This bay is particularly noted for the seasonal migration of the California gray whales that come here during winter to calve. The bay is also popular for commercial and sports fishing. Nearby mangroveswamps provide sanctuaries for sea birds. The bay includes the small fishing port of San Carlos, as well as Puerto López Mateos, which provides a good place to observe the whales.
Islands
Sandy barrier islands Isla Magdalena and Isla Santa Margarita separate the bay from the Pacific Ocean. Magdalena, mostly to the north and facing northwest, is a long, slender, segmented island that parallels the coast a few miles north. There is a small settlement, Puerto Magdalena[1] mostly active during whale watching season. The entire island's area is 231 km2 (89 sq mi).
Santa Margarita, to the south, parallels the southwest-facing coast and has an area of 314 km2. On its inland side is Puerto Cortés, the only settlement on the island, the site of a naval base administered from the 2nd Military Naval Region in Ensenada, Baja California. It has a military-only airstrip and no official registered population.
History
"Man of War Cove", Magdalena Bay, March 1908
As early as 1837 Americanwhaleships visited the bay to cooper their oil and hunt sperm whales outside the bay. Between 1845–46 and 1865–66, American, as well as a few French, Dutch, and Russian, whaleships hunted gray whales in the bay during their winter calving season.[2][3] They primarily caught cows and calves, but began catching bulls as the former became scarce. During the peak years from the winters of 1855–56 to 1864–65, an estimated 1,250 gray whales were caught in the bay, with a peak of about 250 whales taken by seventeen vessels in the winter of 1856–57.[2] They also visited the bay to obtain wood, catch fish and turtles, and harvest oysters.[4]
In 1908, an American fleet of sixteen battleships on a cruise around the world, the Great White Fleet, stopped in the Bay and carried out gunnery practice.
In 1912, there were rumors that Japan tried to purchase the harbor from Mexico.[5]Barbara Tuchman's book The Zimmerman Telegram mentions both the German kaiser and the Japanese Emperor as attempting to utilize this bay and perhaps Whale Bay for military naval purposes.
References
^"Puerto Magdalena (Baja California Sur) Comondú".
^ abHenderson, David A. (1972). Men & Whales at Scammon's Lagoon. Los Angeles: Dawson’s Book Shop.
^Storfursten Constantin, of Helsinki, winters of 1858-59 and 1859-60. In Lindholm, O. V., Haes, T. A., & Tyrtoff, D. N. (2008). Beyond the frontiers of imperial Russia: From the memoirs of Otto W. Lindholm. Javea, Spain: A. de Haes OWL Publishing.
^Tiger, of Stonington, Nov. 19, 1846-Feb. 25, 1847, George Blunt White Library; Bowditch, of Warren, Oct. 14, 1847-Feb. 18, 1848, Nicholson Whaling Collection.
^"Japan and International Coaling Stations," The Advocate of Peace (1894-1920), Vol. 73, No. 5 (May, 1911), p. 98.
External links
Magdalena Bay Shrimp Fishery Improvement Project
January 12, 2023
magdalena, musical, group, band, spanish, bahía, magdalena, long, comondú, municipality, along, western, coast, mexican, state, baja, california, protected, from, pacific, ocean, unpopulated, sandy, barrier, islands, isla, magdalena, isla, santa, margarita, sh. For the musical group see Magdalena Bay band Magdalena Bay Spanish Bahia Magdalena is a 50 km 31 mi long bay in Comondu Municipality along the western coast of the Mexican state of Baja California Sur It is protected from the Pacific Ocean by the unpopulated sandy barrier islands of Isla Magdalena and Isla Santa Margarita Magdalena BayMagdalena BayShow map of Baja California SurMagdalena BayShow map of MexicoCoordinates24 35 N 112 00 W 24 583 N 112 000 W 24 583 112 000 Coordinates 24 35 N 112 00 W 24 583 N 112 000 W 24 583 112 000Native nameBahia Magdalena Spanish Ocean sea sourcesPacific OceanMax length50 km 31 mi Contents 1 Ecology 2 Islands 3 History 4 References 5 External linksEcology EditThis bay is particularly noted for the seasonal migration of the California gray whales that come here during winter to calve The bay is also popular for commercial and sports fishing Nearby mangrove swamps provide sanctuaries for sea birds The bay includes the small fishing port of San Carlos as well as Puerto Lopez Mateos which provides a good place to observe the whales Islands EditSandy barrier islands Isla Magdalena and Isla Santa Margarita separate the bay from the Pacific Ocean Magdalena mostly to the north and facing northwest is a long slender segmented island that parallels the coast a few miles north There is a small settlement Puerto Magdalena 1 mostly active during whale watching season The entire island s area is 231 km2 89 sq mi Santa Margarita to the south parallels the southwest facing coast and has an area of 314 km2 On its inland side is Puerto Cortes the only settlement on the island the site of a naval base administered from the 2nd Military Naval Region in Ensenada Baja California It has a military only airstrip and no official registered population History Edit Man of War Cove Magdalena Bay March 1908 As early as 1837 American whaleships visited the bay to cooper their oil and hunt sperm whales outside the bay Between 1845 46 and 1865 66 American as well as a few French Dutch and Russian whaleships hunted gray whales in the bay during their winter calving season 2 3 They primarily caught cows and calves but began catching bulls as the former became scarce During the peak years from the winters of 1855 56 to 1864 65 an estimated 1 250 gray whales were caught in the bay with a peak of about 250 whales taken by seventeen vessels in the winter of 1856 57 2 They also visited the bay to obtain wood catch fish and turtles and harvest oysters 4 In 1908 an American fleet of sixteen battleships on a cruise around the world the Great White Fleet stopped in the Bay and carried out gunnery practice In 1912 there were rumors that Japan tried to purchase the harbor from Mexico 5 Barbara Tuchman s book The Zimmerman Telegram mentions both the German kaiser and the Japanese Emperor as attempting to utilize this bay and perhaps Whale Bay for military naval purposes References Edit Puerto Magdalena Baja California Sur Comondu a b Henderson David A 1972 Men amp Whales at Scammon s Lagoon Los Angeles Dawson s Book Shop Storfursten Constantin of Helsinki winters of 1858 59 and 1859 60 In Lindholm O V Haes T A amp Tyrtoff D N 2008 Beyond the frontiers of imperial Russia From the memoirs of Otto W Lindholm Javea Spain A de Haes OWL Publishing Tiger of Stonington Nov 19 1846 Feb 25 1847 George Blunt White Library Bowditch of Warren Oct 14 1847 Feb 18 1848 Nicholson Whaling Collection Japan and International Coaling Stations The Advocate of Peace 1894 1920 Vol 73 No 5 May 1911 p 98 External links EditMagdalena Bay Shrimp Fishery Improvement Project Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Magdalena Bay amp oldid 1118690070, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
