Today we had a wonderful first day out in Magdalena Bay where we sailed south to Bahia Almejas, or Clam Bay. After a hearty breakfast, our local pangeros met us at the fantail and we embarked their fast, stable boats. These permitted pangeros know these waters better than anyone else, giving us the local knowledge we need to get the most out of our experiences.
We started cruising away from the National Geographic Sea Bird into the ominous fog. By the time we got to the gray whale hot spot, the fog had burned off and we saw whales in multiple directions. In addition to listening to their silence-shattering exhales, we got to see some spyhopping, lifting their snouts or rostrums completely up and out of the water. They often do this behavior very slowly, almost as if in slow motion, allowing everyone to raise their cameras and get a stellar shot.
