothership in the city of La Paz and were immediately aware of the incredible Mexican hospitality provided by all members of the ship. From the jovial ‘capitan,’ to the always smiling kitchen crew (who in turn gave us great cuisine to smile about!) they always made us feel at home. We also met our Canadian naturalists, who were never short of a fascinating fact or entertaining story from 20 plus years of experience in the area. Our group was a wonderful mix of eight seasoned travelers, who had a very contagious sense of adventure and took to heart that laughter was the best medicine, as it was often ringing through the boat! The first day we motored out to the beautiful Espiritu Santo Island, our first taste of the ruggedly beautiful Baja coastline. It's composed of incredible red sandstone cliffs and wind- and water-carved formations, and occasionally opens up to some of the most beautiful turquoise bays imaginable. It was in one of these bays that we decided would be perfect for our first introductory paddle and snorkel, as well as a beach BBQ as we acclimatized to the summer-like sun and warmth! The snorkeling was fabulous as we saw many wonderfully shaped corals, iridescent fish, and exotic crabs, starfish, and sea cucumbers of shapes and colors quite different from the Pacific Northwest. The second day began with blue skies and mirror-like waters, so we couldn't resist jumping in our kayaks from the start. We paddled to some islets just off the main island, and the anticipated wildlife didn't disappoint. Dozens of California sea lions seemed to be everywhere, from being placed in the most unusual positions rather high up in nooks on the rocks, to swimming and splashing around us in a very curious and playful way. There were also many sea birds; herons, frigates, gulls, pelicans, cormorants, and even a couple blue footed boobies who had a very unusual march-stepping motion as part of their courtship. We then traded in our kayaks for snorkels, and to get a below-the-surface view of these playful sea lions. Not only did a few curious animals come quite close to check us out, but what a memorable experience to see how graceful these enormous animals can truly be. Reboarding our ship, we then traveled north over the glassy Sea of Cortez. The day’s once-in-a-lifetime events were not finished yet, as we encountered the biggest animal on Earth, the blue whale! The third day started with a paddle to a tiny fishing settlement, where five families have lived for the past 80 years. It was fascinating to watch them bring in a great catch of tuna, rays, sharks, and crabs, among other types of fish. They even gave us some fresh fish which was later turned into a very tasty ceviche dish! The afternoon was again how any day should be on a sunny, warm, Mexican afternoon, filled with snorkeling, swimming, and beach combing. The evening featured star gazing with one of the naturalists, who also teaches astronomy. Needless to say, staring up at the greatest planetarium (the real night sky) with a great teacher was a real highlight. The fourth day, in true showmanship, proved to keep getting better! Another calm sunny morning, we started paddling down the isolated shoreline of San Jose Island, and could barely believe the numerous stone arches and caves that we were able to explore both in kayaks and on foot. We also found a beach at the base of some enormous limestone cliffs that was littered with fossils, a reminder that we were standing on what was once a sea floor. The afternoon began with the appearance of a great number of manta rays, who appear to be 'flapping' their wings just below the surface, and occasionally jump clear of the water while continuing to flap! Then as if on cue, a humpback whale blow was sighted. It's lazy feeding pattern allowed us to get a very close look, and both our cameras and memories were quickly filled with images of impressive blows and the graceful 'fluking' of the giant animal. And as if that wasn't enough, on route to our anchorage, a number of bottlenose dolphins joined us and played in our bow wake, again to the excitement of all aboard! And for our last day, it seemed like a perfect ending. Another perfect day, a glassy calm paddle, a hike exploring the unusual desert vegetation, and a snorkel to get one last glimpse at the impressive underwater diversity. We sadly left the boat, but checked into a beautiful waterfront hotel, where we gathered for dinner before making many fond farewells . But the great thing is, we know the Baja will be waiting for us all again next year! Lela (the
Panterra naturalist onboard) provided us with a daily photo journal
of the trip as well. click
here to view it.
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It’s
always with a bit of sadness that we reach the end of our kayaking
adventures for the season. But we have polished off another season
on the waters of British Columbia’s Inside Passage. Our September
17-20 Wild Orca Adventure is back in port and our final
travelers are beginning their journeys home. Luke, Sam and Cory
led our group and filed this report. )
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Samanta,
Matt and Darren were our August 19th Wildlife Discovery
expedition leaders this week. A big bunch of whale enthusiasts,
after seeing black bears right away to start their week, they turned
this trip into a non-stop search for whale encounters. )
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