We woke before sunrise to start the day with our Exhale guest teacher, John Nelson, and his beautiful morning yoga class. By the time we finished our sun salutes we had arrived at our first stop for the day, Los Islotes. This craggy island is a haven for birds as well as a rookery and haul out for California sea lions. Our first order of business was to zip up our wetsuits, grab our snorkel gear and hit the water for a fantastic swim. The sea lions were playful, the pelicans were diving, the cormorants and eared grebes were swimming and there were abundant fish in the water. After our swim we spent some time on the bow enjoying the scenery and looking for wildlife. The afternoon found us at our second stop for the day on Isla San Francisco. Here we hiked the rugged peaks, enjoyed the tide pools and explored the waters of Half Moon Bay in our kayaks and stand-up paddle boards. As the sun began to set, the National Geographic Sea Bird galley staff brought a delicious dinner to the beach and we ate, drank and chatted around a bonfire.
1/10/2022
Read
National Geographic Venture
Isla San Jose & Espiritu Santo National Park
The day began with heavy winds and plentiful whitecaps in the Sea of Cortez. As we sailed through the Vermillion Sea, we saw a group of blue-footed boobies (a “brassiere”) fly by on their way to a meal. We actively searched for mammals but with the winds creating substantial waves and whitecaps we were unsuccessful. Weather dictates our plans in Baja California Sur, and we quickly adapted and went to Kelley’s Beach on Isla San Jose. Hiking in an arroyo, walking in the cardon forest, and a beachcombing stroll were each offered in two rounds so everyone could partake in two different activities if they desired. In the afternoon, the heavy winds created a favorable surprise, and we had an unexpected opportunity to snorkel at Ensenada Grande near Isla Partida, which is a part of the Espiritu Santo National Park. This was a drift snorkel next to some stunning lava cliffs which offered nice views of a diversity of fish and coral species. As we finished snorkeling, the sun was setting as we headed back to the National Geographic Venture .
