Magdalena Bay & Canal la Soledad, 2/28/2019, National Geographic Sea Bird
Aboard the
National Geographic Sea Bird
Baja California
Late in the morning, we left the open Pacific and entered the sheltered water of Magdalena Bay where we spotted the first gray whales of the trip. After traveling north and anchoring near the town of Puerto Lopez Matéos, we landed on the dunes of Isla Magdalena to enjoy a sunset walk.
Gretchen became intrigued by plants, animals, and the out-of-doors at an early age while growing up in the San Francisco Bay area. Tolerant and encouraging parents permitted almost any pet imaginable, which provided excellent opportunities for her to...
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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.
