Our first full day in Baja California Sur left our hearts full and our eyes tired from looking at all the marvels!

After a gorgeous sunrise of vibrant pinks and golden oranges, we disembarked National Geographic Venture to travel north to the small town of Lopez Mateos, passing through “the Crossroads” of where the burrito was invented.

Once there, we divided up and boarded pangas, the fiberglass fishing boats used by locals. We headed out for our first attempt at searching for mother gray whales and their calves. It started as a cloudy day with a surprise sprinkling of rain, but the sun eventually came out to shine brightly and offer great visibility.

With so many pangas, everyone had their own unique adventure. Some folks had curious gray whales come up close and personal, others were splashed by the calves’ playful antics, and a few spy hops were witnessed. No matter which boat we were in, we all saw the majesty of these beautiful creatures.

After our morning adventure, we traveled to a local restaurant and enjoyed a delicious, fresh seafood lunch. Los Coyotes, a local musical group, performed while we sat back and nourished our bodies.

With full bellies, some folks opted to head back to the ship early to rest and relax, while others went out for a second round of whale watching.

We are only one day down with many remaining to enjoy the beauty of Baja California Sur and its many fascinating inhabitants.