Wow, what a remarkable first day exploring Baja California! We woke up on the Sea of Cortez with a classic Baja sunrise full of vibrant colors. After breakfast, most of us were out on the bow of National Geographic Venture, enjoying the frenzied company of feeding long-beaked common dolphins and brown pelicans. This phenomenon is known locally as a “bochinche.”
We then cruised south and were incredibly lucky to encounter a blue whale. We watched as this giant cetacean surfaced several times near the ship. Soon after, the ship was visited by a group of common dolphins—hundreds of them! They approached and entertained the guests with bow-riding.
After an excellent lunch, including an ice cream sundae bar, we went ashore on the peninsula at a beautiful locality called Puerto Gato. There we had several options for our afternoon. Many went snorkeling, while others went kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding. There were several options for hiking through the vibrant desert as well, which made for great photography, botanizing, and birdwatching.
Back aboard that evening, we enjoyed a spirited cocktail hour as we recapped our highlights.
