Isla del Carmen
The day started off with excitement as the National Geographic Sea Bird sailed toward a pod of pilot whales early this morning off the coast of the Baja Peninsula in the Sea of Cortez. The rising sun emitted a beautiful golden light that reflected off the whales’ dark dorsal fins, making for stellar photo opportunities. The whales were being very cooperative, coming right up to the side of the ship and rewarding us with great looks at their backs and bulbous heads as they broke through the surface of the water.
Pilot whales are small, rather stocky-looking whales that prefer deep water. They’re also well-known for their indifference towards boats and ships, which is probably why they let us observe them up-close. We spent about an hour with the pilot whales before we finally had to break free of the pod to go into breakfast and continue on our way toward our afternoon destination – Isla del Carmen and it’s beautiful beach, Arroyo Blanco Norte.
We had something rather special to look forward to at Arroyo Blanco Norte. Our sister ship, the National Geographic Sea Lion, was in the same vicinity and we decided to rendezvous with them for kayaking, swimming, and cocktails on the beach. It was fun to meet the staff, crew, and guests of the other ship and hear about their week in Baja!
The afternoon was beautiful and sunny, so we took advantage of the good weather by partaking in myriad activities. Some went snorkeling or kayaking in the clear bay; others went hiking with one of our naturalists, in search of interesting plants and critters. Some were content with simply sunbathing on the warm beach. Our bartender kept everyone hydrated with fresh-squeezed orange juice, Mexican beers, and mojitos made to order.
After mingling for several hours, the crew and guests of the National Geographic Sea Lion had to head back to their ship before the sun set, but the passengers of the National Geographic Sea Bird enjoyed an evening on the beach with a BBQ dinner of local fish, grilled chicken, and cornbread. After dinner the guitars started up, followed by talented singers and ebullient dancers, with the light casting their shadows on the rock walls behind them. It was a great ending for a perfect and carefree day in Baja California.
