We had an outstanding first day on National Geographic Venture. We woke up to a gorgeous sunrise and calm, lake-like conditions — then we spotted gray whale spouts in the distance right away. We boarded pangas and headed out to spend all morning with these breathtaking mammals, where our guests saw more whales than we could count and even had a few friendlies that interacted with us. After a pozole lunch and ice cream sundaes on the Sun Deck, we landed ashore to walk across the dunes to Sand Dollar Beach. We wrapped up our day with a classic Baja sunset and a delicious locally-sourced dinner.
2/11/2025
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National Geographic Venture
Bahia Almejas and Puerto Magdalena
It’s our second day in Bahia Magdalena on board National Geographic Venture. It was an early start but worth it to experience our second round of whale watching in the shallow lagoon of the southern bay. The morning was especially spectacular, with over 40 whales spy-hopping consistently and some even breaching in the distance. We even spotted a mother and calf which were navigating across the lagoon. Upon our return, we were met by the wonderful hospitality team with hot cocoa to warm us. We repositioned to Puerto Magdalena, a small fishing town of about 100 inhabitants who greeted us with a delicious assortment of beans, guacamole and chips, and of course agua de horchata! We split off into groups to cover different hikes along the way, exploring some of the island’s endemic and captivating flora. Some examples included the Santa Margarita agave, the Magdalena prickly pear, and the cochemiea. It was a great way to explore the coastal plains of Magdalena and get a feel for the very dynamic ecosystem that makes it so unique. The scenery will be a fond memory as we leave the islands and lagoons behind to head out to the Pacific in search of some more amazing wildlife.