BajaNomad

Whales in Scammons' Lagoon this season?

BonzoBaja - 3-10-2014 at 10:27 AM

Hey there! I don't post too often, but I would like to do a surgical strike and take the wife/kids down to Scammon's Lagoon around March 24th. Do you think the whales will still be present that late? Does anyone know how this year has been? I've heard that numbers seem to be up on the San Diego/L.A. coastline earlier in the season, but has anyone been to Scammons' this year? Oh yea, is San Ignacio much better? It's a farther drive, so I'd rather just hit Scammons! Thanks ahead of time for any advice!

WideAngleWandering - 3-10-2014 at 12:03 PM

Scammons is better. Whales came early and are leaving early but they are still here. No idea for how long though ...

Whale-ista - 3-10-2014 at 12:56 PM

Depends on how you consider "better." What amenities do you want besides seeing whales? (e.g., showers, restrooms, food/drink, palapas, etc.)

I've done both recently, here's my .02$
Both lagoons have lots of whales. Cost of tours same:$45
More English speaking guides available at Kuyima vs. Scammmons.

San Ignacio: More of a wilderness/ecotourism feel. About 120 miles more to south than Scammons and far from towns, so more "foreigner" here from abroad- I've met many Europeans as well as US/Canada visitors.

Kuyima campgrounds are $10/night but have better restrooms/showers which might matter to families. Family style dining options $8-10.meal, not a la carte from menu. Drive from hwy is longer/bumpier. No shade/palapas at camp- it's in a biosphere reserve so pemanent structure rules are different. Great mangroves/bird watching, kayaks can be used near camp, which is a longer distance from main area w/whales; difficult to see/hear them from campground. Not sure if you can have campfires.


Scammons/Ojo de Liebre: closer to highway on smoother road. Managed by local ejido members. Lots of locals from Ensenada, TJ, GN, closer to town, so more of a Mexican outing place vs. Ignacio lagoon. Bus loads of people show up weekend mornings.

Camping is $5 total (entry fee), but shower/bathroom facilities are more limited and long walk from campsites. Restaurant has more options from menu vs. family style. Offers nice large Palapas, some w/electrical hookups. Good bird watching, no mangroves, no kayaking in lagoon. Campsites are on edge of main whale lagoon, so you can easily see/hear them from shore. Campfires allowed.

So...depends on what comforts/experience you are looking for. Locals vs. foreign visitors. On edge of lagoons with whales vs. a distance away. Proximity to bathroom/shower vs long walk. Both have restaurants with wine/beer/c-cktails, but food/Drinks on patio looking at lagoon full of whales (Scammons) vs. indoor dining only (Kuyima)

Scammon's

bajaguy - 3-10-2014 at 01:00 PM

And if you go with Shari of Whale Magic Tours, you will also get an education that the other operators at Scammon's or San Ignacio don't give you.

Been with Shari several times and always come away with more whale knowledge then before the trip.......in fact, will be down March 24-26 with the grandkids (9 and 6).....will be a hoot!!!!
Quote:
Originally posted by Whale-ista
Depends on how you consider "better." What amenities do you want besides seeing whales? (e.g., showers, restrooms, food/drink, palapas, etc.)

I've done both recently, here's my .02$
Both lagoons have lots of whales. Cost of tours same:$45
More English speaking guides available at Kuyima vs. Scammmons.

San Ignacio: More of a wilderness/ecotourism feel. About 120 miles more to south than Scammons and far from towns, so more "foreigner" here from abroad- I've met many Europeans as well as US/Canada visitors.

Kuyima campgrounds are $10/night but have better restrooms/showers which might matter to families. Family style dining options $8-10.meal, not a la carte from menu. Drive from hwy is longer/bumpier. No shade/palapas at camp- it's in a biosphere reserve so pemanent structure rules are different. Great mangroves/bird watching, kayaks can be used near camp, which is a longer distance from main area w/whales; difficult to see/hear them from campground. Not sure if you can have campfires.


Scammons/Ojo de Liebre: closer to highway on smoother road. Managed by local ejido members. Lots of locals from Ensenada, TJ, GN, closer to town, so more of a Mexican outing place vs. Ignacio lagoon. Bus loads of people show up weekend mornings.

Camping is $5 total (entry fee), but shower/bathroom facilities are more limited and long walk from campsites. Restaurant has more options from menu vs. family style. Offers nice large Palapas, some w/electrical hookups. Good bird watching, no mangroves, no kayaking in lagoon. Campsites are on edge of main whale lagoon, so you can easily see/hear them from shore. Campfires allowed.

So...depends on what comforts/experience you are looking for. Locals vs. foreign visitors. On edge of lagoons with whales vs. a distance away. Proximity to bathroom/shower vs long walk. Both have restaurants with wine/beer/c-cktails, but food/Drinks on patio looking at lagoon full of whales (Scammons) vs. indoor dining only (Kuyima)

Whale-ista - 3-10-2014 at 04:10 PM

IMO, the guides at San Ignacio are also very good naturalists who have experience with wildlife, and go out with every boat. They speak English. (That is a downside of going out with some of the boats from the ejido- spanish only)

vgabndo - 3-10-2014 at 04:55 PM

When we were last at Ignacio lagoon the English speaking guide was a German woman with Atlantic dolphin experience, and read to us from a book about Gray Whales. I had done that already so it would have been better if she'd been silent. When we got a chance to spend time with a whale, the guide was so GA GA, that she became one of these people who just won't shut up with the baby talk. She forgot she was guiding, and it made no difference except for being an extra person in the boat.

Ojo de Liebre, which is in the same Biosphere Preserve as Ignacio Lagoon, has the advantage of the fun of Whale Magic Tours, but I wouldn't count on the restaurant on weekends especially if you aren't Mexican. I recently had the unfortunate experience of placing my order with three locals ahead of me. Then a busload placed their orders behind me. When they had all been fed I was so Gringo bold as to ask about my order and it had been so long that the guy who took it wasn't working there any more!!! I drove to Vizcaino for my lunch with many thoughts, that I didn't like, running through my head.

Whale-ista - 3-10-2014 at 05:51 PM

that's the downside of the Scammons convenience: big groups of people.

San Ignacio is more difficult to get to so fewer people overall.

Sorry to hear you had a bad guide experience. They have had very good guides when I've been there but it varies from time to time and boat to boat.

The original poster did not ask about costs. Shari charges $50 for her guided tours versus $45. There is also the matter of tipping the panga captain.

DianaT - 3-11-2014 at 08:50 AM

San Ignacio is always our first choice and is where we have had the far better experiences. We used to go to both lagoons, and once we went to Lopez Mateos. One bad experience with some extremely rude and inconsiderate boat guides at Ojo de Liebre has kept us from ever going back there!

In addition the town of San Ignacio is a great place to be and we enjoy the drive out to the lagoon. It is beautiful! As Whale - ista said, it is a bit more difficult to get out there, which means fewer people.

We do not book tours in town, but we use Kuyima when we arrive at the lagoon. This time of year, we usually check in town first, however to see if the wind is blowing too hard.

We have not camped out there, but the facilities are great, the people super friendly and the food good. There are always young interns there from the mainland of Mexico, Mexican researchers, and people from Europe. We always enjoy the interaction with people from other places. And we have never been in a crowded boat.

Kuyima officially ends whale watching the end of April. To find out about what is happening out at the lagoon, you can contact them via their website.

Where ever you go, have a great time.

[Edited on 3-11-2014 by DianaT]

BajaDanD - 3-11-2014 at 10:59 AM

Just got back from Scammons lagoon lots and lots of whales there many friendly mothers and calves great trip one of my best ones yet I have also been to SI and like Scammon's lagoon better like the camp ground better too.

shari - 3-11-2014 at 04:45 PM

Whale report from Whale Magic Tours.....friggin AWESOME whale encounters this week!!!!! Lots and lots of whales everywhere in the inner lagoon still and the babies are getting so big and boisterous these days.

Perry, actually that bus tour ordered before they arrived so they ordered before the gringos...and that was not a normal day at all and the only big bus we saw this season. Yes, Sundays are local mexicanos day at the beach but the place empties out before sunset.

March 24th is getting late for Ojo de Liebre but I saw lots of calves today who are small and will be around another couple weeks at least so definitely do-able.
The weather this week is stupendous, calm and hot hot hot....back to camp...ta ta whale lovers.

Bajahowodd - 3-11-2014 at 05:07 PM

Last time we went down, we stayed at Los Caracoles in Guerrero Negro, and took a tour from there. A wonderful guy named Waldo, who lived for some time in the LA area drove us out in the morning, and was fluent in English. Once we got there, we were out on a boat in just about 15 minutes. We also ran into Shari when we came back in. We didn't go out with Shari only because of a communications mix up. My understanding about Ojo De Liebre is that They are limited to a small number of pangas (6?) at any one time. Doesn't sound crowded to me.

805gregg - 3-11-2014 at 05:32 PM

After 150 years of killing and harassing whales while they just try to have their calves, should we just let them be? They don't want to see you close up just stay away

the whales control the interactions

Whale-ista - 3-11-2014 at 05:46 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by 805gregg
After 150 years of killing and harassing whales while they just try to have their calves, should we just let them be? They don't want to see you close up just stay away


The whales are in total control of whether or not to interact with the people in boats. If they don't want to play they simply swim/dive away from the pangas.

Remember, they were the ones who originally approached Pachico Mayoral in the mid 70s- he certainly did not seek them out!

They had a (deserved) reputation of being "devil fish," which is derived from their efforts to protect the calves from whalers 150 years ago. They could easily smash the pangas to bits. The fact that they don't, and even lift their calves up to see people, is part of what makes the experience so amazing.

bajaguy - 3-11-2014 at 07:45 PM

Have you ever been to Guerrero Negro or San Ignacio, in a panga, to see the whales??? If you have, you would know your statement is absurd....if you haven't you don't know what you are talking about.
Quote:
Originally posted by 805gregg
After 150 years of killing and harassing whales while they just try to have their calves, should we just let them be? They don't want to see you close up just stay away

Bajahowodd - 3-12-2014 at 04:54 PM

Agree totally with Whale-ista and Baja guy. Having been out multiple times in both San Ignacio and Ojo De Liebre, I can vouch for the fact that if the whales don't want to interact with you, they won't.

I've always been amazed at how the mamas actually encourage their calves to swim up to the panga and interact. That is probably the single greatest wonderment of the experience.