Ballandra Bay, Isla del Carmen
Our destination for the day was the protected little bay of Ballandra on one of the longest islands in the Gulf of California, Isla del Carmen. This is a privately owned island, with a long history of salt works, but now is slowly reverting back to its natural state. The island is incredibly green at present, due to a large rain in the past hurricane season, and the lush arroyo beckoned morning hikers.
After breakfast we split into different walking groups and set off to explore the island. Many went on a long walk, following the arroyo past abundant growth flourishing with all the moisture. Jackrabbits were spotted, along with a wide variety of butterflies and birds, and of course flowers of every color. The scent of the purple rama parda flowers permeated the air, and was offset by the turpentine smell of torote colorado. Others explored the shoreline and discovered many treasures left behind by the tide. Fish skeletons littered the area near a fish camp, and fiddler crabs patrolled the mudflats. One large male fiddler waved his massive claw, attempting to attract a mate. Osprey called overhead, while black phoebes flitted from tree to tree.
In the afternoon we took to the water in kayaks and plunged below with mask and snorkel. Paddling along the shore was a perfect way for solo exploration. American oystercatchers greeted us, along with sally lightfoot crabs. Below the surface, king and Cortez angels were abundant, along with schools of Mexican goatfish and grunts. The rocks were covered with various sea stars, and a lucky few observed a moray eel.
It is amazing that a small little bay has such a large diversity of things, and we did a pretty good job of exploring it in many different ways.
Our destination for the day was the protected little bay of Ballandra on one of the longest islands in the Gulf of California, Isla del Carmen. This is a privately owned island, with a long history of salt works, but now is slowly reverting back to its natural state. The island is incredibly green at present, due to a large rain in the past hurricane season, and the lush arroyo beckoned morning hikers.
After breakfast we split into different walking groups and set off to explore the island. Many went on a long walk, following the arroyo past abundant growth flourishing with all the moisture. Jackrabbits were spotted, along with a wide variety of butterflies and birds, and of course flowers of every color. The scent of the purple rama parda flowers permeated the air, and was offset by the turpentine smell of torote colorado. Others explored the shoreline and discovered many treasures left behind by the tide. Fish skeletons littered the area near a fish camp, and fiddler crabs patrolled the mudflats. One large male fiddler waved his massive claw, attempting to attract a mate. Osprey called overhead, while black phoebes flitted from tree to tree.
In the afternoon we took to the water in kayaks and plunged below with mask and snorkel. Paddling along the shore was a perfect way for solo exploration. American oystercatchers greeted us, along with sally lightfoot crabs. Below the surface, king and Cortez angels were abundant, along with schools of Mexican goatfish and grunts. The rocks were covered with various sea stars, and a lucky few observed a moray eel.
It is amazing that a small little bay has such a large diversity of things, and we did a pretty good job of exploring it in many different ways.
