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.
2/24/2025
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National Geographic Venture
Almejas Bay and Puerto Magdalena
During today’s sunny and breezeless early morning, our guests and staff ventured out in local pangas for whale watching at Almejas Bay, located in the southern section of the Magdalena Bay lagoon complex on the Pacific side of the Baja California Peninsula. With the tide at its highest, our exploration in the heart of the gray whale mating grounds paid off with more than 60 adult whales spotted in the area where our boats were spread out. All the whales were very active, displaying parts of their bodies while spy-hopping, breaching, swimming, diving, and even mating. Several females were seen in a belly-up position, allowing our guests and staff to clearly distinguish genitals and other typically hidden body parts. The whales’ curiosity brought many of them to the sides or underneath the pangas, sometimes pushing or lifting the boats with the tips of their snouts or their bellies. Many of our guests even stretched out their hands to touch the whales! The afternoon was spent exploring the beach and hills around Puerto Magdalena, a quaint fishing community on Magdalena Island. During a hike, our guests had their first encounter with the unique flora of the Baja California Desert, including agave, palo adan, gongylocarpus flowers, prickly pear, galloping cacti, jojoba, and others. From the top of the hills, they were treated to magnificent views of the Pacific Ocean.
