I am always excited to return to one of the most remote islands to be found here in the Gulf of California, Isla San Pedro Martir. Why, you may ask? Because, it is a magnet for life of all types with literally tens of thousands of birds, hundreds of California sea lions, and a great place to see dolphins and whales of many different species. Today was no exception.

Our morning started with distant views of several sperm whales and small pods of bottlenose dolphins, but their plans for the day did not include us. The afternoon was an entirely different story! California sea lions inspected and cavorted around the National Geographic Sea Lion while she was at anchor the entire time we were here. Curious brown boobies came so close to the bow of the ship that at times we had to duck as it seemed for sure they might collide with us!

As we pulled up our anchor to head for our adventures of tomorrow bottlenose dolphins came to our bow for some free surfing energy, then put on an aerial ballet in the wake of the ship. Leaving the island behind us, I can truly say that this lonely guano covered rocky island always lives up to my expectations!