Baja whale 'camp' offers close-up views
http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?id=2&display=re...
By LUCINDA BUTLER
May 22, 2005
Remember the mantra "save the whales?" Today, "save the whale nurseries" seems more appropriate.
For eons, California gray whales have used four large lagoons on the western coast of Mexico's Baja Peninsula for mating and giving birth. Starting in
January, gray whales arrive, having migrated more than 6,000 miles from the Bering Sea. Pregnant females seek sanctuary in Laguna Ojo de Liebre
(Scammon's Lagoon), St. Ignacio, Soledad and Magdalena bays.
My family's destination, Kuyima whale camp (www.kuyima.com) in San Ignacio Lagoon, has primitively equipped huts and campsites at the water's edge. Kuyima defines eco-tourism. Electricity
comes from wind generation and hot water from solar heaters. Composting and recycling are not choices but necessities.
The camp is staffed by local Mexican workers. Boats, or pangas, are manned by a knowledgeable naturalist and guide. The guides are off-season
fishermen armed with intimate knowledge of the whales and lagoon. This provides ideal encounters with some of nature's largest and most beautiful
creatures.
The boat operators observe strict guidelines in designated viewing areas. Once a whale surfaces nearby, the motors are placed in neutral. Our boat,
with children on board, seemed to attract more attention. The mother whales lifted the calves on their backs through the water allowing us to touch,
rub, hug and kiss their babies. The mothers, usually under the boat, floated upward bringing the calves toward our outstretched hands.
Perhaps if I was a poet, I could describe the feelings that overcame us while embracing some of nature's largest and most beautiful creatures.
Removing my sunglasses allowed me to literally look into the eyes of the whales. In a way, they reminded me of a group of wet Labrador retriever
puppies. They wanted to be petted, held and stroked, all with their mother's careful supervision.
Surprisingly, the bays are clear of predators such as orcas and sharks. Why the predators are not present remains a mystery. Locals postulated that
the male whales arrive first, scouting and sweeping the area free of predators. Scientific research has shown that the higher salinity in the shallow
lagoons may be the determining factor. Whatever the reason, California gray whales find these waters safe for their young.
Whether or not the waters remain pristine is dependent on human development. These crucial habitats face continual assault by industrial corporations,
commercial marina and hotel development. Currently, the most ominous threat to San Ignacio Bay is Mitsubishi Corporation's quest to expand its
salt-extraction facilities in nearby desert habitat. If future expansion of the Mitsubishi plant goes unchecked, levels of heavy metals such as
arsenic, contained in runoff, could deliver dangerous sediment to the bay.
Raul Lopez, field coordinator for Kuyima, expressed grave concern about commercial or industrial development in the area. The International Community
Foundation is working with Lopez to help preserve the region.
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