Expedition Stories
Our fleet navigates the world in search of adventure. These are the stories they bring back…
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Previous Reports
10/20/2018
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National Geographic Sea Lion
Catalina Island
In the predawn hours under the watch of the constellation Orion, National Geographic Sea Lion slipped into Little Harbor on Catalina Island. Morning stretch class took place at sunrise on a gently rolling Pacific Ocean. After breakfast, Laura Menudo, a ranger with the Catalina Island Conservancy gave an insightful presentation on the conservancy’s mission and work on the island. Our morning hikers were treated to views of blueschist outcrops, fresh bison patties, and wonderful coastal vistas, while the kayakers and paddle boarders explored neighboring Shark Harbor. After a tasty lunch, we cruised along the backside of the island to our afternoon’s destination, Avalon. A photography walk culminated with beautiful afternoon golden light encompassing the marina and the plethora of watercrafts . Guests got scooped at Scoops Ice Cream Shop, then worked it off while walking to the Wrigley Botanical Gardens. A lovely time was had by all taking in the colorful sights of this historical harbor community. We crossed the San Pedro Channel late in the evening, concluding our Channel Islands voyage.
10/26/2018
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National Geographic Sea Lion
Santa Rosa Island
The decks of the National Geographic Sea Lion are bathed in the light of a waning gibbous moon in the pre-dawn hours at Bechers Bay on Santa Rosa Island. Morning is a quiet time on the ship, peaceful, damp with fog, your sense of hearing more important than sight. A flood tide murmurs and fills the bay as Ursa Major watches from above. Photographers find their way to the bow at first light seeking color and texture in the seascape. A green flash on the horizon of Santa Cruz Island, blink and you’ve missed it. Our day has begun. Endemic Torrey pines and island oaks are focal points of the mornings’ hikes, but island poppies steal the show. Meanwhile, paddle boarders and kayakers explore the offshore kelp beds with seals and sea lions. A large pod of common dolphins rides the bow of National Geographic Sea Lion during the afternoons’ southerly cruise. A guest plays guitar as the fog rolls in, and a quiet evening settles.
11/30/2018
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National Geographic Venture
San Francisco Bay
Guests gathered under the Bay Bridge, and alongside the skyline of San Francisco, ready to celebrate the inauguration of National Geographic Venture , Lindblad Expedition’s newest ship in the fleet. The ship will explore the western coast of North America, sailing to Alaska, Baja, the Pacific Northwest, and Coastal California. With the ceremonial bottle of champagne smashed along her bow, the ship is now ready to explore the San Francisco Bay and beyond.
12/3/2018
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National Geographic Venture
Angel Island and Sausalito
Waking up in the San Francisco Bay aboard National Geographic Venture’ s inaugural voyage is an experience that sticks in one’s mind. Twinkling lights outlining the Bay Bridge and the city skyline brought the sunrise to life this morning. Morning adventures took us ashore to Angel Island, which is a chunk of land chock full of history with military garrisons, old hospitals, guard houses, and quarantine and immigration stations. Hiking the perimeter trail rewards hikers with 360 views of San Francisco Bay; taking in the city skyline, Alcatraz, and Treasure Island step by step. Sausalito caught our attention this afternoon with its endearing locals, fine wines, and tasteful art galleries.
12/5/2018
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National Geographic Venture
San Luis Obispo Bay, Central California
National Geographic Venture arrived at her anchorage site in San Luis Obispo Bay just before breakfast. She was positioned a short distance off the community of Avila Beach . We had hoped to go ashore to visit the Point San Luis Lighthouse, which we could see from the ship as we entered the bay. It normally entails a challenging hike to reach the lighthouse, but heavy rains within the last week had forced closure the hiking trail. Arrangements were made to transfer everyone to the lighthouse by way of three motor trolleys on a paved road. The operation became a little more complicated for us because a storm system far offshore was sending in impressive swells, which were running directly into the bay about 30 degrees off from the local wind-generated waves. This created a confused wave pattern that made for a risky Zodiac operation, so we decided to forego the landing altogether and continue making our way southwards. This will allow us to arrive earlier than scheduled in the Channel Islands , tomorrow’s destination. The rest of the day was at sea, all the while with the California coastline in observance. Our route took us past cliffs, hills, beaches, scrubland, and desert-like areas. Numerous state marine reserves line the shoreline end to end, which protect almost all the coastal waters in this region. This is an extremely important and productive marine ecological area because we were now within the zone where the southward-flowing California Current intermixes with the northward-flowing California Countercurrent. The phenomenon extends down to the Channel Islands , which are a relatively short distance south of us at the moment. The seabird fauna is now quite different compared to what we have experienced the last couple of days. Several newly sighted species of seabirds were identified today, including sooty shearwaters, black-vented shearwaters, leach’s storm-petrels, and common murres. This is most likely due to the aforementioned mixture of currents. In addition, two humpback whales were sighted fairly close to the vessel, but wind, waves, and small whitecaps made it difficult to approach them. And, all the while, we could see California sea lions cavorting in the choppy seas. The Rancho Guadalupe Dunes Preserve was very obvious from our vantage. One could easily imagine ancient times when Native Americans inhabited the area since there is no obvious modern development in view from the water. We could also see buildings associated with the Vandenberg Air Force Base, although the coastal lands near the base are newly preserved state land. We continued with our lecture program during the rest of the day and learned about the amazing sea lions, seals, and seabirds of California, and were introduced to the Channel Islands. And, to spice things up, we offered a trivia contest about California.
10/19/2018
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National Geographic Sea Lion
Santa Rosa Island, California
We awoke to the gentle rocking of the ship, behind the protected northeast bluff of Santa Rosa Island. We were anchored in Becher’s Bay, speculated to have been misnamed after explorer Sir Edward Belcher on coast guard maps since the 1800s. After a delicious breakfast, hikers took to the shore along a variety of trails. The ambitious among us took the long route to have lunch in the shade of the Torrey Pine grove , several miles down the island. Another group marched up through Cherry Canyon to take in the beautiful vistas above the bluffs of the beach. At the landing beach, hikers were able to roam the old settlement, with a meticulously preserved one-room schoolhouse, bright red barn, and livestock paddocks. A quick dip in the aqua blue ocean along the sandy beach was the perfect treat after hiking in the warm sun. After refueling ourselves with a delicious and hearty lunch, we pulled up anchor and headed to cruise along the northern shore of the islands. We were joined by several pods of common dolphins, who take much delight in riding on the wake of our bow. The ship also passed by thousands of pelagic cormorants flying close to the water’s surface, looking for a delicious meal. As we sipped our sangria and watched the sun set over the islands that we’ve explored over the past two days, we look forward to our next stop further to the south… Santa Catalina.
10/25/2018
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National Geographic Sea Lion
Anacapa and Santa Cruz, Channel Islands, California
Our second day of our expedition was beyond a success. We had the opportunity to view brown pelicans in their largest nesting colony in the United States, Brandt’s cormorants perched upon the north side cliffs and western gulls in great abundance throughout the island. As we approached the most eastern end of Anacapa, we found a 40-foot rock arch with adolescent California sea lions in the water below. In the afternoon, we had a chance to hike on Santa Cruz Island or kayak through the sea caves surrounding the outcropping. The day was truly an unforgettable experience and a great start to our journey.
10/27/2018
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National Geographic Sea Lion
Catalina Island
Our third and final day of landings on this Base Camp Channel Islands expedition onboard National Geographic Sea Lion . Today was spent on Santa Catalina Island, the only one of the Channel Island chains we visited that isn’t part of the National Park. Catalina offers a wonderful mix of preserved wilderness alongside a bustling tourist town. This morning we landed at one of the more remote beaches found on the ‘backside’ of Catalina, the south-facing coast. Little Harbor offers a small crescent-shaped beach that is somewhat sheltered from the Pacific Ocean swell by a small reef. The landing is calm and includes access to some interesting hiking. This morning, as the boats went ashore, a thick fog settled over the ship, so thick that our Zodiacs needed GPS units just to make the one quarter mile trip between ship and beach. This put the planned kayak operations on hold, but everyone seemed content to either explore by foot or simply sit on the beach and enjoy the antics of a troupe of Boy Scouts that we shared the cove with. Eventually, a few guests did manage to test out our stand-up paddleboards despite the fog, but soon enough, it was time for lunch and a two-hour trip to the other side of the island to see the famous town of Avalon. Avalon offers plenty of things to see, and guests were offered opportunities to join guided walks and tours or simply explore the town on their own. The main waterfront is filled with shops and restaurants, relaxing beaches, and most of the main thoroughfare is closed to traffic, inviting one to stroll along and enjoy the thousands of ceramic tiles that seem to adorn every corner, doorway and park bench. This evening will be our last aboard, as National Geographic Sea Lion will cross the channel and arrive at dawn at our berth in San Pedro. It seems amazing that we packed so much adventure into so few days!
12/1/2018
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National Geographic Venture
Angel Island, San Francisco Bay
It was an invigorating day full of variety and outdoor exploration for everyone onboard the inaugural voyage of National Geographic Venture ! Angel Island served as a backdrop to our water activities; buildings from the mid-1800s to mid-1900s reminding us of the island’s history with its military garrisons, old hospitals, guard houses, and quarantine and immigration stations. Later, we put our legs to work and hiked all over Angel Island, taking in 360-degree views of San Francisco Bay: the Golden Gate Bridge, city skyline, Alcatraz, Treasure Island, Marin Headlands, and so much more. Red-tailed hawks soared overhead and vultures rode thermals over the coastline. Black-tailed deer were completely at peace with our presence as we shared their trails amongst eucalyptus and oak. Angel Island is truly a jewel in the backyard of San Francisco with its incredible views, abundant wildlife, and rich history.
12/4/2018
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National Geographic Venture
Monterey Bay
Sailing under the lights of the Golden Gate Bridge, National Geographic Venture began her journey southward towards Monterey Bay and the coastal spectacles of California. The anchor dropped early to provide ample time to explore all the seaside city has to offer: the world-famous Monterey Bay Aquarium with its exhibits emphasizing the local biodiversity of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, the fabled stories of Ed Ricketts and John Steinbeck’s Cannery Row, and the dramatic geologic features of Point Lobos.
12/6/2018
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National Geographic Venture
Catalina Island, California
Located approximately 20 miles off the coast of southern California, Catalina Island boasts stunning hiking, unique wildlife, a rich history, and a 20-year waiting list to own a car. Not to worry: golf carts are allowed on the roads! As National Geographic Venture ’s Captain and crew sought the best Zodiac access point, our morning featured a visit from Hillary, ranger with the Catalina Island Conservancy which stewards over 88% of these lands through resource protection, education, and recreation. Never connected to mainland California in its geologic past, Catalina originally lacked all terrestrial life. Once soils started to form, plants and animals arrived at the island by chance, carried on the wind, drifting across the ocean, or flying. Native American residents, European explorers, and more recent inhabitants have also introduced species from afar. Catalina Island is home to at least 50 endemic species, those that occur naturally in this location yet live nowhere else in the world! Human activities and livestock grazing have, over decades, greatly impacted island vegetation, environments, and fauna. However, the exemplary, diligent efforts of the Conservancy in partnership with the Institute for Wildlife Studies has resulted in successful population recoveries for both the Catalina Island fox and local bald eagles. This inaugural voyage on National Geographic Venture explored the California coast and experienced the dynamic ocean conditions of regional reputation. We’ve enjoyed discovering stories of history, geology, wines, culture, marine science, and conservation together.
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