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While we were watching blue whales and humpback whales from the bow of
the ship, the naturalists/guides and passengers
noticed a huge
school of dolphins in the distance. They estimated 150 individuals.
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The dolphins swam towards the ship because they enjoy bow-riding, that
is, they get in front of the
ship’s bow wave and enjoy being pushed
through the water by the power of the ship’s engines.
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Bow-riding.
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The first morning of the trip we watched a number of blue whales off the
ship’s bow.
The ship’s pilot is very good at following the whales.
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Also from the ship’s bow, we saw a variety of sea birds: both close up
and at a distance.
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We watched these Masked Boobies and five of their friends swooping and
diving.
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Frigate Birds were often flying overhead.
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… and always gulls!
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Mangrove swamps are home to many species, including pelicans and
cormorants.
In fact, we saw pelicans everywhere!
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From the small boats we also saw shore birds.
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Here I am, kayaking in a lovely, protected bay with beautiful red dunes!
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I find that the sand dunes on the beaches are very beautiful
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Naturalist Carlos leading our hike on the dunes.
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These Mexican towns include interesting street art. Unfortunately, there
are also signs of poverty.
This is very much a trip dedicated to
wildlife, so there is virtually no contact with local people.
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Most of all, the open sea and the interior lagoons are stunning!
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The moon was full on our first night of the trip, and was beautiful
every night.
Here it is from our balcony at a point when the ship
was facing conveniently to see it.
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From shore as the moon was rising on another night we could see the
lit-up ship on the horizon.
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— Map from Lindblad
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We have now been back home for a few days, and are adjusting again to our
Michigan climate. Fortunately, since our return, we’ve enjoyed a bit of winter
sunshine!
The National Geographic Venture, the ship on which we traveled, is run
by Lindblad Expeditions. We have found it to be a wonderful and reliable
travel company. Lindblad partners with National Geographic, enabling travel to
many hard-to-reach locations such as the great beaches and lagoons of Baja
California, as well as offering trips to Patagonia, Iceland, Greenland,
Svalbard, the Panama Canal, the Pacific Northwest, Antarctica, and many more.
The naturalists on these ships are fantastic, and we always learn a lot! Our
expedition was called “Baja California: Among the Great Whales.”
Blog post © 2023 mae sander
9 comments:
Hello,
Your Baja cruise looks wonderful. I would love any trip that included just wildlife. I love seeing the dolphins, whales and all the birds. The Pelicans are a favorite of mine. Wonderful photos. The sky images, sand dunes and water views are beautiful. Take care, have a great day!
Baja California always sounded so exotic and beautiful, and it is,isn't it? Thanks for sharing your trip info, because this is one type of cruise I might actually like. Hugs-Erika
That must have been marvellous!
Ahhh such wonderful photos. It is always so nice there. Have a great day.
Ahh... that Baja Blue is stunning! And very wise of you to arrive in time for the full moon and all the opportunities that permits for amazing photographs.
Thanks, too, for including the link to the Lindblad expeditions. It's provided an enjoyable morning indulging in wishful thinking.
Wow it looks like a bucket list kind of trip. Beautiful! And love all the wildlife.
That was a really colorful mural.
I'm always intrigued by white sand dunes. So different from the tan sand I've seen on most beaches.
I remember one of the whale watches I was on we saw more dolphins than whales. The fact you also saw so many birds must have been a fabulous experience for you two.
des images magnifiques pour un voyage qui ne l'est pas moins. C'est très beau. les dauphins du pacifique ont l'air bien heureux..
Thank you so much for sharing these photos with us, Mae.
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