The first true day of our expedition began with a gloriously calm morning on the east side of Isla Carmen. We joined the staff in morning light to witness a feeding frenzy of dolphins, pelicans, gulls, billfish, and boobies. After breakfast, we met the expedition team and were given snorkeling equipment for the trip. Unfortunately, the briefings and staff intros were slightly upstaged by an incredible sighting of several very relaxed and accommodating blue whales! We got amazing looks at the Earth’s largest (ever) animal. The afternoon saw us test out the snorkel gear at the beautiful natural Amphitheatre of Punta Colorado on Isla San Jose. Later, we took to land to explore some of the arroyo dry washes, becoming acquainted with the environs of Baja California Sur.
3/18/2025
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National Geographic Venture
Espiritu Santo Archipelago, Baja California Sur, Mexico
We awoke to the distant sound of barking. The low morning sun illuminated the small northernmost islands of the Espiritu Santo Archipelago called Los Islotes. We were here to visit a vibrant rookery of California sea lions who were the source of that barking. Many of our intrepid group visited these playful creatures in their own wet environment. We snorkeled and watched their antics as they chased each other, blew bubbles, and even nibbled at our fins. The rest of our group visited via Zodiac where we viewed their spirited behavior on land and bathed in the cacophony of their barks and moans. We were also lucky to see many birds that roost on the island, including blue-footed and cocos boobies and yellow-footed gulls. We then moved further south in the archipelago to the gorgeous anchorage of El Cardonal on Isla Partida. We kayaked the crystal clear, electric turquoise waters in flat, calm conditions, as brown pelicans, ospreys, and hawks flew overhead. In the late afternoon we went ashore for walks across the island. Here we explored cardon cactus forests, spied on the endemic Espiritu Santo antelope squirrel, and learned about mangrove ecosystems in the beautiful evening light.
