Cabo Pulmo, 2/28/2024, National Geographic Venture
Aboard the
National Geographic Venture
Baja California
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.
Amy was raised near Cape Cod in coastal Marion, Massachusetts, and her relationship with the ocean and nature has always been an active one. Her parents, avid divers and marine biologists, introduced her to the underwater world when she was very youn...
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Baja is known for its sunsets and sunrises. Sailing north in the Pacific Ocean, the sky lit orange and the clouds red, as dawn broke. Gulls passed by with a stiff north wind as whales spouted around us. At the entrance to Magdelena Bay, National Geographic Venture steamed on, marking a new leg to our expedition. In the afternoon, we explored Sand Dollar Beach. This is a favorite location of ours, and it’s easy to see why. Rolling sand dunes leading to the massive Pacific, mangroves teeming with bird life, and a gentle bay-side beach all shine beautifully in the afternoon light. With another day celebrated, we look forward to what tomorrow holds.
This morning, we awoke at Cabo Pulmo National Marine Park, a protected natural area established in 1995. Some guests hopped in pangas to snorkel the northernmost coral reef in the Americas, observing balloon fish, Moorish idols, damselfish, rays, and more! Others opted for a drier morning to search for whales. Cabo Pulmo is often a place where humpback whale moms birth their calves and a safe place to raise them in their early weeks of life. We were lucky to see mom and calf pairs breaching. However, the real surprise was the huge number of gray whales congregating off Cabo Pulmo. Many adult whales even approached the panga boats within arm’s reach! This was a record-breaking number for National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions, not only to see so many gray whales, but especially their friendliness. Even the local panga drivers were in shock at the numbers and behavior! National Geographic Venture was buzzing for the rest of the day after such a special and eventful morning.
Early morning greeted us with a stunning sunrise over the tip of the Espiritu Santo Archipelago where we snorkeled around the iconic sea lion colony. Not only that, but we got to experience the beauty of this destination both below and above the water. Playful sea lion pups got close as we swam around the rocks’ contours, while reef fish glistened below the surface. Above the water, blue-footed boobies could be spotted amidst the endemic yellow-footed gulls, turkey vultures, magnificent frigatebirds, and pelicans. On our way from the archipelago to La Paz, we spotted a juvenile humpback whale putting on a show for a small yacht in the bay. It breached several times as we navigated towards the docking port of this culturally rich city. We were greeted by our land staff who showed us the way into the theater to watch some traditional Mexican folk dances, listen to mariachi music, and experience firsthand some charreria mastery. Dinner followed in a beautiful restaurant in the center of the city.
