Our last day among the great whales encompassed everything that makes Baja California an enchanting place to explore. Waking up a little earlier this morning, we said goodbye to the eastern gray whales that traverse the Pacific to mate and give birth in the lagoons along the coast of the peninsula. Playful and curious, cow-calf pairs teased our expedition landing crafts with tail splashes and breaches. Once back on the ship, our pilot from San Carlos, Sergio, came aboard once again to guide us through the narrow, navigable channel of Hull Canal to Magdalena Bay. To end the day, we ventured to shore across to the aptly named Sand Dollar Beach on the edge of the cerulean Pacific Ocean. Tomorrow, we may leave Baja California, but Baja California will never leave us.
- Daily Expedition Reports
- 02 Mar 2019
Hull Canal and Isla Magdalena, 3/2/2019, National Geographic Sea Bird
- Aboard the National Geographic Sea Bird
- Baja California
JIll Niederberger, Naturalist
Jill is an aquatic biologist, naturalist, divemaster, and captain with a love for everything living in and depending on water. Whether sailing catamarans, leading snorkeling tours, or assisting with cetacean field research projects, she enjoys connec...
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Baja California: Among the Great Whales
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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 .