After a full day of water activities yesterday, it was time to set foot on land once more. We were fortunate to wake up today at the face of Isla Espiritu Santo for a morning of island exploration. Hikes were offered through the desert terrain along with beachcombing a pristine and diverse shoreline. Our morning ashore promised some exciting finds, from lively jackrabbits to the not-so-lively remains of a moray eel. Long hikers trekked carefully across patches of creeping devil cactus and climbed their way up uneven rocks to a promising overlook of the island. Beachcombers discovered fish, marine mammals, aquatic birds, and reptiles. There was much more to visually explore on the beach than just shells. To conclude the rousing escapades of the day, National Geographic Venture brought us into La Paz to share a special evening of authentic Mexican dishes, proper tequila consumption, and an array of dancing and vocal entertainment. As the sun sank over the Sea of Cortez and glowed orange and pink on the desert plants, “Besame Mucho” sang out in the background. It seemed like the perfect song choice for the end of a film – this film being the one we had all just played a part in and soon, we will call it a wrap.
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 .