One of the most exciting passages during our "Among the Great Whales" voyages is the narrow strait between Isla Santa Magdalena, to the north (right), and Isla Santa Margarita, to the south (left). These two islands, along with the Baja Peninsula, define the wide shallow bay of Magdalena -- one of the favored breeding lagoons of the California gray whale. After a few days of watching gray whales, we headed out to the open Pacific; through La Entrada -- "The Entrance."
This narrow passage creates an area of well-mixed water, where the warm, rich waters of the bay meet the cold, oxygenated waters of the Pacific. Areas where different waters collide are always popular. Invertebrates, fish, birds, marine mammals and people tend to congregate in such spots.
Just after this picture was taken, the bow got very busy. We spotted gray whales, plunge-diving pelicans, a pod of common dolphins, black-vented shearwaters and fishermen hauling their catch onto the locally designed boats, called pangas. After all the excitement, we turned to the south, following the seas to the end of the peninsula and Cabo San Lucas.
