BajaNomad

Whale watching San Ignacio Lagoon?

John M - 3-14-2022 at 08:04 AM

How late in the season is there still good whale watching at San Ignacio Lagoon?

John M



[Edited on 3-14-2022 by John M]

elgatoloco - 3-14-2022 at 07:25 PM

Over the years we have had three different experiences in San Ignacio Lagoon the last half of March and they were all great. For the most part the only whales left this late are mother and calf pairs and the 'vibe' is mellow. You never really know. We are headed down this weekend for another go at it.

Report about demise of gray whales

bajamary1952 - 3-16-2022 at 09:55 AM

I was in Guerrero Negro last week and saw very few whales and only a couple of babies. Been to GN several times in January, February & March and March was always the best month. But not this time.
https://edition.cnn.com/interactive/2022/03/climate/gray-wha...

surfhat - 3-16-2022 at 01:01 PM

bajamary, I too was there last week and the winds were not helpful.

The first day it was choppy and we still had some close encounters. That was on a Sat. before the big blow shut down the Whale Magic camp for a day or so. My timing for the days in camp got blown to smithereens.

The next couple of days spent in town allowed me to read a couple of books that I had been waiting with for such a downtime. I would have preferred being out at the camp, but that did not happen and not just to me.

By the following Tuesday I finally got a glassy day out on the water thanks to Shari squeezing me into the next group on the schedule.

Thank you Shari for all the juggling it took to make some room for me. This glassy day was worth the effort to go down. Several good rubs and eye contacts are indeed a truly magical experience like few others, and none that I know of at the moment.

The next day Wed. was my last chance this year and even though it was somewhat less glassy, some on my boat got some rubs and I made a direct eye contact with a mom a foot or two under the water where she stayed for short while, just her and I looking at each other.

Thank you mother whale for the gift.

Thank you Shari for making room on your filled up schedule when my time was blown out by the wind. Having some extra time to wait it out until less wind is something I will always add to my schedule in the future.

March can be windy at times. 'In like a lion' and all. In the past in March I have had better luck with the winds. I too prefer March myself but the glassy days on the water are paramount for the singular experience most every one seeks. You takes your chances and pays your money. Having some days in reserve is wise if one can wait the windy days out.

I am now digressing, but feel it deserves mention.

My usual favorite place to stay in town out by the highway was not what it has been for many years prior, and it is a shame. First, no reliable internet in the rooms for the first time. I had to go to the office for any internet connection for my laptop. The day I moved in, I tried three different rooms packing my stuff back up each time that afternoon. Same deal each time. The hot water would come on initially, but run out in no time, and the internet reception in each room was nonexistent. What the heck?

Second, their endless hot showers were no longer endless and ran out in the middle of a shower leaving me all suds up and waiting and wasting ten minutes of cold water before any warmth came back to let me rinse off. Something has changed with the management. Were they metering the hot water usage somehow? And whats with the no in room internet.

I moved to a place with new owners and the hot water did not run out in the middle of a shower. The in room internet was what we all should expect. Thank you Alma Viajera Hotel and Restaurant for coming to the rescue. I wish you well and hope to stay with you next time.

Rant over, but it needed to be made public, as much for the owners as for the management and the longtime patrons such as I have been, make that had been, for years. Peace and love and may the whale magic be with you always. How could it not be?

David K - 3-16-2022 at 01:16 PM

Please tell us the name of the place to avoid so others won't have a bad experience. A little bad PR can change their poor business habits, quickly!

surfhat - 3-16-2022 at 02:08 PM

David, I was hoping it was obvious with the location out near the highway.

Terra Sal. While the employees and the office manager on duty did what they could for me with the changing of the room three times, the end result was the same, so I have to assume it was the same for all of their rooms currently.

I appreciate the employees attempts to help me. My issue is not with them. Something else is going on there management wise, and it is not to their benefit or long time patrons such as I have been, and am no more.

Alma Viajero Hotel was a breath of fresh air after two days of what Terra Sal gave me, or rather did not give me, specifically, reliable hot water for showers that did not run out in the middle of bathing, and in room internet reception for my laptop.

Peace and love, and may the whale magic always be with those who choose to experience such a unique communing with these gentle giants.


John Harper - 3-17-2022 at 08:23 AM

My roommate left for whale watching a couple days ago. I'll post a report if I hear from her.

John

mtgoat666 - 3-17-2022 at 08:48 AM

Quote: Originally posted by surfhat  


I am now digressing, but feel it deserves mention.

My usual favorite place to stay in town out by the highway was not what it has been for many years prior, and it is a shame. First, no reliable internet in the rooms for the first time. I had to go to the office for any internet connection for my laptop. The day I moved in, I tried three different rooms packing my stuff back up each time that afternoon. Same deal each time. The hot water would come on initially, but run out in no time, and the internet reception in each room was nonexistent. What the heck?

Second, their endless hot showers were no longer endless and ran out in the middle of a shower leaving me all suds up and waiting and wasting ten minutes of cold water before any warmth came back to let me rinse off. Something has changed with the management. Were they metering the hot water usage somehow? And whats with the no in room internet.

I moved to a place with new owners and the hot water did not run out in the middle of a shower. The in room internet was what we all should expect. Thank you Alma Viajera Hotel and Restaurant for coming to the rescue. I wish you well and hope to stay with you next time.

Rant over, but it needed to be made public, as much for the owners as for the management and the longtime patrons such as I have been, make that had been, for years. Peace and love and may the whale magic be with you always. How could it not be?


Hot water problems in hotels… part of traveling in many places, just part of life…. You need to learn to go with the flow.

Re Terra sal, I was there in January and experienced hot water cut off during my shower. The cold rinse was invigorating. Subsequent to the invigorating cold rinse, played with the valves and I found that the hot water returned after I shut off all water and then reopened valve. Maybe a problem with a diverter valve or some switch in an on-demand heater? :?:

Yes, the wifi signal was weak in room. I got data on my phone, so no big woop to use cell internet instead of wifi. Wifi is nice, but wifi is not something I expect so is not a deal breaker for a hotel.

I suggest in the future: learn to take quick showers, and keep a data plan on your phone so you got internet if wifi is unavailable. :light:

The only minor complaint I got about terra sal is the rooms have only AC and no heat. January is cold, so heat would be nice in rooms. But such a minor problem is solved by putting on a sweater :light:





[Edited on 3-17-2022 by mtgoat666]

surfhat - 3-17-2022 at 02:08 PM

Goat, as a fan of the Terra Sal for years, it was a stay I had always looked forward to.

In town, GN, I heard it mentioned several times from locals and fellow visitors alike that similar experiences by other patrons were the same as what I was put through.

Why did things change for the worse? If a little public notice can make a difference to management, just maybe they will take a closer look at a couple of their current policies and fix them.

I hope so for their sake and wish them well with the caveat that their rooms will once again not run out of hot water in the middle of bathing, and that they restore internet access to their rooms like it had always been for years and years.

If such matters don't make a difference to you, fine.

About room heat, it is a rare thing in GN and you rarely need it until you would like to take the chill off.

When I was first showed a single room at Alma Viajera, it was as toasty as could be inside. Wow! Heat! I was immediately impressed. It is nice to have the option on those rare occasions.

There must be others in GN. that offer room heat. While it is not a requirement for me, there are times when it is appreciated if available. An extra blanket or two can work wonders. Hot water and in room internet access shouldn't be too much to ask.

Room heat sure felt good in San Quintin for a couple of nights on the way north at the Mision Santa Maria on their beautiful sand dollar beach. I saw some locals with their families enjoying the afternoon digging clams. I know better than to dig any myself and that is fine. It is their resource.

I got a great tip on something that was missing in every restaurant I went to, and I asked frequently. Humedales was fantastic and right on a protected wetland with hiking and kayaking available right out front.

The only fresh oysters on my ten day trip were greatly appreciated. !2 crudos for 120 pesos was a treat. They had fresh clams and other delicacies that will be worth trying out the next time. This place is a score and worth finding. The large military base just north of San Quintin proper has a dirt road on the south side of their base that heads toward the volcano for a few miles until, there it is on the edge of some beautiful undeveloped and protected wetlands.

I hope next time to walk the trail out among the wetlands. It must be a birders paradise, so bring some binoculars. Humedales is now a welcomed part of my itinerary. Why no other restaurants offered any oysters or clams remains a mystery. I suppose the providers sell all they can get to the Japanese is what I have heard. Some should be saved for the locals.

Humedales is most welcomed.





elgatoloco - 3-21-2022 at 09:48 AM

We just spent three days at San Ignacio Lagoon. Went out four times and had some up close encounters. As always just being on the water surrounded by the whales is an uplifting experience. Never a guarantee of how intimate the encounter might be and we feel lucky when you get to touch one of these majestic creatures.

Sunday there was a count of 17 mother/calf pairs. My notes from March 2014 visit show there were 119 mother/calf pairs then. Definitely a different experience.

For the first time we stayed in cabinas as opposed to camping or staying in town and making the run out there. We were at Antonio’s Ecotours and would do it again. Accommodations were comfy and the people there were fantastic from the captains, guides and everyone in between.

Thanks Elgatoloco

John M - 3-21-2022 at 10:32 AM

Good info

We'd be a one night camp and hope for the best on the whale watching, only will be able to go out once -

Are the cabana style rentals fairly reasonably priced? I assume it's a package deal with a tour?

John M

John Harper - 3-21-2022 at 10:43 AM

My roommate said the whale watching is very good right now.

John

surfhat - 3-21-2022 at 04:00 PM

Neighbor John, I got back from a ten day trip a week ago Sat., although this was at the Ojo de Liebres lagoon near GN.

I managed to go out on the water three times over a several day period.

There were a couple of days when the wind blew like crazy and the Whale Magic camp even had to shut down it was so windy. That happened to be my alloted camp time.

Thanks to Shari for making room for me, I then became a day tripper and was bussed out early in the mornings.

Glassy days are the gift if you can get them. The moms are friendlier and easier to spot and they ae more willing to make contact when it is nice and smooth on the water.

If there was one thing I would like to recommend, it is to include a couple of extra days in your schedule just in case, so you can wait out the choppy days. It is so worth waiting for calm days.

The moms are friendlier and more willing to engage us when it is nice and calm. That is my impression anyway.

It is getting late for this year, but anyone that wants to can still find the magic that is their gift to us.





elgatoloco - 3-21-2022 at 09:44 PM

Quote: Originally posted by John M  
Good info

We'd be a one night camp and hope for the best on the whale watching, only will be able to go out once -

Are the cabana style rentals fairly reasonably priced? I assume it's a package deal with a tour?

John M


antoniosecotours@gmail.com

We felt like it was a good value for the experience. But that’s us. Due to restrictions on capacity the operators were only doing 2 or 3 night packages and a la carte was very limited. If you email Gerardo at Antonio’s and tell him Matthew & Barbara sent you he may find a room and a boat for you. Might charge you double but…….:lol:

As a side note We were extra lucky because a marine scientist was there the same time we were and each night he did a little talk and we were in boat with him 3 of 4 times. His name is Michael Stocker and his non profit is Ocean Conservation Research - www.ocr.org - his group studies noise pollution in the ocean and they due a lot of outreach and education to get people up to speed on the threats to marine wildlife. After listening and speaking with him at length we are much more aware.

[Edited on 3-22-2022 by elgatoloco]