BajaNomad

New regs for watching (and swimming with) killer whales in baja sur

mtgoat666 - 8-5-2025 at 10:57 AM

In the past swimming with Orcas was not permitted, but some questionable companies were offering trips to do such.

Now SEMARNAT is proposing a plan and permit process for swimming with orcas. https://www.bcsnoticias.mx/publican-plan-de-manejo-para-el-n...

Some of the videos in social media indicate the orca pursuits are a bit out of control.

How long until someone get accidentally smacked or bit doing this silly swimming with big, toothy orcas?

SFandH - 8-5-2025 at 04:35 PM

People who want to go swimming with killer whales are candidates for a Darwin Award, but it's their business. Whatever.

What I don't like is the probability of an outboard motor propeller at high speed dragging over the back of a submerged whale swimming near the surface. It will happen.

mtgoat666 - 8-5-2025 at 04:59 PM

Quote: Originally posted by SFandH  
People who want to go swimming with killer whales are candidates for a Darwin Award, but it's their business. Whatever.

What I don't like is the probability of an outboard motor propeller at high speed dragging over the back of a submerged whale swimming near the surface. It will happen.


The situation often gets out of control. Multiple boats chasing the whales, getting too close to whales. The whales appear mostly annoyed or incurious by chasers… the way people get close is the whales rush in front of direction of travel, and people jump in water and thereby see whales pass them.
They really should ban the chit show.
I suspect there has occasionally been baiting to get whales up close or following boats.

Off spain the orcas took to screwing around with boats. Probably playing, no evil intent. Now sailboats are being sunk by orcas messing with rudders, playing a game that is only hazardous to the sailboat and sailors. The cowboy chit show off baja is likely to end in an accident someday, or changed behavior like in spain. Hard to predict what new behavior orcas will learn in response to tourists chasing them to swim…



SFandH - 8-5-2025 at 05:08 PM

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666  


Hard to predict what new behavior orcas will learn in response to tourists chasing them to swim…



Depends on the individual. Most whales will stay away by figuring out where not to go. They'll disappear.

Some, the hungry ones, may decide it's an easy meal for the whole family. :o

[Edited on 8-6-2025 by SFandH]

latitude32 - 8-5-2025 at 07:18 PM

Quote: Originally posted by SFandH  
People who want to go swimming with killer whales are candidates for a Darwin Award, but it's their business. Whatever.

What I don't like is the probability of an outboard motor propeller at high speed dragging over the back of a submerged whale swimming near the surface. It will happen.

mtgoat666 - 8-5-2025 at 09:03 PM

Quote: Originally posted by SFandH  


Some, the hungry ones, may decide it's an easy meal for the whole family. :o

[Edited on 8-6-2025 by SFandH]


I hope not. The whales may get sick. Most humans have diets full of unhealthy chemicals, and their meat has high concentrations of toxins.

Tioloco - 8-5-2025 at 09:40 PM

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666  
Quote: Originally posted by SFandH  


Some, the hungry ones, may decide it's an easy meal for the whole family. :o

[Edited on 8-6-2025 by SFandH]


I hope not. The whales may get sick. Most humans have diets full of unhealthy chemicals, and their meat has high concentrations of toxins.


Doubtful a 90,000 lb grey whale will have an upset stomach over a toxin rich 175 lb human. But I digress.

lencho - 8-6-2025 at 06:55 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Tioloco  
But I digress.

Just a bit, since the topic is orcas. :lol:

[Edited on 8-6-2025 by lencho]

Tioloco - 8-6-2025 at 06:58 AM

Quote: Originally posted by lencho  
Quote: Originally posted by Tioloco  
But I digress.

Just a bit, since the topic is orcas. :lol:

[Edited on 8-6-2025 by lencho]


12,000 lb orca can probably handle the "toxins" in a 175 lb human as well. But yeah, ok

surfhat - 8-6-2025 at 12:19 PM

I have thoroughly enjoyed my annual gray whale adventures for a decade, and heard about opportunities to swim with whale sharks that is on my bucket list, but this is the first I have heard of swimming with orca's.

I will take a pass on that activity. Swimming with orca's? Is this for real?

Might as well take a swim with great whites. No cages?

BTW Are shark cages equal to orca cages, if there is such a cage. I would think not.

Carry on Nomads. Swim with orca's to your pleasure and hopefully not theirs. haha



BajaBlanca - 8-7-2025 at 04:25 AM

People who want to go swimming with killer whales are candidates for a Darwin Award, but it's their business. QUOTED (copied since I do not know how to capture a quote).

The Darwin Award :biggrin:


I must say, the 2 or 3 times we went whale watching in San Ignacio lagoon, the boats were spaced apart and I never ever felt we were chasing the whales.

[Edited on 8-7-2025 by BajaBlanca]

AKgringo - 8-7-2025 at 09:01 AM

If you want to swim with Orcas, I recommend that you strap a fake shark fin on your back. That should scare them away from attacking you! :rolleyes:

Timo1 - 8-7-2025 at 10:35 AM

I used to SCUBA dive a lot around Vancouver Island British Columbia. We had a few encounters with orcas. They were curious and let us touch them. After all they are only dolphins

Don Jorge - 8-7-2025 at 01:42 PM

Every fall for the last 5 years plus swimming with the striped marlin feeding on bait balls on the banks offshore of Mag Bay has hit the big time. Many days it is a circus out there with half a dozen or more pangas circling above the bait balls and dozens of divers in the water at the same time.

Only a matter of time before someone is run over by a panga or skewered by a frenzied striper while in the water, imho. I know of one fly fishing guide who was skewered by a marlin that jumped into the boat. He escaped by inches a much more serious outcome.

Swimming with orcas. Whatever floats your boat. Personally, I will stay in the floating boat and leave them in peace.

mtgoat666 - 8-7-2025 at 03:08 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Don Jorge  
Every fall for the last 5 years plus swimming with the striped marlin feeding on bait balls on the banks offshore of Mag Bay has hit the big time. Many days it is a circus out there with half a dozen or more pangas circling above the bait balls and dozens of divers in the water at the same time.

Only a matter of time before someone is run over by a panga or skewered by a frenzied striper while in the water, imho. I know of one fly fishing guide who was skewered by a marlin that jumped into the boat. He escaped by inches a much more serious outcome.

Swimming with orcas. Whatever floats your boat. Personally, I will stay in the floating boat and leave them in peace.



And it's all fun and games until someone gets hurt :lol: