BajaNomad

Incredible Whale Watching in Ojo de Liebre!

shari - 2-10-2010 at 08:19 PM

Once again, Ojo de Liebre exceded my expectations. Because the weather was cold and windy, we stayed at Cowboy Motel in Guerrero Negro, located at the entrance to town on the left side....just before the new Pemex.
The rooms were lovely and clean at 400 pesos and they gave a free breakfast with the whale tour. Their whale watching package is $100 for a room, a great breakfast, transportation to the lagoon via the salt works so you get a tour of that too and your whale watch and you can hang out and birdwatch or whale watch from shore for awhile after your tour.



We also took an extensive tour of the salt works one day. You just go to the main entrance across from the bank and tell them you want a tour. They provide the guide who gives tours at 10:00 am and 2:00 pm...he drives your vehicle and they are free. You can stop as much as you want to get out and take photos.The guide doesnt speak english though. It was very informative and fun.
this is one of the big trucks they load 3,600 tons of salt onto...




these tires cost $6,000 a piece and are over 6' tall!


the girls loved playing in the salt snow!

this is the port Chaparrito where the salt gets washed and loaded onto barges











the kids had fun on the salt mountain.

here are the barges loading and the tugs waiting to take them to Cedros Island.



We got to the lagoon around 10:00...I was amazed at all the palapas they have built for camping...$5 a palapa...there are 17 I think stretching all the way out to the canal.



We enjoyed hanging out at the visitor center all day...looking at the exhibits, eating fish and shrimp at the restaurant there, chatting with the guides and whale watchers and of course watching whales out in front.


we had made reservations with one of my favourite lancheros Gil as I know that those whale chicks LOVE his big smile...he's been there for like 15 years now.


It is a very low year both for tourists and whales. I figure there were over 300 in the lagoon compared to some years there can be over a thousand at this date. Not many whale watchers either this season.

the whale action was hot and heavy. We chose a big group of nursing moms to hang out with and were surrounded by dozens of whales the whole trip. We saw absolutely every kind of whale behavior...sleeping whales, a whale in labour, nursing whales, calves of all ages, mating trios, whale swimming school/parade, a kazillion spyhops, breaching, tricksters who spouted in your face, we got splashed a couple times by a devious whale, we kissed and pet them and even got lifted up and thrown around a bit by a male who was jelous when we got too close to his girlfriend. It was a memorable couple hours...dang near the best trip ever for variety. here are some highlights
















it was a truly remarkable trip and so fun to share my knowledge with the school group. The ejido is better organized now and you can make reservations which is great by calling the office in GN at 615- 157-0025. The receptionist doesnt speak english real well so if you want you can contact me and I can make you a reservation.
It is so nice to drive your own vehicle out there too as well as camp.

there is also a van that can take you to see the pronghorn antelope for only $15 a person ...a neat thing to do after whale watching.

Udo - 2-10-2010 at 08:27 PM

You got to watch a menage de trois?:o

Ultra cool, and thanks for the salt plant tour photos. That's a first on Nomads!:bounce:

Ken Bondy - 2-10-2010 at 08:37 PM

Wonderful story and pictures shari!!! Thank you.
++Ken++

noproblemo2 - 2-10-2010 at 08:37 PM

Shari, Great pics of the whales thanks for sharing, the salt is really incredible to see:biggrin:

Gaucho - 2-10-2010 at 08:47 PM

Thanks Shari, awesome photos. Have you seen the whales at Laguna San Ignacio? If you have, how does it compare to Ojo de Liebre? What are the major differences?

Paula - 2-10-2010 at 09:15 PM

Thanks Shari, great report!

Love salt works pictures, that salt mountain looks just like Glacier Park!

shari - 2-10-2010 at 09:29 PM

because whales were the focus of my life for many many years, I have been to all the whale lagoons and other areas for whale observation as well in several countries. Ojo de Liebre is unbeatably the best all round for the total nature experience. Whale encounters are amazing anywhere you go and they often depend on who you are with not where you are and each trip is different depending on many factors like weather, date, boat driver etc. It might be a hot calm sunny day and all the whales will be napping when you go....or cold and rough but whales will be breaching and playing....you just never know what will happen.

What I appreciate about the inner lagoon at Ojo de Liebre is that you can drive there in your vehicle and stay as long as you want in the beautiful park. The inner lagoon is accessed via the turnoff a few miles south of Guerrero Negro and it is 27 km to the camp where the Interpretive Center and pangas leave from. The pangas leave on demand so you can go when you feel like it, with which guide you want and there are only 3 boats so you are often the only boat with the whales. Ojo de Liebre is a huge lagoon with 3 different observation areas...the big hotels and companies like malarrimo, laguna tours and mario's in town go to the mouth of the lagoon and you must take their transport.

Then there is a new area Pta. Pescal in the middle lagoon where a new company goes and the inner lagoon where the ejido Benito Juarez runs their operation. This part of the lagoon is wonderful for whale watching from shore as well as bird watching and hiking. The 3 areas are separated so you dont see the other companies boats. So there is much less boat traffic here than in San Ignacio. There are other companies in GN as well that take you to all areas of the lagoon like La Cazuelas restaurant and Cowboy Motel who take you to the inner lagoon.I find the weather better in LOL as well as prefer the aesthetics to this lagoon and the staff are very friendly...and the restaurant is beautiful...nice to buy a cold beer after seeing whales.

San Ignacio is famous for it's friendly whales. There are several gringo run camps there as well as smaller mexican outfits. There were 23 pangas there...maybe more now and I believe there could be 12 pangas at a time in the viewing area which is relatively small. I find it a bit busy for my taste but again it depend on when and where you go. Personally, I resent the promotion of whale petting as it puts too much pressure on the lancheros. I always hear people asking if it's guarenteed they will pet a whale or how much it costs to pet a whale etc. While I love having contact with them, i dont like the idea of people insisting or expecting to pet a whale.

Mag Bay is a totally different scene...they have different behavior there...more single whales, older whales, mating whales,surfing whales...that is really cool to see them surfing at the bar. they have fewer mother and calf pairs. I find this area interesting with it's islands and beaches. I also love that they have a patrol boat there making sure the whale protection regs are enforced, unlike the other 2 lagoons where there can be harassment at times.

LOL has the most whales and is the biggest calving lagoon in the world...it has had up to 2,000 animals in it....it fills up first and the overflow goes to San Ignacio and then on to Mag Bay.

Another thing I love about LOL is that there are areas off limits to boats there so if the whales are tired of boats, they can just go hang out there in peace. When I did the census there we found lots more whales congregated in the no boat zones.

Each lagoon offers a different kind of experience at different times of the season so it depends when you can go and what you like. The best thing is to visit all the lagoons and see how unique each of them are in their own way. It should be an honour to be around these magnificent mammals and respect is the key to existing with them. At times I feel that no boats should be allowed in the calving lagoons...I would prefer to see viewing platforms where you can get dropped off and spend hours there observing in a non obtrusive way....or maybe install those pay for view big binoculars like at Niagara Falls. I would like to see stricter regulations and less harassment but it's not a perfect world I am afraid. I dedicated many years to whale protection and education and wish we humans were more respectful of other species....so please when you do go see whales, dont pressure your guide to get close...appreciate the natural beauty of these creatures from a respectable distance. ...thanks for asking gaucho.

I shall leave you with a great quote from a 14 year old boy yesterday...he was a shy boy who said very little but listened carefully and when I was alone, he came over to me and said..."imagine if the whales were much smarter than us and we are just to stupid to realize it!"

Udo - 2-10-2010 at 09:39 PM

That's an incredible piece of writing, Shari.
One can read a dozen books on whale watching at the Baja lagoons, but none can describe the watching as concisely as you have.

well done!!!

Gaucho - 2-10-2010 at 10:20 PM

Thanks Shari. We are always very respectful of nature and what it offers. We're a family of "ocean huggers". It seems like LOL might have a little more to offer our kids as well, (6 1/2 and 5) with the salt works and such. My older one is studying the migration of grey whales in class right now so this would fit in nicely with her studies. Do you think early April is too late in the year for whales in LOL?

geomike - 2-11-2010 at 12:51 AM

hi Shari this is a great report!

we hope to stop overnight in mid April at GN.

Can you tell me how is the road in and is the turn off "south of town" well marked?

We are travelling in a 30' fifth wheel and would like to camp there. Do you know if the Ejido permits RV's?
Thanks mike

Russ - 2-11-2010 at 05:54 AM

"imagine if the whales were much smarter than us and we are just to stupid to realize it!"
Smart kid!

shari - 2-11-2010 at 08:23 AM

thanks all....to be honest the whales that reside in LOL generally head north in late march. This lagoon fills early in January, the moms raise their calves...force them to swim against the tide to build muscle tissue in their little flippers and nurse constantly so they grow a layer of blubber against the cold in the north.
They are ready to go in about 3 months so the whale encounters get very interesting the first couple weeks in March when the calves are big and more rambunctious. Just before they leave the protection of the lagoon, they get really mushy and seem to be saying warm goodbyes to their lanchero amigos. The longest friendly encounters have been just before a whale leaves for the northern migration.

Most of the residents of LOL are gone by the last week of March. There are still some whales there but usually these are whales from other areas who just stop off there on their way north...so these whales dont know the lancheros so they are not as easy to approach and just not as friendly.
If you are in GN in the last days of march or early april, probably the mouth of the lagoon will get more action with whales just stopping to rest so the town tours might be better...but ya never know...I will report the census counts here. San Ignacio and Mag Bay have whales later and is better in late march and early april.

The inner lagoon camp is wonderful for kids and an RV...large camping area, easy entrance,lots of space to run around. Keep in mind that semana santa...holy week is early this year...the last weekend in march and first days of april.

bajafam - 2-11-2010 at 08:23 AM

I have goose bumps and am misty eyed viewing your photos and reading your story, Shari. I cannot wait to feel this for myself and share it with my family. Do you have any info regarding age restrictions for whale watching in the places you have experience with? While I am eager to do this, I am worried that we may have to wait because the kids are so small. Have you (or anyone else) taken small children on a whale watching excursion or had them on the boat with you?
Thanks again, Shari...wonderful!

shari - 2-11-2010 at 08:45 AM

little kids are whale bait!!! I used to laugh because some adults didnt want to go on a paga with a bunch of little kids for fear they might cry or make a fuss...but whales LOVE kids and seems they like to bring their babies to see yours...so dangle mister man over the side and see what happens!

Once a mom was dangling her baby over so he could pee and a big whale spouted right under his bum...quite a bidet eh! (true story)

Voices dont bother them...they seem to like excitement and enthusiasm. Sometimes they do things just to hear people scream and laugh!

One word of caution though...please make sure all your water bottles, camera gear, loose items are secured in a pack so they wont roll around in the boat....a dropped water bottle sounds like a gunshot under water and will startle a whale...which can be dangerous if it is directly under your boat. A common occurance is when a whale passes under the boat from one side to the other...people stand up to see it and drop stuff...BANG...and the whale freaks and tries to dive and might lift the panga a bit. Also if you on top of a whale, be aware that it might lift or push the boat so you shouldnt be hanging over the side standing up or standing on the benches..stay low in case the boat gets knocked around a bit...hang onto the kids.

Kids have short arms and is hard for them to reach the whale...I used to hang sirenita over the side holding her by the strap of her lifevest. You may want to bring your own life jackets so the kids feel more comfy in their own and bring snacks.

Once a mother and calf were being caressed by the parents of 5 little kids...they were so smitten with the whale, they totally ignored the cries and screams of their kids wanting to get in on the action but couldnt reach...the lanchero and I were trying to hang onto the kids leaning over the side. The mother whale was aware of this problem so she promptly lifted her calf onto her back and up level with the gunnel of the panga so the kids could see and touch it! All at once 10 little hands were on the calf and the poor baby startled and flipped over nearly into the panga!!!

Whatever you do...do NOT put your hands down if the tail is close...that tail can break your arm in an instant...only touch a whale if it presents it's head or is gentle and drifts alongside the panga...an agressive whale will lift the hind quarters and move the tail laterally...if you see this you may get splashed or slapped...always be carefull of tails.

We have been lulled into believing whales are gentle giants...which usually they are...but they are also unpredictable wild animals who can and do lose their temper with us. I have found that after a half hour with the same group...or if we make several passes and bother the same whales for too long is when they become impatient and may splash you in hopes you go away...males wanting to mate dont appreciate pangas cutting in on their action either and can aggressively push you away. It's wise to give them wide berth. The most effective whale observation is to visit several groups of whales and only remain a short time with them.

Natalie Ann - 2-11-2010 at 09:26 AM

Excellent report, shari. Thanks.

nena

DianaT - 2-11-2010 at 04:45 PM

Nice report and nice pix. I will say, however, that while we will go to Ojo de Liebre again this year, we have always had better experiences at San Ignacio and have found the pangueros to be very profesional, friendly, full of knoweledge, and very respectful of not chasing whales. And we had a very good experience the one time we went to Mag Bay. The road to San Ignacio lagoon can be a real rough one, but it is beautiful and we love the town of San Ignacio. It will always remain our favorite. We think the ejido there does a great job.

The salt works are very interesting, but I am happy the battle against putting one at San Ignacio was won---at least for now.

Most of our experiences at Ojo de Liebre have been OK and we loved camping there, but out of the three lagoons it was the only one where we had a bad experience with some very inconsiderate pangueros.

But since they are close, we will try them again and hopefully will visit San Ignacio one more time this year. Many whales are still headed south.

Looks like you showed your clients a really interesting and good time. Good job and glad you were able to see so many whales.

[Edited on 2-11-2010 by DianaT]

Bajahowodd - 2-11-2010 at 05:13 PM

Shari- Wonderful post. I am curious. You folks went to the lagoon with Chavelo. I note that the life jackets are Ejido Benito Juarez. I am assuming that they took you back out to Highway One and down to the turnoff and into the lagoon where the visitors center is. A few years ago, we were staying at Caracoles, and Raul took us in a van through town, and through a gate at the salt works to get to pangas. Since we are planning on heading down in a few weeks, was just wondering if you know if the access we made is still used, or if everyone now goes down to the ejido visitor's center. Frankly, when we went out with the Caracoles folks, it was a less than satisfying experience. Lunch was a bologna sandwich, and almost zero whale contact. Not to knock Raul, but having gone whale watching in San Ignacio and Mag Bay over the years, our trip that particular year was probably the least satisfying.

Ken Bondy - 2-11-2010 at 06:42 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by shari
Personally, I resent the promotion of whale petting as it puts too much pressure on the lancheros. I always hear people asking if it's guarenteed they will pet a whale or how much it costs to pet a whale etc. While I love having contact with them, i dont like the idea of people insisting or expecting to pet a whale.


That is so true and brilliantly expressed sis. ++Bro++

geomike - 2-11-2010 at 06:46 PM

Thank you Shari et. al., it sounds as though for late season (mid April) encounters that San Ignacio lagoon might be a better option...did I get that right?

geomike - 2-11-2010 at 06:51 PM

never mind! just found the search button!

sorry all!:(

shari - 2-11-2010 at 07:34 PM

geo mike...you got it right...no point going to LOL in april...I hope you have a great time in san ignacio and look forward to your report.

All the service providers who take you whale watching in their vans use the salt works access...only private vehicles have to use the entrance south of GN...so we went through the salt works with Chavelo. He used to be the boss of the whale team out in the inner lagoon...the ejido benito juarez has the concession there as they own that land...the salt works is their land to and leased to ESSA.

Keep in mind each trip is different and so much depends on your boat driver!...as well as the mood the whales are in.

shari - 2-12-2010 at 09:09 AM

When humans first began to watch whales recreationally, whales were naturally afraid of boats. It took many years to win their trust so that people could get close to them. In the good old days, we were happy to get within 20 meters of a whale and harrasment laws didnt permit one to get closer. We kept our respectful distance and were sometimes rewarded by a whale coming closer to us.

Now that whales have lost their fear of boats, things have changed dramatically. The onslaught of commercial whale watching has put pressure on these animals in all areas of their life.

The migration route is studded with boats from California to Alaska...but the good thing is, the open pacific can be rough and the whale tour boats only stay with a migrating group for a short time as the whales are passing by. It is in the lagoons where whales cant escape the daily pestering of boats. They have grown accustomed to this...babies are born and raised among the pangas. The problem is that when they lost their fear of boats, more accidents began to occur because whales came too close to the boats and the captains didnt see them. Lots of whales have scars like these from propellers.



Unfortunately, all human habituated animals are more at risk of injury and dying. Bears in parks get used to humans feeding them...then get shot for being a menace. Whales get used to boats...get run over or killed by whalers.

This is why I am at odds with myself regarding the promotion of friendly whale encounters...deep down in my heart, I feel it really isnt in the best interest of the whales to touch them even though it is one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had. But just because WE like it, should we be allowed to do it? Years ago, when the friendly phenomenon was just beginning, we discussed at great length the pros and cons of this type of contact and one suggestion was to forbid the touching of whales for the good of the whales...keep your hands in the boat for your own safety. But it never came about...it is just too tempting to touch these magnificent creatures we love so much....even if it isnt the best thing for them. They too used to seem content to just gaze at us but now lift their chins to us for a scratch...some individuals seem to enjoy it as much as we do...but others dont...many whales dont want to be disturbed.

And herein lies the problem...nowadays pangeros are under severe pressure from thier passengers to pet a whale in a couple hours...so they drive around frantically trying to find a whale who will cooperate & allow itself to be touched. they dont have time to just sit and observe whales in hopes that one may come over for a visit. I have spoken with guides in san ignacio who really have a hard time as they are expected to give their clients a friendly whale and are reprimanded when they dont!

There was a huge controversy over salt works expanding into San Ignacio lagoon that centered around whale protection. Fact is, the worlds largest salt producing company is based in & around Ojo de Liebre...which has the largest concentration of gray whales which seem relatively unaffected by this industry. Are we hypocrites when we oppose issues that may affect whale habitat but do nothing about....and even participate in activities that negatively affect whales?


What I dont understand is if everyone cares so much and wants to protect whales...why isnt the whale watching industry better regulated or at least the current regulations better enforced?
Is it really good for whales to have boats all around them when giving birth and nursing?
If feeding patterns are interrupted by boats and whales arent getting the nutrition needed, is this healthy?
Is whale petting good for the whales??
why arent there environmental campaignes to protect whales from whale watchers?

I believe whale observation CAN be carried out but in a much less intrusive manner with well trained guides and strict enforcement of the regulations and with radically different methods such as viewing platforms...but this is not to be....whale watching is big $.

While I was waiting for a ride at the entrance to the lagoon on the highway, I took this photo of one of the icons on the big sign. I had never seen this sign before but I thought it was very interesting the image they used to portray the message not to disurb the whales.



ironically, this next photo was my favorite picture of the bunch as it portrays the miracle of interspecies contact.


what do you thinK?

[Edited on 2-12-2010 by shari]

David K - 2-12-2010 at 09:25 AM

If the whales didn't want to be touched by us, then they wouldn't come to us... to get touched!

We're not making them come to us, we aren't bribing them with hands full of plankton! :light:

Ken Bondy - 2-12-2010 at 10:05 AM

There is no question in my mind that the whales who get touched want to get touched. In San Ignacio I have seen "friendlies" avoid pangas whose passengers do NOT touch them, hanging instead alongside pangas where they DO get touched. Some whales clearly like the "touching". But I think that shari's point is the pressure that the pangueros feel from customers who virtually demand the touching encounters. I have had wonderful interactions with the whales in all three lagoons for more than thirty years, but I have never touched one. I don't feel that touching one is necessary in order to enjoy this most amazing natural phenomenon. Perhaps if more people realized that you don't have to "pet" a whale to enjoy the encounter the pressure to "pet" would be eased. I also intensely dislike the term "pet" - way too anthropomorphic and it contributes to the problem. BTW in this picture it is the panguero who is doing the scratching:


Ken Bondy - 2-12-2010 at 10:09 AM

Now that I've railed about "touching" here's my favorite "touching" image - note the hand gently touching the rostrum in the lower right:


DianaT - 2-12-2010 at 12:11 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Ken Bondy
There is no question in my mind that the whales who get touched want to get touched. In San Ignacio I have seen "friendlies" avoid pangas whose passengers do NOT touch them, hanging instead alongside pangas where they DO get touched. Some whales clearly like the "touching". But I think that shari's point is the pressure that the pangueros feel from customers who virtually demand the touching encounters. I have had wonderful interactions with the whales in all three lagoons for more than thirty years, but I have never touched one. I don't feel that touching one is necessary in order to enjoy this most amazing natural phenomenon. Perhaps if more people realized that you don't have to "pet" a whale to enjoy the encounter the pressure to "pet" would be eased. I also intensely dislike the term "pet" - way too anthropomorphic and it contributes to the problem. BTW in this picture it is the panguero who is doing the scratching:


One of the things we really like about the Kuyima operation at San Ignacio is the orientation before getting into the boat. It is VERY clearly stated that there is no guarentee that one will get to touch or even see a whale. They also talk about why they will not chase any whales, and they stick to that. They are also very clear as to what areas of the whale should not be touched.

If they see whales, they will stop and let the whales approach the boat if the whale chooses to do so. And when we were able to watch and photograph the mating ritual, they kept a good distance away.

When we went out a few weeks ago when there were not many whales present yet, they told us that they had only identified a few that were friendly and the rest were staying away and they fully respected that.

While I have observed others in my boat touching a whale, I am usually too busy watching or taking pictures---I love the experience, but I do not need to touch one. And yes, while it may be controversial as to how it affects the whales, I believe there would be less money and less support for saving the whales if these whale watching tours were not available.

BTW, we have never made a reservation with Kuyima and have never had a problem --- in fact sometimes I think it is better that way as we often end up with fewer people in the panga.

Still glad the salt works are not at San Ignacio. Yes, the salt works have been around for a very long time at Ojo de Liebre--the latest company flooded an old British cemetary with one of the channels and a skeleton washed up one time.

[Edited on 2-12-2010 by DianaT]

DianaT - 2-12-2010 at 12:32 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by shari


Unfortunately, all human habituated animals are more at risk of injury and dying. Bears in parks get used to humans feeding them...then get shot for being a menace. Whales get used to boats...get run over or killed by whalers.



There was a huge controversy over salt works expanding into San Ignacio lagoon that centered around whale protection. Fact is, the worlds largest salt producing company is based in & around Ojo de Liebre...which has the largest concentration of gray whales which seem relatively unaffected by this industry. Are we hypocrites when we oppose issues that may affect whale habitat but do nothing about....and even participate in activities that negatively affect whales?



what do you thinK?

[Edited on 2-12-2010 by shari]


First of all, the idea stopping another salt works at San Ignacio was far more inclusive than just protecting the whales, but they made good poster children.

Yes, I agree that many wild animals are in more danger when they become habituated to humans. The bear example is an easy one. But I am not so sure it applies to ALL wild animals.

Now, if someone tagged the friendly whales and then showed that they indeed were in more danger, that would be different. The pangueros talk about the same friendly whales returning year after year. No, that is not scientific proof of anything, but has there ever been a scientific study done?

Such a study could show which whales are killed by the whalers,etc., or if that kill is more random and includes as many non friendly as friendly whales.

If it was shown that indeed the friendly whales were more often killed by the whalers, then we would be hypocrites for participating, promoting, and profiting from these activities.

[Edited on 2-12-2010 by DianaT]

Bajahowodd - 2-12-2010 at 01:10 PM

"If it was shown that indeed the friendly whales were more often killed by the whalers, then we would be hypocrites for participating, promoting, and profiting from these activities."

With the magnitude of such an effort to tag "friendly" whales it would seem to be something that might only happen if the Greys find themselves on the endangered species list.

But it is an interesting concept.

shari - 2-12-2010 at 01:56 PM

gray whales are the only marine mammal species ever to be taken off the endangered species list!
I saw firsthand an exellent example of a friendly whale being hit. Years ago, there was an extremely mushy mom who's calf in turn LOVED the pangas. One morning this little critter came over to visit one of his favorite lancheros...problem was, the guide was chatting with a passenger and didnt see the baby and ran right over it. This baby was found dead the next day. Whales used to be really good at staying out of harms way but now they swim over to the boats and the guides dont always see them.
Photo ID was my specialty and I saw an increase in calves with propeller cuts over the years as the moms became less protective. Most friendlies have been Id'd as they are easy to do so but I doubt that whalers ID whales when they kill them. Tagging is an incredibly invasive science as well...I love it when they say..Oh it doesnt hurt the whale and then shoot a dart with a harpoon and sink a 2" plug into the whale who often jumps and violently reacts to the shot. In the past, the scientists made the whale guides take them out to do this and the whales were really hard to get close to for weeks afterwards....they were peeed that their pals betrayed them!

Before, moms would switch the calf to the other side of her to protect it...now she just leaves it there and is more lax letting calves approach the boats which leads to more mishaps. Most are non threatening and perhaps are a good lesson to the calf to be more careful with motors.

I am so glad to hear Kuyima does an orientation with their passengers...I only wish all outfits did that. It is my dream to set up a training program for all lancheros and make it a regulation that they have a guide on board or at least give a handout explaining safety issues in english.

The environmental issues about a salt works in san ignacio are far more important than protecting whales but as dianne mentioned....their campaign centered around whales...poster animals!!

I hope this post at least causes some folks to reflect a bit about wild viewing.

DianaT - 2-12-2010 at 05:09 PM

One of the most interesting studies I have read about grey whales is Saving the Grey Whales by Serge Dedina---who is now the leader of Wildcoast.

His book not only briefly gives a history of whales and man together, but as a political geographer, he gives an in depth story about whales as a part of Mexican and International politics. He also goes into whale behavior including some great stories that ended in disaster when the whales were angered. He talks about one of the first accounts of a friendly whale in San Ignacio Lagoon in 1976---fully initiated by the whale.

While his research included research in Mexico City, etc., is well footnoted etc., he includes lots of interaction, information and opinions from the locals most closely involved with whales. He spent a lot of time at the lagoons. It is also very informative as to the history of the environmental movements and agencies in Mexico.

His information, history, and proposal for the extention of the salt works is very detailed including lots of the politics involved. Some might be surprised to know that the works would have extended to near Campo Rene. It would have been an environmental disaster.

It is not a long book, so much is covered briefly, but it is well worth the read.

I do believe that the managed whale watching will do more in the long run to help protect the whales. It brings them lots of attention.

And, if people are concerned about the whalers, they can do as we do and contribute monthly to Green Peace and other such organizations.

Happy Whale Watching.



[Edited on 2-13-2010 by DianaT]

ArvadaGeorge - 2-13-2010 at 10:17 AM

Is the $100.00 rate in us $? Is it per room/person /group? Does it include the panga ride?

bajamigo - 2-13-2010 at 10:48 AM

Shari, your posts in this thread have been really educational and absolutely compelling reading. We're heading to San Ignacio for a week and look forward to seeing the whales again with new eyes, thanks to you.

shari - 2-14-2010 at 07:48 AM

Bajamigo...thank you...it has been one of my missions in life to help humans understand whales. Have a wonderful trip!

ArvadaGeorge...great question...the $100 US is based on one person but if you are a couple the package that includes your double room, breakfast, transportation to and from the lagoon via the salt works and your whale watching tour in the inner lagoon...would be $150 US dollars for 2 people.

wilderone - 2-14-2010 at 09:26 AM

"...Pta. Pescal in the middle lagoon where a new company goes and the inner lagoon where the ejido Benito Juarez runs their operation."

Could I somehow be able to contact someone to get there if I were camping at the lagoon (not in town)?

shari - 2-14-2010 at 09:51 AM

I dont know the name of the company that goes there...I think they are a fishing coop from GN and have one panga...you could ask at the fishing coop office on the main drag in GN on the north side...they have a big office...or ask Chavelo at Cowboys...he should know. I think you can camp there too. I will ask around next week when I go again to GN and the lagoon.

MarkR. - 2-14-2010 at 03:59 PM

Shari & all - thank you for a wonderful thread. We had hoped to be coming down for whale watching this April but it's not going to happen this year :no: . Looks like the only Baja this year is going to be Rosarito at Spring Break. But we are making plans with some family now for heading down in March 2011 for whale watching.

EnseNADAslim - 2-24-2010 at 10:42 PM

Thanks for Posting the Pics,,,and I believe a "Happy Birthday to You" fits in there some where if I remember correctly. We really missed our trip south this year with our Kayaks and the whale watching,,,but right now we are full steam ahead on getting the Plymouth going,,,so my Mistress gets all of my attention.

Your pictures are fantastic and as usual you shed much needed light on the world of Whales. Saludos Juan and we missed seeing you all this time around. Hopefully this fall we can take a break and come enjoy your place.
Thanks Again
Dennis (Slim) and Debbie

shari - 2-25-2010 at 07:36 AM

ah yes...the famed birthday whale extravaganza!!! I have vowed to camp this year so I dont get....ummm....sick!!! thanks for the bday wishes Slim.

by the way...Tilikum...a Vancouver Island Captive Killer whale has struck again...killing yet another trainer...so sad...for both of them....watching whales in the wild is the way to go....free Willy & Tillikum.