The beauty of the morning sunrise competed with the soaring silhouettes of brown pelicans and magnificent frigatebirds as guests of National Geographic Venture began their day at the dock in San Carlos. We enjoyed stretch class led by wellness specialist Chrissy on the sundeck. Breakfast followed, and then guests disembarked for the nearby town of Adolfo Lopez Mateo. The drive offered a glimpse of the desert ecosystem and gave our birding guests a chance to spot raptors and passerine birds. The port town of Adolfo Lopez Mateo is located on the northern end of Canal de Soledad, and it is largely inaccessible by ship. With the help of local panga drivers, our guests explored this narrow channel where gray whales raise their newborn calves. After a productive morning of gray whale activity, guests visited the local La Union restaurant for lunch before another round of whale watching in the afternoon. Motorcoaches delivered guests back to National Geographic Venture just in time for dinner.
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.
