BajaNomad

Whales at Mag Bay?

Spearo - 12-26-2016 at 10:51 AM

Howdy
Got some friends down from the states for a week and was wondering about a couple day trip up to Mag Bay. I've never been up there so was hoping for some input as to whether the whales have arrived and where to stay, what to do etc. Thanks in advance.

sancho - 12-26-2016 at 11:04 AM

I have a view of the ocean here in So Orange Co, for the first
time in memory I haven't seen Greys going so., they must
be going around the Channel Islands. There was a Baja fishing
radio report 2 days ago, Sat., that happened to mention
Mag Bay saying Greys have arrived there

Mula - 12-26-2016 at 12:12 PM

No whale watching in Mag Bay until the Co-Op permits arrive from Mexico City. Usualy between the 7th and 10 of January.

Spearo - 12-26-2016 at 02:01 PM

Many thanks for the info. Guess we'll try later.

Peace out

Whale-ista - 12-26-2016 at 06:39 PM

Try later- it will be a better experience. It's a very different situation this early in the year vs. what you will see in February or later.

In general: January is pretty quiet in all the lagoons. Female whales arrive earliest in Scammons/Ojo de Liebre, the northernmost lagoon. In all the lagoons, pregnant moms-to-be tend to stay in the shallow, warm waters of the "inner" lagoon areas before giving birth. Easier to see them, but not very interactive.

Right now it's more of a maternity ward setting, with lots of tired/sleeping pregnant females and new moms with tiny calves that are barely able to swim. For the most part, they keep their distance from the pangas.

I was there Jan. 1-2 this year. That early in the season we mostly saw tired moms sleeping on the surface, about to give birth. Saw one mom exhibiting signs of labor (acc. to Shari), and later saw one birth- pretty amazing.

Our panga had one tiny calf and mom come close enough to see, but it had no interest in us- mostly wanted to nurse and rest next to mom. Here's a young one, still showing fetal folds:


By February/March all the calves will have been born, the males will have arrived and are looking for love (the courting and leaping is fun to watch), and the lagoons are full of curious and larger calves.

And by April: show's over!

shari - 12-27-2016 at 08:40 AM

As Whalista said, Laguna Ojo de Liebre fills up first so is an earlier show there...guests of ours are going out this morning there so I will report tomorrow on their trip but yes there are some whales in the lagoon now. We are seeing a few heading south but it seems late as well here.

My first trip is on Jan 3-4..cant friggin wait!

Timo1 - 12-27-2016 at 04:29 PM

I'll let y'all know bout Mag Bay in a couple days

Mula - 12-27-2016 at 04:31 PM

Sorry, I was wrong.
Just got back from the Banks and passed half a dozen whale watching boats out watching the mom and her baby that are in the bay here now.
There is also one solo female in the bay and a bunch outside the bay reading themselves to come in, I guess.


The gov't is letting the local co-ops start up now - 12/27/2016 because of the all summer embargo and no one working.

Cost is 1000 pesos per hour per panga - 1 to 6 people. Additional 200 pesos each.

El Norte - 1-2-2017 at 08:21 AM

Mula, what are the the dates of the whale festival this year and is Jose O. Still guiding?

El Norte - 1-5-2017 at 07:59 AM

Mula, please check your U2U.

shari - 1-5-2017 at 09:08 AM

I just got back from a recon trip to Laguna Ojo de Liebre where we saw about a dozen whales up close and more in the distance but inside a bit from the mouth. The migration is late this year and there was only one mother and calf in the inner lagoon at the Ejido camp. I surely feel sorry for her and the mom at Mag Bay who has to put up with all the boats around her due to a lack of whales!

But now we are seeing an increase in spouts passing our place in Asuncion so things should pick up soon.

Whale-ista - 1-5-2017 at 09:37 AM

Thanks for the update Shari- I have yet to get to the coast to look for spouts offshore here in San Diego. Will do so in the next few days.

As for late migration: It's another warm year, less incentive for an early southward trip?

Also- warm seas = less available food = harder time for marine mammals in general. We had massive die-offs of sea lions last year.

Hoping things get back to "normal" for wildlife's sake.
Quote: Originally posted by shari  
I just got back from a recon trip to Laguna Ojo de Liebre where we saw about a dozen whales up close and more in the distance but inside a bit from the mouth. The migration is late this year and there was only one mother and calf in the inner lagoon at the Ejido camp. I surely feel sorry for her and the mom at Mag Bay who has to put up with all the boats around her due to a lack of whales!

But now we are seeing an increase in spouts passing our place in Asuncion so things should pick up soon.

shari - 1-5-2017 at 09:56 AM

Usually the timing of the migration depends on when the icepack forms up north...if it ices over early, they come south earlier so it varies every year so this is pretty normal. The whales we saw yesterday looked pretty skinny to me for this time of year.