Mexico Sardine Run Trip Report
At the end of November 2025, I had the very good fortune of being able to visit Mexico’s Baja California for a rare moment in time, when some of the ocean’s most enigmatic species come together to hunt. For about six weeks each year, species like the California sea lion, striped marlin, dorado, Bryde’s whales, and humpback whales all converge just outside this magnificent little bay called Magdalena Bay, to hunt the shoals of mackerel and sardines that congregate here, starting from around October to December. As most of these species are pelagic ocean wanderers, it’s nearly impossible to predictably encounter them on your average snorkeling trip. However, as the sea lions, marlins, whales, and other ocean predators are all drawn into this relatively small area by the dense bait balls, we snorkelers have a rare opportunity to swim alongside these magestical creatures and bear witness to them in all their glory as they prey on the tiny fish.
As this is a very unique tour for us, one in which we will be running in November 2027, I wanted to get out to Mexico and experience it for myself so we can paint a much better picture of what to expect with our Mexican Sardine Run, through photos, videos, and only the most eloquent wordage. Now, I’ve already done quite a bit of posting about the tour on the Facebook and Instagram as I was partaking in it. For those of you who are lucky enough not to be on either of these apps, I hope this trip report suffices as a vehicle for absorption of all things relating to our Mexico Sardine Run!
Magdalena Bay
Magdalena Bay–Mag Bay for short–is a really quite large bay that sits on the Pacific coast of Mexico’s Baja California, and what fuels the Sardine Run as the bay’s nutrient-rich waters flow into the mighty Pacific Ocean. This bay has become very famous for its friendly gray whales, which have been known to come right up to boats and lift their head right out of the water as if to peer inside. It’s also well known for the delicious seafood, and in the last few years, it’s become well internationally recognized as the best place in the world to swim alongside striped marlin. Mag Bay is where we’ll be based for the duration of this tour, in a small fishing village called San Carlos, our gateway to the Sardine Run!
The Day to Day
Our days on this tour start quite early, as we typically depart San Carlos by six-thirty in the morning after a light breakfast at our cozy little hotel. We’ll jump into our panga and then make our way across the bay to the north or south mouth, depending on where the action has been taking place. This crossing takes about an hour, but is a stunning and very beautiful way to start the day as you cruise past massive floating rafts of pelicans and are intermittently escorted by pods of bottlenose or Pacific white-sided dolphins. This is all while the sun is rising over the rugged landscape surrounding us.
As we exit the bay, this is when we change into our wetsuits, and the hunt for the birds begins. We use flocks of birds as indicators for where the bait balls are, as they are also here to feed on the schools of fish. Finding the birds and bait balls can take anywhere from five minutes to an hour or so, typically. There’s never a dull moment, though, as this is also humpback whale season, so you’re routinely treated to their mighty exhales and breaching bodies.
Once we find the birds, it’s now time to find a nice static bait ball. Typically, there are a number of bait balls in the area. Some will be zipping around in an attempt to avoid the predators, while others will more or less remain in a static position, with the small fish trying to retreat further inside the dense ball of fish, while the birds, striped marlin, sea lions, and anything else that’s hungry come in for a mouthful. Needless to say, these static bait balls are much easier to stay with, and with a good one, we can sit with the action for up to forty minutes or so! Once the baitball has been reduced to a glittery wash of scales, we jump out and search for the next one! This will be our routine for the day.
While the main goal for each day is to get in the water with the bait balls and the action that they cultivate, we’re also on the lookout for other species like orcas, dolphins, and even fleets of mobula rays, all of which we will try to get in the water with if we happen to come across any of these beauties!
We aim to be back at San Carlos before five in the PM, giving us enough time to relax at the hotel before our group dinner prepared by our private chef.
The Underwater Experience
The experience underwater is like nothing I’ve ever experienced before in all my time as a diver or snorkeler. To see so many different species come together just a few feet in front of you in one magnificent display of nature’s true majesty is nothing short of breathtaking.
When the captain gives the “OK,” and you jump into the clear blue water, you can be immediately greeted by the iridescent bodies of the marlin and the underwater acrobatics of the sea lions as they collect around the bait ball. Other times, you might have to swim a few meters to get to where the action is taking place. Once you arrive, the group lines up on one side of the bait ball, and you just watch the ballet of predator and prey unfold before your eyes.
The sea lions and birds will belt the bait ball from the top side, while the marlin will collect beneath the small fish and then take turns, flashing their neon scales to indicate that they’re going in for a mouthful. When a marlin comes up, it’s pure magic. They beat their powerful tail from side to side and shoot through the bait ball at an incredible speed, slashing their sword-like bills in an attempt to skewer or stun one or more of the bait fish. They’ll then whip around to grab the incapacitated fish before the sealions are able to. One baitball can have anywhere from a few sealions and a handful of marlins to forty-plus marlins and a dozen sea lions. On some bait balls, we were even able to see dorados and some giant wahoo.
The scene I just described above is for the bait balls dominated by marlin and sea lions. There is another type of bait ball, which we can also encounter, dominated by skipjack tuna and again by sea lions. Get used to sea lions, they’re everywhere! Anywho, these types of bait balls are also just as exhilarating, especially when the hundreds of torpedo-like tuna shoot through the ball of bait fish in a flurry of bubble trains and scales. When the bonito come through, the energy in the water is palpable.
There is a third type of bait ball which you can experience, but please don’t come expecting it to happen, as moments like this are really quite rare and can’t be planned for. That being said, I want to describe it as we were supremely lucky and found one within thirty minutes of changing into our wetsuits.
We’d just jumped in with our first bait ball, which was being controlled by about thirty sea lions, a pod of dolphins, the sea birds, and about a bazillion skipjack tuna who were relentlessly blasting the bait ball from beneath. After about thirty minutes of watching this action, gobsmacked at what we were seeing, out of nowhere, a humpback whale rose up from beneath us and took a massive gulp of the schooling mackerel. We thought the whale had left, but it came back several more times, each time taking more and more of the scared little fish with its gaping mouth. For me, it was the greatest moment I’ve ever had in the water. A scene as you’d see on one of the BBC’s underwater documentaries, but it was happening just inches from your face. It was unbelievable!
Other Activities
While the bulk of our time is spent in search of or swimming with open ocean beauties like sea lions and striped marlin, we do indulge in a few other activities. For example, there’s a stunning set of sand dunes fringed by mangroves that we’ll visit one morning. Here, you can see a unique array of bird life and terrestrial life, like coyotes who’ve adapted to life in the dunes. We’ll also likely take the boat through some other beautiful coastal areas where you can spot the southernmost bald eagles in the world. Finally, there’s a really fantastic sea lion colony right off the shore where we can swim amongst hundreds of these playful acrobats!
Sea and Weather Conditions
The sea and weather conditions around Magdalena Bay can be on the cooler side of things, especially when compared to our more tropical snorkeling destinations like Indonesia, Palau, and the Solomon Islands. The water temperature can range from 22 °C to 24 °C, which is around 71 °F to 76 °F. Air temperatures are around 25 °C or 77°F, with lows around 19 °C or 65 °F, in the mornings and evenings. As we’re on the boat all day, there is also a steady breeze, which makes things feel a bit cooler. A good 3-5mm wetsuit is strongly recommended, as is a fleece-lined waterproof jacket for the morning rides out.
Where sea conditions are concerned, don’t expect flat calm water. The Pacific can be a bit windy, which does present some surface chop. In the water, it’s fine, you just sort of rock and roll with it. You probably won’t even notice it as you’ll be so focused on the action in front of you. On the boat, however, especially when we’re going into the waves, it can make for a more bumpy ride.
Day-to-Day Physicality
As the bait balls can be quite unpredictable in their movement patterns, there can be a fair amount jumping into the water only to climb out shortly after. The same thing goes for when and if we encounter species like orcas or mobula rays. While the ladders are great on the boat with nice, wide wooden steps, the in and out can add up if you’re not used to this type of activity.
This trip is all about spending as much time on the water so as to maximize our chances of encountering those magical moments. With that in mind, you really need to be mentally and physically prepared to spend the day at sea. If you’re prone to sea sickness, you should definitely procure some tablets, bands, or patches well in advance. Similarly, you should anticipate how comfortable you are on a bumpy boat. For example, if you have back issues, a bumpy boat might not be the best thing for you.
The Food
If you like authentic Mexican food, you won’t be disappointed on this trip! Our breakfasts and dinners will be prepared by our own chef, who will cater to our group exclusively. These meals will be served family style at the hotel’s cozy restaurant. That being said, we are in a remote region of Baja California, and catering to specific dietary needs, like gluten-free or even vegetarian dishes, can be tricky and might not always be possible.
Our lunches will be onboard the boat, and as you can imagine, they are relatively simple, but plenty filling! Onboard, we’ll have the famous snack box, which is full of chips, peanuts, granola bars, fresh-baked cookies, and much more. There’s also fresh fruit available, and another big box full of freshly made beef or chicken burritos. You won’t go hungry!
The Hotel
San Carlos is a small town that really doesn’t have the normal demand for tourism; as such, hotels are much more modest. The hotel we stay at, Hotel Alcatraz, is by far the best in the area, and really quite comfortable. It’s basic, but it has nice hot water showers, ceiling fans, plenty of space, wifi, and comfortable beds. After a long day on the water, it’s everything you could want.
Final Thoughts
First and foremost, this adventure-fueled trip is one that could quite easily deliver you those underwater moments that you could only dream of witnessing. That being said, I will quite decisively say that this tour isn’t for everyone. This tour is for those of you looking for a real adventure where anything is possible, and you’re more than comfortable with the different elements of the tour that I’ve described above, like cooler sea and air temperatures, long days on the boat, choppier conditions, and the physical demands of getting in and out of the water repeatedly throughout the day. If all of this sounds completely doable and just another part of the adventure, this trip could very well be the single best trip you’ve ever been on. I know it was for me, and I’m so excited to have it finally fun in January 2027!
