Sail Gemini Nature

Swarms of fish and hungry hogs keep us amused, while roaming herds of goats and a squid anatomy lesson give Chewbacca and every else a greater appreciation for earth's creatures.

Whales, birthing dolphins and flying rays are a glimpse of abundant sea life in the Sea of Cortez.

	Pilot, fin, and even sperm whales inhabit the Sea, occasionally treating us to a spectacular sighting while underway. The pilots are a mere 20' long and frequently seen loping along the surface, while fin whales are 80' long, very sleek and more difficult to spot. The rarest sighting, however, is of a sperm whale: 70' long and lingering at 1000-foot depths, this bumpy creature will definitely take your breath away. Click here for a movie clip of pilot whales passing within a few yards of Gemini.
	Dolphins are frequently seen, but the pregnant females offer an amazing insight into nature. Surrounded by other dolphins, she will hover in shallow waters for several hours until her time arrives, when a flurry of splashing suggests a birth is in progress. Immediately afterwards, two birth-attendants will escort the baby around the bay, training him on basic dolphin behavior while mama recuperates. A few hours later, the entire "tribe" will display airborne antics, celebrating the new addition to their community.
	Rays exhibit a behavior pattern that nobody has been able to explain to us. Usually spotted in flat calm waters, these creatures will fly straight out of the sea, sometimes even twirl in the air, and splash back down for no apparent reason. Any scientific explanation would be welcome!

Always enthusiastic at feeding time, pelicans disturb a rare moment of tranquility for Les. At anchor in Carmen Island near Loreto, the bait fish were abundant and a Kamikaze group of pelicans could not resist the temptation to dive for the tasty treats. Unfortunately, in their wild excitement, they would sometimes hit our boat and come up somwehat stunned, with nothing to show for their efforts. Go to our Pelicans page to see some of their hunting and diving antics.

A group of Mexican students benefit from a day on the water with Antonio and the Turtle Farm at Bahia de Los Angeles. Extensive studies have proven that turtles travel thousands of miles, some even as far as Japan. Go to our Turtle Farm page to look at some of the huge specimens they've found.