The midriff region of the Gulf of California is an area of strong currents and high productivity, where elegant terns and Heermann’s gulls are gathering by the thousands at the start of their breeding season. We watched bottlenose dolphins and a humpback whale before going to Bahia de los Angeles to walk among boojums – curious desert trees that resemble upside down carrots, and look as if they were conjured up by Dr. Seuss.
- Daily Expedition Reports
- 29 Mar 2017
Isla Rasa and Boojums near Bahia de los Angeles, 3/29/2017, National Geographic Sea Bird
- Aboard the National Geographic Sea Bird
- 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 MoreEric Wehrmeister, Videographer
Eric began his life on the far western edge of Chicago, where the concrete meets the cornfields. His inspiration has always drawn from the expansive beauty of the natural world, as well as the endless forms that populate it.
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Baja California: Among the Great Whales
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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 .
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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 .