Isla Angel de la Guarda offered a stunning geologic kaleidoscope of colors and patterns. Rains have been good this past winter and the drainages leading up to the rust, ochre, and olive-hued hills were liberally sprinkled with desert flowers. Passionflower was in full bloom and lynx spiders were lurking about the blossoms ready to grab a pollinator as an easy meal. The flower fiesta continued when we anchored at Bahia de los Angeles and focused our attentions towards the peninsula and the boojum forest. We entered the mystical, magical forest of contorted plants that seem to have sprouted from a fertile imagination. Desert sand verbena carpeted the desert in vibrant purple hues, brittlebush dotted the landscape in brilliant yellows and cholla cactus kept us busy dancing between the desert shrubs. We returned to the National Geographic Sea Bird at sunset, confident that the boojum trees were shortly going to shake out their thorny skirts and dance in the moonlight of the quarter moon.
4/5/2023
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National Geographic Venture
Bahia Concepcion
Sunrises in Baja deserve their legendary status. The light paints the hillsides as it peeks over the horizon before erupting in a shower of oranges, yellows, and reds. In the morning light, seabirds swirled about the ship, silhouettes dancing in the breeze. Leaving a sizzling wake to our north, we greeted the day with anticipation and excitement. A delightful breakfast prepared us for a morning spent exploring Bahia Concepcion. This area was exactly what we needed, offering protection from howling winds and swells. We set out in expedition landing craft to spend time with the flora and fauna of the bay and the islets around it. Endemic yellow-footed gulls nested near the tideline with ospreys conspicuously perched on bluffs. Brown pelicans were a delight to watch as they plunged down into the inviting, blue-green waters. Locals in brightly painted cabanas rimmed the shoreline. It’s no surprise this is a destination for many. In the afternoon, we sheltered on National Geographic Venture . The north winds continued howling, so we enjoyed presentations on the cultural history of Mexican foods. Our crew performed delightful music in the afternoon, which set a great mood for the Mexican fiesta dinner that followed. It was a joyful day that also allowed for some well-deserved resting on the ship. With an idyllic sunset matched with a brilliant moon rise to wrap up the day, we were surrounded with reminders of how this corner of the world is teeming with vibrant beauty.