Guests had a nice, relaxing morning as they enjoyed the amenities of National Geographic Venture and learned how to record whale identification images on Happy Whale. The highlight of the morning was a Wine and Watercolor session with undersea specialist Amy Malkoski, who encouraged us to tap into our artistic side. We spent the afternoon exploring Coyote Bay with a mix of activities, from chilling on the beach, beachcombing, and joining naturalists on hikes of different lengths. The Baja California environment can look desolate, but there is lots of life to observe, particularly on cacti. Take a look at our photos of a hooded oriole and a verdin.
4/11/2025
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National Geographic Venture
Isla Carmen
Today, on the last full day of our journey, we woke up in the Loreto Bay National Marine Park. Calm winds and clear skies welcomed us to Playa Blandra on the west side of Isla Carmen. We began our day with a series of hikes up the arroyo into the heart of the island. As we ventured into the thick vegetation at the start of the hike, we began to see a variety of plants, lizards, birds, and remnants of bighorn sheep, species that characterize this part of the peninsula. As the day grew warmer, we cooled off by spending time in the shallows of the beach while enjoying a cold beverage. Once we returned to National Geographic Venture , we set out to explore the islands of this park in search of charismatic megafauna. It didn't take long before we were surrounded by hundreds of common dolphins. As our explorations continued, sightings of mobulas, humpback whales, and even hammerhead sharks offered a spectacular way to say goodbye to such a special place in this part of the world.
