This our second day of whale watching in the calm waters of the Magdalena Coastal Lagoon was extraordinary: guests and naturalists went out on the expedition landing crafts and found Olivia, a very experienced mother gray whale that has been well known by her friendly behavior in past seasons. She and her baby were just outstanding because allowed us to stay around while they were resting and possibly sleeping, just logging at the surface with no interactions at all. Maybe they are enjoying our company, so confident, so tolerant. Eventually, the slow current drifted them next to our boats and all guests experienced the magic moments of touching a whale! Later on, we left Olivia and her calf for navigation southwards in the canal (flanked by wonderful mangroves, birds and moon-looking sand dunes) to reach our afternoon destination at Sand Dollar Beach. In the hikes across the dunes of this section of Magdalena Island, we encountered two jackrabbits that rapidly ran away from us, as well as the interesting vegetation that covered them in small carpets. Hundreds of seabirds, shells of snail and bivalve mollusks, polychaete worms (marine cousins of earthworms and leeches) and other beings, dead and alive, were also present in this fascinating environment.
2/3/2025
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National Geographic Venture
Punta Colorada, Isla San Jose
We started our day with a perfect sunrise tinting the clouds in fading pinks and oranges. We had an all-in-one day starting with snorkeling by the colorful rocky shores of Punta Colorada, a place that is only accessible when we have perfectly calm conditions as we had today. We spotted a humpback whale straight from the dining room during lunch, and right after we headed back out for our arroyo hikes and kayaking. The cove was unbelievably beautiful. Trapped in the sandstone, we found innumerable fossils of shells and even the carapace of a turtle and some whalebones. We also learned of the Baja California desert vegetation and history from our informative naturalist that led the way. We went kayaking which provided a spectacular perspective of the tall pink and yellow walls that line the coves. From Zodiacs we could enjoy the enviable views of this pristine island. We are only on day one of National Geographic Venture’s Among the Great Whales expedition and we have seen and done so much. We feel accomplished yet we’re hungry for more!