A rock rookery of around 300 California sea lions where the pups actively seek out snorkellers, biting fins, spiralling around…A rock rookery of around 300 California sea lions where the pups actively seek out snorkellers, biting fins, spiralling around you, blowing bubbles in your mask. Genuinely interactive wild animals, in warm clear water, with no feeding involved. Whale sharks in La Paz Bay and mobula rays nearby. Espíritu Santo is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and the rookery is one of the southernmost in the species' range. Cousteau's 'world's aquarium' line was about this sea. The colony has declined in recent decades, likely linked to warming water shifting its prey, the closures are part of the response. Anchorage: Anchor in Ensenada Grande or Partida on Espíritu Santo and run north to the rookery. Hazards: Closed roughly May-Aug during pupping/breeding when territorial bulls become aggressive, check the seasonal closure. More