The morning started with an early stretch class onboard National Geographic Sea Bird, followed by fantastic Zodiac tours, stand-up paddle boarding, and kayaking through the mangroves of Man o’ War Cove in Magdalena Bay, Baja California Sur, Mexico. All had views of red and white mangroves in addition to a variety of birds, including the white ibis, willets, and herons.

After lunch and a brief reposition of the ship, we Zodiac shuttled into the village of Puerto Magdalena, home to just 30 families. Here, a variety of activities were enjoyed; fat-tire biking, chilling at Chejo’s Café Del Mar, and hiking up a desert trail that rewarded all with a splendid, expansive view of the Pacific Ocean. Osprey, five coyotes, a whiptail lizard, stories of village life, Jose Chejo, and Lola the town dog (complete with her smile and a clam shell) were some of the day’s highlights.