We spent the morning in pangas watching gray whales in Bahia Almejas, at the southernmost part of Magdalena Bay. Pelicans, frigatebirds, and cormorants were too numerous to count, and we had excellent looks at dozens of gray whales — they were surfacing, blowing, and repeatedly “spyhopping” (lifting their heads out of the water).

In the afternoon on Isla Magdalena, a group of us hiked up to a beautiful viewpoint over the Pacific, while others rode fat-tire bikes along the shore, and some people explored the small community of Puerto Magdalena on foot. We finished our visit at Chejo’s, where we enjoyed cool beverages and delicious ceviche.