This morning as we approached the entrance to Bahia Magdalena (La Entrada), our whale sightings transitioned from breaches and flukes of humpback whales to the mottled backs of gray whales. As our trusted pilot Sergio Camacho guided National Geographic Sea Lion up the shallow, mangrove-lined channels of Hull Canal, we watched pelicans, herons and shore birds from the bow. Late in the afternoon we walked across the sand dunes of Isla Magdalena, and admired sand patterns, plants, animal tracks and the empty and vast ocean beach.
- Daily Expedition Reports
- 07 Feb 2018
Bahia Magdalena, Hull Canal, Isla Magdalena, 2/7/2018, National Geographic Sea Lion
- Aboard the National Geographic Sea Lion
- Baja California
Berit Solstad, Naturalist
Berit grew up on the rocky shores of Marblehead, Massachusetts, where she explored the marine environment through changing tides and seasons, nurturing a love of natural history and marine biology.
Read MoreShare Report
Baja California: Among the Great Whales
VIEW ITINERARYRelated Reports
3/21/2025
Read
National Geographic Venture
Canal de Cerralvo / La Paz
We awoke navigating on the Cerralvo Canal, between Cerralvo Island and the peninsula, searching for wildlife. We were not disappointed, as two different pods of common dolphins came to visit and bow ride with us for a long time. After lunch, we anchored at Pichilingue Port and disembarked the vessel to visit the capital city of Baja California Sur, La Paz, where we had the chance to interact with the locals in some of the most popular places, like La Fuente, a traditional ice cream parlor, and the Jardin Velasco in downtown. Then guests enjoyed a fiesta, dinner, and returned on board National Geographic Venture .
3/20/2025
Read
National Geographic Venture
Magdalena Bay
Today we woke with the shining stars and took Zodiacs ashore to meet our coaches for a trip to Chale, a small town on the shores of Magdalena Bay. The goal was to find some wintering gray whales, magnificent leviathans which frequent this coast to give birth before the long migration back to their Arctic feeding grounds. These whales did not disappoint! Spyhopping, breaching, and even a bit of tail flukes. As a result, there were lots of smiles and laughter all around! We returned to the town for lunch and then headed back out on the local boats for a second round. As we returned to the ship, the sun set over La Paz, with glassy waters of gold in the harbor, and pink clouds above. The constellations of Orion, Taurus, and the Pleiades shone over our Zodiacs on our way back to dinner aboard National Geographic Venture .