Early this morning, the call was made to change our landing site to a more protected bay on the peninsula itself, rather than fighting windier conditions out in the Sea of Cortes. A variety of hikes were offered through the desert arroyos above this beautiful white sand beach. We navigated past large cardon cactuses and various desert plants and trees as we traversed over a salt pan at the beach-end of this wide drainage. Finally, the highlight of the day was seeing a sperm whale blowing around the ship and a gorgeous peregrine falcon that passed around National Geographic Venture multiple times and at close range! It was another incredible day in the Sea of Cortes!
- Daily Expedition Reports
- 09 Mar 2025
Bahia San Francisquito, 3/9/2025, National Geographic Venture
- Aboard the National Geographic Venture
- Baja California
Rich Kirchner, Naturalist/Certified Photo Instructor
Rich Kirchner has worked as a naturalist in Antarctica, Alaska, the Bering Sea, Baja and the High Arctic, including Svalbard, Greenland, the Canadian Arctic and Iceland, along with other destinations. His 33 years as a professional wildlife photograp...
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Baja California: A Remarkable Journey
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3/14/2025
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National Geographic Venture
La Paz
La Paz, the capital city of Baja California Sur, is rich in culture, sights, and beauty. To enjoy our day in this lovely city, we set out for several activities: a tour of the city’s murals and art, a visit to the local eco-park to birdwatch, and a trip to historic El Triunfo. There is much to see in this wonderful region, and we were excited to explore. Our local guide showed us street art and told us stories about the city’s culture. We saw an impressive 47 species of birds on our walk! Lastly, the trip to El Triunfo showed us parts of the rich history of the area.
3/13/2025
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National Geographic Venture
San Jose del Cabo
This morning, we visited San Jose del Cabo for a morning of birding, photography, and exploring this lovely town on the southeast coast of Baja. Between the different birding groups, there were over sixty species spotted in the lush estuary on the edge of town. There was also some shopping done during the town visit, and the weather was perfect for both activities! In the afternoon, National Geographic Venture cruised north while looking for wildlife, and we were not disappointed. Humpback whales and a megapod of common dolphins entertained us until the sun was setting and cocktail/recap hour began. It was a great end to a very special day!