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.
4/30/2024
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National Geographic Quest
Anacapa and Santa Cruz Islands
High swells prevented landing on Anacapa Island this morning, so we anchored off the protected side and enjoyed extended Zodiac cruising through intermittent misty fog. We saw (and heard) many sea lions on the beaches and watched the young ones perform ‘investigative circling’ around the Zodiacs. A pair of harbor seals swam in the kelp canopy and the skies were filled with soaring pelicans and western gulls. We also learned about the giant kelp, and many sampled a piece, generally conceding that it was ‘salty bland’. During brunch, we traveled across gently rolling seas to Prisoners Harbor on Santa Cruz Island, passing through a large pod of long-beaked dolphins. Some peeled off to ride our bow wave, gracefully rolling and looking up at us while we looked down on them. Afternoon activities consisted of three varieties of hikes, each offering sightings of the endemic island scrub jay and the lovable island fox. Heavy rains during the previous winter created a ’50 Shades of Green’ scene, punctuated with colors of many different flowers. Cloudless skies added to the overall magic. After a final dinner and introduction of the hotel staff, we watched the traditional guest slideshow, reliving precious memories.
