Notes from the FieldBaja Peninsula: Coastal Ecology & CultureNew Year’s Day 2006: As the sunrise paints the mountains pink, the islands in the distance become silhouetted against the sea. Our camp is situated on a sandy beach, tucked into a cove surrounded by rock walls. Like the rest of our camps, there is no one else in sight. The snorkeling here has been superb: sea stars, urchins, puffer fish, angel fish, rock fish and sting rays. There is so much to see that the students are having trouble picking a single species for study. The night before, we learned about the history of the people in this landscape: the Indians and their survival tactics, the explorers, the Missionary Period, the self-sufficient rancheros, and more recent events. Then we celebrated the New Year with a circle of candles and a backcountry feast. Today, we will set out in sea kayaks again for a camp to the north, near the town of San Evaristo. Along the way, we all hope to see schools of dolphins sleek past our boats and the explosions of sting rays leaping out of the water. As camp begins to stir, the excitement for the coming day grows with the sun in this land where the desert meets the sea. — Kathy Marieb, WRFI Instructor |
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