Multimedia by Susan Seubert from National Geographic Expeditions, Among the Great Whales

Saturday night, or possibly Sunday morning, my 737 delivered me safely home to Portland after I spent 16 days in Bahia de Magdalena and the Gulf of California, otherwise known as the Sea of Cortez.  It was a thrilling adventure aboard the National Geographic Sea Bird where I was the National Geographic Photography Expert on board the ship.  I met many, many lovely people who had come from all corners of the earth to enjoy the extraordinary drama of this place.  In Bahia de Magdalena, one of three nurseries for Gray Whales along the Pacific Coast of the Baja Peninsula, we encountered these behemoths.  It is difficult to put into words the feeling when a month old baby whale sticks its head out of the water, looks directly at you, and invites a scratch on the chin.  The whales chose us as their companions and judging from the size of these cetaceans, we knew we had to follow their lead.  The expedition took us to many islands in the Gulf of California where amazing rock formations and incredible diversity of plant and animal life welcomed us.  The water changed color constantly depending on where we were in the Gulf. The shallow coves were inviting for kayaking, snorkeling and bbq’s under the star littered sky.  Our brief stop in San Jose del Cabo was a nice visit to terra firma and an opportunity to bird watch in the estuary.  Otherwise, shopping and sightseeing were an added treat to a trip dominated by the wild blue yonder.  We encountered not only Humpback whales and their calves frolicking in the ocean, but also numerous dolphins, and magnificent Blue Whales, the largest animals ever known to have existed.  Here is a very brief multimedia piece that I hope offers a tiny sliver of this incredible expedition with National Geographic and Lindblad.  Enjoy!