This calm morning the wide open crescent-beach arms of Bahia Bonanza welcomed us. We had many vehicles for exploration at hand: kayaks for paddling the pristine waters of the beach edge; colorful flippers, masks, and wetsuits for snorkeling with the watery denizen’s eye-to-fisheye; and lastly, our own two feet, to mosey up the arroyo and investigate a sizeable sampling of Sonoran Desert vegetation.
The day warmed slowly as we climbed up along a landscape scattered with coral pieces. These remnants and other scattered shell pieces gave evidence to a history of change. We were walking on what once was ocean floor. Today, it is a landscape scattered with statuesque cardon cacti, spindly Palo Adan, and plump pickle weed. We found evidence of the endemic black jackrabbit, but no furry residents chose to show themselves. A number of perpetually surprised looking balloon fish were found washed up on shore. Their bulbous shapes and erect spines had been preserved as they petrified on the beach. They became subjects of our photography as we took dead fish portraiture, and set up faux fish kissing images as well. Our goal was to have fun, and we came away successful on that intention.
For the afternoon we repositioned to the next indention north on the western side of Espiritu Santo, San Gabriel. This was also a destination for a band of intrepid hikers that walked across a small toe of the island from Bahia Bonanza. Once again we donned wetsuits and fins and snorkeled along a protected cliff dotted with coral heads at its base.
Our last transports for discovery were our expedition landing craft. The southern fringe of San Gabriel has a line of mangroves that hold a rookery of magnificent frigatebirds. We slowly cruised along the mangroves observing the amorous intentioned male frigates sitting in the treetops with their red gular pouches inflated. The failing light of the day bathed all in a sweet rosy glow. We returned to the mother ship National Geographic Sea Bird just as the clouds lit in a parfait rainbow of sunset flavors.
