What a first day we had here in the Bay of Clams or Bahia Almejas. But clams were not our focus today – this trip is meant to be Among the Great Whales, not Among the Great Clams. So, we ventured out in local outboards called pangas and made our way into the lagoon finding a great number of gray whales involved in a great number of behaviors. In the afternoon we went out for hikes and walks on Isla Santa Margarita, an island the Mexican Navy described to us as being full of nothing but snakes and spiders, but there we found other things of interest, some alive, much of it dead and washed ashore.
- Daily Expedition Reports
- 01 Mar 2020
Bahia Almejas, 3/1/2020, National Geographic Venture
- Aboard the National Geographic Venture
- Baja California
Kayvon Malek, Undersea Specialist
Kayvon Malek is an underwater videographer whose work as an expedition guide and in the wildlife documentary industry have taken him pole to pole. After taking a scuba course on a whim in college, Kayvon’s newfound obsession led him to working as a r...
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Baja California: Among the Great Whales
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3/21/2025
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Canal de Cerralvo / La Paz
We awoke navigating on the Cerralvo Canal, between Cerralvo Island and the peninsula, searching for wildlife. We were not disappointed, as two different pods of common dolphins came to visit and bow ride with us for a long time. After lunch, we anchored at Pichilingue Port and disembarked the vessel to visit the capital city of Baja California Sur, La Paz, where we had the chance to interact with the locals in some of the most popular places, like La Fuente, a traditional ice cream parlor, and the Jardin Velasco in downtown. Then guests enjoyed a fiesta, dinner, and returned on board National Geographic Venture .
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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 .