The morning’s sunrise was accompanied by the presence of a grey whale swimming lazily past the bow of National Geographic Sea Bird. Cotton clouds floating above a coral pink sky make for a beautiful backdrop for the stretch class at 7 am. After breakfast, our Zodiac drivers arrive at the stern to take guests out for a second day of whale watching. The gentle blows of a mother and her week-old calf are a stark contrast to the frantic mating ritual experienced days before in Almejas Bay. After a few hours of whale activity, the guests retire to the ship to enjoy lunch and an afternoon siesta. Later, Zodiacs take everyone to shore for the week’s Beach BBQ, where guests enjoy a delicious meal prepared by our head chef Neal. We end the BBQ by making smores as the sun sets on another beautiful day in Baja California.
3/15/2023
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National Geographic Sea Bird
Boca de Soledad
Today our guests ventured to the northern end of Magdalena Bay known as Boca De Soledad, where we were treated to multiple mother and calf pairs. One particular calf kept lifting its head out of the water with every exhale, giving us great looks at the whale's eye and cute little face. These babies were practicing swimming in the bay’s opening with its challenging, swift moving water. They need to build the vital muscle mass required for the long migration against the California current back to their feeding grounds for the summer. At this point in the season, these calves have grown quite a bit, drinking the rich milk (over 50% fat) that mom produces and gaining close to 100 pounds a day. After an eventful morning, we transited the Hull Canal, where we observed pelicans, herons, and a coyote! We even spotted bow-riding bottlenose dolphins with a little calf. We ended our afternoon at Sand Dollar Beach. Some guests hiked to the Pacific, some lounged on the beach, and some searched for unique shells and animals. As we end our trip tonight, we will watch our collaborative guest slideshow and reflect on the incredible weather, the friendly whales, and the new friends made during this amazing trip.
