The National Geographic Venture sailed throughout the day and night southbound bound for Bahia Magdalena. Days at sea are special. Everyone enjoys the day at their own pace. The bow is quite popular for those dedicated to search for wildlife.  It is also a good place for those who simply enjoy the sea breeze, while surrounded by an interminable landscape of ocean.

Early in the morning, a stunning sunrise, painted the sky in orange and pink, drawing patterns with the clouds. Some of us enjoyed our coffee, witnessing the beginning of a new day. It was noticeable that the weather was somewhat warmer, and the sun rose earlier. We also discovered that we could now see species birds. We could see the first brown boobies, red-billed tropicbirds and even masked boobies.

Throughout the day, we were visited by groups of both long-beaked and short-beaked common dolphins, which would ride the bow of the ship. Humpback whales were also spotted a couple times. We estimated a total of six humpbacks who were traveling south to their wintering grounds.

IMAGE: Humpback whale fluke. Photo by Alberto Montaudon Ferrer