Loreto Bay National Park/Isla Santa Catalina, 1/15/2017, National Geographic Sea Bird
Aboard the
National Geographic Sea Bird
Baja California
We cruised north as the sun broke over the horizon and we could see the area surrounding the Loreto Bay National Park. The early morning light painted the mountains in reds and pinks, as we sailed through calm seas. This was the beginning of a very special day exploring the Gulf of California.
Alberto fell in love with nature as a young child. Born and raised in Tampico, Tamaulipas, Mexico, His father taught him from a very early age to understand, love, and respect nature. Due to his upbringing, Alberto became a biologist, decided to foll...
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In the second part of our voyage, today National Geographic Venture sailed to reach Punta Colorada. This magnificent location is on San Jose Island, with red, orange, and ochre-tinted sandstones with mollusk fossils. The morning was busy with hikes, kayaking, and snorkeling. Our guests observed the varied vegetation of the island with lots of blooming plants that colored the desert! In the afternoon, we explored the waters south of the Loreto National Marine Park and found a humpback cow with a calf feeding on the rich marine resources of the area. The mother whale was fishing with her enormous mouth right at the ocean’s surface; we were able to see her baleens, tongue, eyes, and throat grooves that expanded during her feast.
National Geographic Venture was anchored off the coast of Espiritu Santo Island this morning. Hikes departed from the beach and traversed the scope of an arroyo. The start was particularly interesting as we walked along an estuary that contained four different species of mangroves: red, black, white, and sweet. Snorkelers spent the morning at a rock reef area amongst schools of various juvenile reef fishes in beautifully clear water. We transitioned to La Paz for the afternoon. There we enjoyed a folkloric dance presentation and mariachi band, followed by a delicious meal on the Malecon, before returning to the ship in the evening.
Cabo Pulmo is a marine protected area and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We had the opportunity to snorkel and boat cruise in the park and it was an amazing morning. We saw so many beautiful reef fish and incredible humpback whales, including mom and calf pairs. We also enjoyed a run. It was another beautiful day in Baja.