It got a little bouncy last night on our way northbound along the Pacific Coast of Baja California. The good news was that we had more time in the open Pacific this morning to rest, enjoy the ocean and to watch for oceanic life. The National Geographic Sea Bird made her way into the protected waters of Magdalena Bay before noon and we then spent the afternoon transiting the beautiful Hull Canal. Where there had been overcast skies and ocean swells outside the bay, there was sunshine and glassy seas inside. Bottlenose dolphins came to ride the bow of our ship to our great delight and a wide variety of birds were seen lining the circuitous canal that connects the upper Magdalena complex with the main part of the Bay.
We saw our first California gray whales just inside the entrance at La Entrada, and we were thrilled when two of the three whales breached together only a hundred yards away. Some of us were even quick enough on the camera trigger to get the photo while most of us just looked on in awe as the 40-ton leviathans came almost clear of the water and crashed back to the sea with an enormous splash. Later in the afternoon as we neared our anchorage and were enjoying the beautiful light on the barrier island sand dunes, we counted six mother and young whale pairs gliding peacefully across the calm waters of the lagoon.
After anchoring in the late afternoon near the rugged Pacific lagoon entrance of Boca de Solidad, we piled into our wonderful Zodiac boats and went ashore for an exploration of the barrier island called Isla Magdalena. The combination of spectacular pastel light, playing on the enormous sand dunes and walking the pristine Pacific beach were just what we all needed after a day aboard our ship home. The reds, purples, deep blues, and yellows of sunset were then the cap on this beautiful day and as the sun set into the western ocean there were nostalgic moments where many of us thought of loved ones back home with whom we would love to share this incredible experience.
