Magdalena Bay
Magdalena Bay, tucked behind a necklace of barrier islands along the Pacific coast, is wild and remote, one of the most biologically rich bays on the planet.

The Whales
Come winter, Magdalena Bay becomes one of the most extraordinary whale-watching destinations on the planet. Humpback whales are the acrobats of the area, and it is truly thrilling to watch as these forty-ton mammals hurl it themselves free of the ocean, then come crashing down with a sound like distant thunder.

The Sea Lions
The California sea lions are the resident ambassadors of Mag Bay. Young bulls posture. Pups nurse. Old males lie like boulders, undisturbed by anything.

The Mangroves
At the edges of the estuary, the mangroves begin — ancient, salt-tolerant forests that stand on stilted roots in the brackish shallows, their canopies dense and dark green above the mirror-still water. the mangroves are the nurseries of the bay and teem with juvenile marine life. Above, great blue herons stand sentinel on exposed roots. Reddish egrets chase fish with theatrical energy. Magnificent frigatebirds patrol overhead on long, angular wings, while brown pelicans glide in formation just above the surface before folding into steep, spectacular dives.