Buenos dias a todos…Good morning, everyone.

The Morning Star…Venus low on the eastern horizon precedes the coming dawn.

Sunrise found National Geographic Venture at anchor in the southern end of the Magdalena Bay system. We spent our morning among the gray whales in the area of Boca Rehusa. The region holds good numbers of juvenile, sub-adult and adult whales, and they did not disappoint this morning. The experience can best be described as a spyhopping extravaganza, and it begs the question, “Who is watching who?” On an ecological note, we experienced the olfactory sensation that hints at the area’s productivity. Wind from the southwest carries the scent of guano from thousands of marine birds on the sandbar. These birds are doing their part by sending nutrients back into the marine system.

A large pod of common dolphins rode the bow of National Geographic Venture as it headed south for the Cape region. A breaching humpback hinted at a change in focus regarding the cetaceans we will see during the second half of our excursion.