The first day of the trip started with a beautiful sunrise and a strong northerly breeze. National Geographic Sea Lion cruised west to the island of Santa Cruz for the afternoon’s activities. On the way, the ship was interrupted by a super pod of common dolphins and several playful California sea lions. After lunch everyone hopped into expedition landing crafts for small boat adventures around the cove. The dive team was able to slip below the waves and see what was living in the beautiful kelp forests below. The day ended with some extra fun as several people went for a swim in the cool Pacific Ocean.