gringorio
Senior Nomad
Posts: 812
Registered: 4-10-2004
Location: Tucson, Arizona
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floating snakes
I posted this on the conservation web site ( http://www.bajacaliforniaconservation.org/phpbb/index.php ) but didn't get any responses.
It was one thing for me to read about the colonization of islands by organisms that accidentally got blown onto them via winds or sea currents, but
amazing to see one of these potential events in person. Maybe I witnessed the theory of island biogeography in action? Size of island, distance from
mainland, dispersal mechanisms etc...
On this particular morning I came upon what I first thought was a patch of sargassum on the sea surface, but turned out to be a live and feisty
sidewinder rattlesnake floating offshore. All night the winds had been blowing strongly offshore, but by the time I came upon this snake the winds had
turned and were blowing back on shore. Made me wonder how many snakes get blown out to sea to eventually die and/or how many get blown onto on of the
Seas many islands? Has anyone else seen live snakes floating off shore like this?
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Bruce R Leech
Elite Nomad
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Registered: 9-20-2004
Location: Ensenada formerly Mulege
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Mood: A lot cooler than Mulege
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gringorio that is really interesting . how far out from land was he?
Bruce R Leech
Ensenada
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gringorio
Senior Nomad
Posts: 812
Registered: 4-10-2004
Location: Tucson, Arizona
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hola Bruce... about 300 meters or so. One of these days I'll make it to Mulege to say Hola and have a margarita or three! 
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bajaloco
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Location: Huntington Beach, California
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Mood: wishin I was fishin
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Hope you gave him a lift back to shore
I was sorry to hear that you had to call off the kayak trip...what an adventure.... pretty tough going solo...better luck next time.
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Eli
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Mood: Some times Observing, sometimes Oblivious.
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Now that is something one doesn't see every day. Thanks Greg, very interesting picture to say the least. Expect that I am glad you ran into it and not
me. I assume you let it work out it's own transportation issues.
[Edited on 7-17-2005 by Eli]
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tehag
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Snake
After heavy rains it is not at all uncommon to see land animals that have washed out of the arroyos and into the gulf. The same thing surely happens
on the mainland, so it's not hard to picture a lot of transfer to the islands.
Snakes are excelent swimmers. I have seen several rattlesnakes crossing the Colorado River between CA and AZ.
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Sharksbaja
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Registered: 9-7-2004
Location: Newport, Mulege B.C.S.
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Surf fishing for rattlers
I used to surf fish religiously where I grew up in Palos Verdes. More like reef fishing. While pulling in my line I got a great strike and could see
it fighting. Turned out to be a rattler I snagged. This was about 4yrs after my horrible encounter with a baby rattlesnake that almost killed me. I
cut the line and it swam away towards deep water. I have also spotted a couple in the tide pools at low tide. Creepy but it never stopped me.
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gringorio
Senior Nomad
Posts: 812
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Location: Tucson, Arizona
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Thanks bajaloco,
At the time it seemed like the best choice to postpone the trip and it still does now. I plan to just paddle a little bit of the coast every year now
rather than try one big escapade. I learned a lot about myself, even after returning from the short time I did paddle. Some times you just have to
listen to those voices in your head! 
As for the snake, I let the onshore breeze take him back to land...
| Quote: | Originally posted by bajaloco
Hope you gave him a lift back to shore
I was sorry to hear that you had to call off the kayak trip...what an adventure.... pretty tough going solo...better luck next time.
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