You can’t complain by starting a day with humpback whales before breakfast. As we sailed south along the water off Cabo Pulmo, we had INCREDIBLE, close-up encounters with humpback whales! We knew it was an unusual sighting when our galley team even took a break to come outside and view the action. We had a chase group consisting of two males and one female; these humpbacks have migrated down here to Baja California Sur to breed. The bowcam is one of our tools of discovery and exploration here on the National Geographic Sea Bird and what a great tool it turned out to be! We have beautiful underwater footage of our morning whales!
Our whale-filled morning was followed by a hot and sunny afternoon of strolling the quaint town of San Jose del Cabo. Many decided to take a walk through the estuary to view birds. This estuary is a RAMSAR protected wetland sight and is home to around 200 bird species. The teals and scoters were so close we didn’t even need our binoculars to get a good view! Those who weren’t in the mood for birds were able to visit a glass blowing shop, do some shopping, or grab a cup of coffee (or a beer!) at a local café.
While the guest were enjoying various activities ashore, the Undersea Specialist, along with the chief mate and boatswain, were able to deploy an expedition landing craft to do a Gilly drop. This is part of the ongoing data collection Lindblad Expeditions has been doing for Dr. Gilly of Stanford and his study on the Oxygen Minimum Layer. Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic believe in supporting research and conservation efforts in all of our travel destinations.
Just before sunset we sailed into view of El Arco, a distinctive rock formation at the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula. The landscape was formed by a massive erosion, and, at this junction, the Gulf of California becomes the Pacific Ocean. We are now beginning a new chapter to our trip; new adventures and wildlife are waiting for us on the Pacific side of the peninsula. We enjoyed the sunset views while sipping mango sangrias on the bow. A very merry Valentine’s Day, indeed!
