Striped Marlin Safari

Dive Ninjas has been exploring the waters of Baja California for years and has encountered and interacted with many different shark species, blue whales, humpback whales, orcas, thousands of dolphins and mobula rays. Now, they are are going northwest to Bahía Magdalena (Mag Bay) to look for the über-fast, amazing and elusive striped marlin. 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.

Puerto San Carlos, the town where the group will be staying, has been a shark-fishing village for many years. Now, with increasing interest in whale watching and open ocean eco-tourism, 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.

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. It’s good to be a strong swimmer/snorkeler. Out of Mag Bay, we are very likely to find the marlin as well as 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. The place is also a bird-watching paradise, including the most southern population of bald eagles.