The wild coast of Baja is full of life all year round and never ceases to amaze us with the seasonal migrations that take place within these major feeding grounds. Coming November join Pelagic Safari in Magdalena Bay to look for the über-fast, amazing, and elusive striped marlin.

 

Magbay and the small fishing community of Puerto San Carlos are home to one of the most amazing wildlife phenomena in Mexico, and the World. The huge amount of sardines and bait fish that congregate off the coast, along with the cold currents, make way for a feeding frenzy that cannot be seen anywhere else. This is Mexico’s secret sardine run.
 
The striped marlin is a member of the bill fish family. They are some of the fastest and most agile fish in the sea and can reach speeds of up to 81km/h. They can live up to 20 years and weigh up to 400lbs. The striped marlin can even change the shade of their stripes, usually when feeding or courting. Witnessing them in action is exhilarating.
Unfortunately Striped Marlin is considered a trophy fish and is highly sought-after by sports fishermen. These fish are under threat of overfishing both for food and trophies. Additionally you will be contributing to new eco-tourism efforts that are growing in Magbay.
Puerto San Carlos, the town where we’ll be staying, has been a shark-fishing village for many years, but with increasing interest in whale watching and open ocean eco-tourism ignited by our good friends at Pelagic Life back in 2011, now some families of fishermen are currently focusing on doing these ecotours so that people can interact with sharks and other species in their natural habitat. Following their example we will be working with local fishermen, giving a higher value to live species.

We start the day with a light breakfast and then set out early out into the open ocean. We will be looking for the majestic frigate birds that are feeding on sardine and mackerel as the marlin corral them into big bait balls. As soon as we find a bait-ball we will jump right in. Lastly, one of the amazing things about Magbay is that while it is very likely we will find the marlin, there is plenty of other amazing pelagic species around. It is possible to see dolphins, sharks, and sea lions feeding on the same bait balls. Whales and even orcas are often spotted in the area. And if this wasn’t enough, this place is also a bird-watching paradise, including the most southern population of bold eagles. Look for them resting on top of the sand dunes as we sail off and out of the bay. At the end of the day in open ocean we will go back to the hotel for a shower before going out to dinner at one of the local restaurants.

PRICE

Individuals: $2,500 USD*

Private trip: $12,000 USD* (up to 6 guests)

*16% IVA (Mexican sales tax) not included

DATES

Oct 30 – Nov 3

Nov 8 – Nov 12

Nov 26 – Nov 30

Maximum 6 passengers per trip. Please let us know how many spaces you are interested in and we will reply with availability.

ITINERARY Day 1: Transfer Cabo – San Carlos Day 2: Marlin Safari Day 3: Marlin Safari Day 4: Marlin Safari Day 5: Marlin Safari. Transfer to Cabo

PAYMENT SCHEDULE 33% due at time of booking Final Balance due 60 days prior to the trip start date

For bookings and more information please email hola@pelagicsafari.com

Contact Us for more information.

Striped Marlin Pelagic Safari

What to pack

The safari is a full day trip (sunrise to sunset) and we strongly recommend you to bring the following:

  • Towel
  • Dry bag
  • Sweatshirt and waterproof jacket
  • Cap or hat
  • Sunblock
  • Sunglasses

*Even if you don’t tend to get seasick, we recommend you take Dramamine in the morning.

Qualifications

  • Minimum age of 12 (with adult supervision)
  • Previous snorkeling experience required
  • Good physical condition
  • Swimming skills*

*Even though you can watch the whales from the boat, we recommend the following in case we do find come other fauna like mobulas, dolphins, sea lions or even sharks!

Follow up

Once your safari is booked, we will contact you for equipment and special needs. You will be constantly updated on meteorological conditions and recent sightings.

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