The Great Gray Whales of Baja

Encounter friendly gray whales up close in Baja, Mexico’s San Ignacio Lagoon from Nat Hab’s exclusive eco-camp nestled on the shoreline.

In 1940, author John Steinbeck and biologist Ed Ricketts set out aboard the Western Flyer to explore the Sea of Cortez—a journey that bridged literature, science and philosophy, later chronicled in Steinbeck’s classic The Log from the Sea of Cortez. Mexico Expedition Leader Sofia Merino—who recently toured the restored Western Flyer—revisits their voyage and its modern legacy, revealing how their observations still resonate today, inspiring new conversations about conservation, climate change and our connection to the sea.

Each winter, hundreds of humpback whales migrate to the warm waters of Mexico’s Pacific Coast (where we meet them on our Great Gray Whales of Baja adventure) to mate, give birth and nurture their young. Expedition Leader Karel Beets, a marine biologist and co-founder of the nonprofit Ecología y Conservación de Ballenas (Ecology and Conservation of Whales), shares insights from nearly 30 years of research and guiding. Learn about humpback whale behavior, the conservation challenges they face and the work being done to protect them.

How is climate change reshaping life on Earth, and how are species responding? In Part 1 of her polar series, Expedition Leader Maru Marcias explores the relationship between climate and biodiversity, using examples from both polar and temperate ecosystems. From gray whales and monarch butterflies to macroalgae and krill, she shares what we’re learning from species that are adapting to a warming world—and those that aren't. Discover why polar regions are especially vulnerable to climate change and how they offer insights into its global effects.