At dawn, National Geographic Sea Bird was in the calm and quiet protection of Bonanza Bay, at the southern end of Isla Espiritu Santo (Holy Ghost Island). A three-mile section of white sand-shell-coral beach beckoned us ashore after breakfast. There were opportunities to explore land and sea throughout the morning—kayaking, snorkeling, and hiking.
This island has a great diversity of reptiles as well as an endemic black jackrabbit and antelope ground squirrel. One of the hiking groups was lucky to get quick glimpses of the elusive jackrabbit (as big as a medium-sized dog), and also managed to stir up an indigenous packrat, which dashed out and back into its nest, protected with sticks and pieces of cactus under a large granite boulder. Looking under rocks, the naturalists found small scorpions, and a few lizards skittered to safety under bushes. There were many species of cactus and other interesting plants that were discussed along the way.
During lunch the ship repositioned to another scenic bay on the same island—Bahia San Gabriel. Snorkeling was good here and the highlight in the late afternoon light was a boat trip to a frigatebird colony. On the remains of walls built for a pearl cultivation business in the early 1900s, mangrove trees have taken root, which, in turn, attract a dense congregation of magnificent frigatebirds. Only recently have the birds started to breed here. Adult males were displaying their inflated red throat pouches and clacking their bills, trying to entice a female to land next to them. Some brought sticks to contribute to the nest. Young birds, with an all-white head, looked on or rested among the adults, disinterested in the amorous behavior surrounding them. Although these birds depend on the sea for their livelihood, they cannot dive into the water for food. With their superb flight abilities, they can grab fish from near the surface of the water with their long, hooked bill, or steal food from other birds. This kleptoparasitic habit has earned them a somewhat sinister reputation, but we still enjoyed watching them in their natural environment.
The beautiful sunset capped off our outdoor activities for the day, but we continued our celebration of good weather and new discoveries during the cocktail hour, Recap, and dinner.
