The first true day of our expedition began with a gloriously calm morning on the east side of Isla Carmen. We joined the staff in morning light to witness a feeding frenzy of dolphins, pelicans, gulls, billfish, and boobies. After breakfast, we met the expedition team and were given snorkeling equipment for the trip. Unfortunately, the briefings and staff intros were slightly upstaged by an incredible sighting of several very relaxed and accommodating blue whales! We got amazing looks at the Earth’s largest (ever) animal. The afternoon saw us test out the snorkel gear at the beautiful natural Amphitheatre of Punta Colorado on Isla San Jose. Later, we took to land to explore some of the arroyo dry washes, becoming acquainted with the environs of Baja California Sur.
2/19/2025
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National Geographic Venture
Cabo Pulmo National Marine Park
This morning, we awoke at Cabo Pulmo National Marine Park, a protected natural area established in 1995. Some guests hopped in pangas to snorkel the northernmost coral reef in the Americas, observing balloon fish, Moorish idols, damselfish, rays, and more! Others opted for a drier morning to search for whales. Cabo Pulmo is often a place where humpback whale moms birth their calves and a safe place to raise them in their early weeks of life. We were lucky to see mom and calf pairs breaching. However, the real surprise was the huge number of gray whales congregating off Cabo Pulmo. Many adult whales even approached the panga boats within arm’s reach! This was a record-breaking number for National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions, not only to see so many gray whales, but especially their friendliness. Even the local panga drivers were in shock at the numbers and behavior! National Geographic Venture was buzzing for the rest of the day after such a special and eventful morning.
