Today was a day of great excitement because it was mostly dedicated to whale watching: expedition landing craft loaded with guests, naturalists, and local “panga” drivers to observe and enjoy the impressive anatomy and movements of the gray whale cows and their calves, which displayed several aspects of their behavior. For those who hiked on the wonderful dunes of Magdalena island, there was the time to discover a myriad of different, unexpected small organisms, both plant and animal. Therefore, we got a bit understanding of the interconnections between the environment and the living organisms, the webs of life and the importance of their preservation. The day finished with a Mexican fiesta on National Geographic Sea Bird, delicious dinner, and an extraordinary Tres Leches cake.
- Daily Expedition Reports
- 06 Mar 2017
Los Titeres on Isla Magdalena & Hull Canal, 3/6/2017, National Geographic Sea Bird
- Aboard the National Geographic Sea Bird
- Baja California
Adrian Cerda, Naturalist
Adrian studied biology at the national Autonomous University of Mexico. In 1991 the Wildlife Preservation Trust of Jersey, on Britain's Channel Islands, awarded Adrian with a scholarship to its prestigious 16-week training program in Captive Manageme...
Read MoreAshley Karitis, Assistant Expedition Leader
Ashley was raised in Central Oregon where she spent her childhood ski racing, riding horses, playing classical piano, and working summer jobs on a dude ranch. She then attended the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California in ...
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Baja California: Among the Great Whales
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3/21/2025
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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 .
3/20/2025
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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 .