Finally after 2 years of dreaming and planning the La-Mar Ecotours team has opened it's remote whale camp! Our group was stoked to be the first ever
people to stay in the camp...here are the highlights of the last few days.
Our Whale Magic guests stayed at Hotel Baja Oasis which has some
super nice new murals!
the van picked us up and took us out to where we catch the panga and we whale watched for a few hours before heading over to camp.
Molly got a touch from this guy for her birthday!
we hit slack low tide and saw more spy hops in a half hour than I have seen in a month!
this calf was so funny as it hid under the kelp paddy and wore it like a wig, towed it and blew on it!
Then we headed over to the new camp...it was beautiful!
you can watch whales right in front of your cabin and the beachcombing is great...I found a whale barnacle!
the staff brought beer out to us as we relaxed on the beach and watched whales!
the chef prepared fantastic food and it has a nice menu of lobster, grilled chicken breast, carne asada, catch of the day which was fresh grouper and
of course grilled lobster and lobster salad...juice, wine and beer too! and they made a cake and sang Las Mananitas to Molly the birthday girl!
they even laid a fire for us after dinner for some campfire stories
In the morning after a restful night of quiet far from the city, we had a massive breakfast and did more whale watching
The group had a fantastic time and then we took them to the airstrip for them to board their planes for home.
It was a great success and here we are with the La-Mar team!
[Edited on 2-20-2018 by BajaNomad]
[Edited on 3-2-2018 by shari]David K - 2-15-2018 at 09:22 AM
Fantastic!Udo - 2-15-2018 at 09:43 AM
This is going on FB recommendations! Can you imagine sleeping among the whale's night sounds?Paco Facullo - 2-15-2018 at 09:50 AM
Now THAT'S some dang good living !!!!
It doesn't get much better than that ..
Photos were outstanding. Thanks. MMc - 2-15-2018 at 10:15 AM
I am so looking forward to this trip!!!Mexitron - 2-15-2018 at 11:02 AM
Awesome!!!shari - 2-15-2018 at 11:07 AM
We just had a cancellation for a camp package next week in case anyone wants to join us..we take groups of 10 to the camp. Here are some dates that
are available so far....extra days can often be added.
You arrive first at the hotel the first night, we go for dinner to get to know each other and talk whales. Breakfast and leave for whale watching the
next morning....we leave our vehicles in the fishing coop and they take us in a van....then over to whale camp for lunch and move into the
cabins...tour in the afternoon. Dinner and bed...next day whale watch in the morning with the afternoon free to explore or whale watch is optional.
The last day we whale watch on the way back to town....food is all included and transport. You can email me for more info sharibondy@gmail.com
Feb.18-23
Feb. 23-26 or 27th
Feb 27-Mar.3
Mar 3-6
Mar 7-10
Mar 15-17KurtG - 2-15-2018 at 11:16 AM
That last photo of the dimpled little guy (or gal) spouting is classic!
Plan to see you and Juan in the next couple of months.
KurtElena La Loca - 2-17-2018 at 10:13 AM
Has there been a census taken yet this year? If so, how do the numbers compare to prior years?Elena La Loca - 2-17-2018 at 10:37 AM
Any updates? Or better sites to verify info?TMW - 2-17-2018 at 10:45 AM
Excellent, thanks.Ateo - 2-17-2018 at 10:56 AM
Hope to see you next year!woody with a view - 2-18-2018 at 12:52 PM
We're in for next year! Jon let's do it and commandeer the entire camp for a couple of daze! I have 4-5 maybe more people already stoked on it! Fly
in/out of ENS. surfhat - 2-18-2018 at 01:21 PM
With a night at The Oasis in GN with Shari, coming and going, this camp is something to hold out for whenever it can happen.
Being able to sleep by the water so far out there away from town with the whales spouting and the Baja nighttime sky's would be some of the best of
Baja's offering.
The drive down in that time of year is a unique experience of the desert in bloom. Flying in is expedient and understandable for those that cannot
afford the road time.
Maybe next time, and everyone cannot but want to return, some will chose to go by road, whether they drive themselves or ride with a carrier.
This experience is magical and life changing. That these gentle giants choose to directly engage us humans with physical contact is to their forgiving
nature.
As was pointed out so eloquently by Shari, these oldest of their species have an ability to 'Read' our heart felt intentions, and engage us or not.
This ability couldn't have been more evident when we had whales choosing to engage us on both sides, while another boat a mere distance away was
ignored. That this particular boatload was based on making an article that they were paid for could not have been more clear that these gentle giants
have the ability to read our truest hearts intent.
Magical. You bet. Everyone should experience this while we can.
Someday.............. shari - 2-19-2018 at 08:33 PM
this link says the census was from April 30th so is from last year...there is an issue in reporting in that certain lagoon dont want the numbers of
each lagoon reported publicly because there are usually a thousand more whales in Ojo de Liebre and it's not good for business in the less populated
lagoons so they no longer post the individual numbers like they used to....politics
I can tell you there are well over a thousand here in Ojo de Liebre and the whale watching has been superb. Here are some highlights from the last few
days. The calves are getting bigger and the moms are pushing them up to the pangas to learn about boats and humans.
this little guy had seaweed caught in his mouth...must be a b-tch not to have hands to get it out!
Elena La Loca - 2-19-2018 at 10:05 PM
Shari said "this link says the census was from April 30th so is from last year..."
Hmmm. That's not the way I read it at all. Publication date was Feb 12, 2018 and article says season ends April 30.
Interesting how #s aren't reported in a more timely manner but in some regards, that's understandable on a multitude of levels.
In your experience, is it better to go when tides are low? Guessing what the weather will do & timing that with the proper tides is my main
concern. Only been blown out once (at San Ignacio) but have been to Ojo de Liebre more than a handful of times.
Each visit is more magical than the last regardless of conditions.
In your experience, is it better to go when tides are low? Guessing what the weather will do & timing that with the proper tides is my main
concern. Only been blown out once (at San Ignacio) but have been to Ojo de Liebre more than a handful of times.
Each visit is more magical than the last regardless of conditions.
each area of the lagoon has it "best times" for example my favorite is slack high in the inner lagoon as it gives whales lots of room to maneuver
under and around the pangas but low tide is great in an area at the mouth where a multitude of whales like to spy hop and stand on their tale on the
bottom at low tide. Any slack tide is great as whales mill around more and arent in swimming school or whale workouts!shari - 3-1-2018 at 08:21 PM
the whale watching has been fantastic this week with the calves getting more playful by the day! They are now learning to breach....jump into the air
and there are giant pickles popping off everywhere!!! It is thick with whales out there and more visitors than ever too. It is reaaaallly chilly with
air temps in the 60's and lots of windy days but today was a stunner!
There are still babies resting on top of their Mom's which is so sweet
and of course the mom's are bringing the calves to meet the humans
this little guy loves the engine water on his face
MMc - 3-1-2018 at 09:25 PM
I was there with my niece and her friend 1 week ago. Wow, this is a fantastic camp. Whales swimming by 75 yards from shore isn't to bad. Food was very
good, camp is nice and getting better. We scored it as it is in it's first year. this will be the premier whale camp in both lagoons very soon. You
should go!!! I have been to both lagoons, this will be the best in a few short years. shari - 3-2-2018 at 12:36 PM
thanks for being the guinea pigs!! The glitches are being worked on and each camp gets better...March should be epic out there....still a few spots
left!MMc - 3-2-2018 at 07:36 PM
This is a great camp, if you can, go do it. This place will be $$$$ in the future. Watching whales 75 yards from shore is great. One of the group had
a drone recording a mating dance 125 yards offshore. Who doesn't like whale porn? amigobaja - 3-25-2018 at 07:13 AM
Any update on the numbers still out there? (GN)Udo - 3-25-2018 at 08:30 AM
This is a great camp, if you can, go do it. This place will be $$$$ in the future. Watching whales 75 yards from shore is great. One of the group had
a drone recording a mating dance 125 yards offshore. Who doesn't like whale porn?
This season there were fewer whales than usual but this is normal as numbers are clyclical...up and down naturally. I heard there were around 1,300
this year and they arrived a bit late so we expected them to stick around longer but that does not appear to be the case as the swamp is draining fast
the last couple weeks. Most of our buddies we hung out with daily have left for their sojourn north to feed.
There are very few left in the inner lagoon but still lots to see out at the mouth where whales come in to rest up a bit on the migration. Mario's
Tours can take you out well into April.
I just arrived back in Asuncion after 2 months at the lagoon and am missing the big loving lugs already! sniff sniff
We had a fantastic season...I saw things I had never seen before and now to get to work on photo ID and videos!
fishbuck - 3-25-2018 at 11:49 AM
Nice. Does it get better?
Super Kingair 200. at the airport. Perfect plane for Baja if you have that kind of money.
The plane is based in San Diego and I'm sure available for charter.
[Edited on 3-25-2018 by fishbuck]wilderone - 3-25-2018 at 03:48 PM
Best whale watch ever. Spent 3 nights at the whale camp. Went out daily to see whales - all kinds of behaviors observed - aggressive tail swishes,
mating, super friendly - one found us again the next day as well and hung around constantly. The location of the camp is a rare, pristine Baja
landscape - basically untouched by humans. Thousands of shells, dunes, estuary with many varieties of birds, dolphins cruised by about 10 yards
offshore. One of our group caught a sierra after three casts - only a couple hours later served up as ceviche. The food was great, cabins spacious,
crew was fun to get to know. I'm so glad I was able to experience this opportunity. Highly recommended.fishbuck - 3-26-2018 at 12:54 PM
Excellent reports. Thank you!Stickers - 3-26-2018 at 05:18 PM
Which airstrip is that and about how far away from the camp?
Does anyone have lat lon or map location of the camp?
Real curious wilderone - 3-27-2018 at 07:53 AM
The whale camp is on the west side side (across) the lagoon near the mouth of Laguna ojo de liebre. Approx. 114.18 x 27.48. You enter the saltworks
property (closed to the public after whale season) to get to the panga launch area. There is an airstrip in Guerrero Negro. All logistics are
coordinated with Shari.
