We started off this morning by boarding local pangas and heading out to whale watch at Boca De Soledad (the Mouth of Solitude) where we were lucky enough to see over 30 gray whales. We watched breaches and spy-hops to our hearts content.
Afterward, we cruised into the mangroves to do some birding. We enjoyed viewing osprey, great blue heron, tri-color heron, and crested cara cara. We also enjoyed visiting a local oyster farm and learning about sustainable aquaculture and how it provides an alternative to fishing as a main income source for locals. The increase of ecotourism to the bay in the form of gray whale watching and oyster aquaculture are exciting job alternatives to the fishing industry, which was all this area knew for quite some time.
After a morning with whales, we transited the Hull Canal for the second time this week before anchoring off Sand Dollar Beach for a beautiful dune walk.
