Punta Pequeña is outside the pueblo of San Juanico (on the Pacific side) between the whale hotspots of Laguna San Ignacio and Mag Bay. Occasionally a
few whales will wander in and hang off the outside point here, but most of the time you're excited to see occasional sprays on the horizon as they
cruise by way offshore.
This January and early Feb. whales were coming in closer than I’d ever seen and there seems to be a lot more than usual. A couple of times they were
just outside the small waves and must have been scraping their belly's on the bottom.
The shrimp boats are back this year and are scouring the bottom outside of Pta. Pequeña, off of Punta San Gregorio, and up to Santo Domingo. Most of
the boats come in to the bay in the morning and go back out each evening and light up the horizon all night. There's always a few boats working off
the beach in the daytime too which is something I've never seen before. Sounds like it’s such good shrimping that a truck is driving out to pick up
the catch so most boats don’t even have to go back to Mag Bay to unload.
Often I’d see whales near the trawlers as the boats zigzaged to scrape every inch of the bottom, but it didn't seem to deter the whales. I’ve been
wondering if the shrimpers were the reason the whales have been so much closer to shore.
We sat for hours trying to get a good whale shot, but you know how that goes- Nada, nada. But the minute I'd pick up a shovel or put on gardening
gloves and have a barrel cactus in my arms I'd hear a whoosh or look up and see a breach. Dang !
This lame photo is all I have to accompany this whale report but I still kinda like it. I should have gotten a shot of us smiling til our cheeks were
sore to express how cool it was to be there.
[Edited on 2-19-2007 by oladulce]
very nice
woody with a view - 2-19-2007 at 06:48 AM
i can't wait for march 15 when we go to ojo de libre to camp on the lagoon, take a panga ride and then take four days to hang out.....shari - 2-19-2007 at 08:06 AM
The shrimpers could very well be the reason for the gray whales near shore as they are bottom feeders and also feed on small ghost shrimp that
congregate in clouds near the bottom....draggers disturb the bottom and may stir up more food for them. Or if the shrimpers are there, that must mean
alot of shrimp which whales like too....darn competition. I am anxious as well to talk to the lancheros in Ojo de Liebre to find out if there has been
any difference in numbers and movement due to seismic activity here.
AAAARRRRGGGHHHHH!
Tomas Tierra - 2-19-2007 at 02:16 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by shari
draggers disturb the bottom
More like destroy! Gotta make a living I guess....Cypress - 2-19-2007 at 02:32 PM
Porpose would follow our shrimp boat and gather around when we pulled the nets in, enjoying the handouts from the bycatch dumped over the side. The noise of the chains etc. dragging along the bottom probably sound like a dinner
bell to the whales.BajaDanD - 2-19-2007 at 04:41 PM
woody in ob
We will be camping for one night a Ojo de Libre arriving on the 17th of Mar. Then on down to Campo Rene for a week. Ill be in a red Toyota Tacoma with
kayaks on top along with 3 other vehicals. Stop by and say hi.
DAND
The noise of the chains etc. dragging along the bottom probably sound like a dinner
bell to the whales.