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shari
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Incredible Whale Watching in Ojo de Liebre!
Once again, Ojo de Liebre exceded my expectations. Because the weather was cold and windy, we stayed at Cowboy Motel in Guerrero Negro, located at the
entrance to town on the left side....just before the new Pemex.
The rooms were lovely and clean at 400 pesos and they gave a free breakfast with the whale tour. Their whale watching package is $100 for a room, a
great breakfast, transportation to the lagoon via the salt works so you get a tour of that too and your whale watch and you can hang out and birdwatch
or whale watch from shore for awhile after your tour.
We also took an extensive tour of the salt works one day. You just go to the main entrance across from the bank and tell them you want a tour. They
provide the guide who gives tours at 10:00 am and 2:00 pm...he drives your vehicle and they are free. You can stop as much as you want to get out and
take photos.The guide doesnt speak english though. It was very informative and fun.
this is one of the big trucks they load 3,600 tons of salt onto...
these tires cost $6,000 a piece and are over 6' tall!
the girls loved playing in the salt snow!
this is the port Chaparrito where the salt gets washed and loaded onto barges
the kids had fun on the salt mountain.
here are the barges loading and the tugs waiting to take them to Cedros Island.
We got to the lagoon around 10:00...I was amazed at all the palapas they have built for camping...$5 a palapa...there are 17 I think stretching all
the way out to the canal.
We enjoyed hanging out at the visitor center all day...looking at the exhibits, eating fish and shrimp at the restaurant there, chatting with the
guides and whale watchers and of course watching whales out in front.
we had made reservations with one of my favourite lancheros Gil as I know that those whale chicks LOVE his big smile...he's been there for like 15
years now.
It is a very low year both for tourists and whales. I figure there were over 300 in the lagoon compared to some years there can be over a thousand at
this date. Not many whale watchers either this season.
the whale action was hot and heavy. We chose a big group of nursing moms to hang out with and were surrounded by dozens of whales the whole trip. We
saw absolutely every kind of whale behavior...sleeping whales, a whale in labour, nursing whales, calves of all ages, mating trios, whale swimming
school/parade, a kazillion spyhops, breaching, tricksters who spouted in your face, we got splashed a couple times by a devious whale, we kissed and
pet them and even got lifted up and thrown around a bit by a male who was jelous when we got too close to his girlfriend. It was a memorable couple
hours...dang near the best trip ever for variety. here are some highlights
it was a truly remarkable trip and so fun to share my knowledge with the school group. The ejido is better organized now and you can make reservations
which is great by calling the office in GN at 615- 157-0025. The receptionist doesnt speak english real well so if you want you can contact me and I
can make you a reservation.
It is so nice to drive your own vehicle out there too as well as camp.
there is also a van that can take you to see the pronghorn antelope for only $15 a person ...a neat thing to do after whale watching.
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Udo
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You got to watch a menage de trois?
Ultra cool, and thanks for the salt plant tour photos. That's a first on Nomads!
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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Ken Bondy
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Wonderful story and pictures shari!!! Thank you.
++Ken++
carpe diem!
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noproblemo2
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Shari, Great pics of the whales thanks for sharing, the salt is really incredible to see
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Gaucho
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Thanks Shari, awesome photos. Have you seen the whales at Laguna San Ignacio? If you have, how does it compare to Ojo de Liebre? What are the major
differences?
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Paula
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Thanks Shari, great report!
Love salt works pictures, that salt mountain looks just like Glacier Park!
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shari
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because whales were the focus of my life for many many years, I have been to all the whale lagoons and other areas for whale observation as well in
several countries. Ojo de Liebre is unbeatably the best all round for the total nature experience. Whale encounters are amazing anywhere you go and
they often depend on who you are with not where you are and each trip is different depending on many factors like weather, date, boat driver etc. It
might be a hot calm sunny day and all the whales will be napping when you go....or cold and rough but whales will be breaching and playing....you just
never know what will happen.
What I appreciate about the inner lagoon at Ojo de Liebre is that you can drive there in your vehicle and stay as long as you want in the beautiful
park. The inner lagoon is accessed via the turnoff a few miles south of Guerrero Negro and it is 27 km to the camp where the Interpretive Center and
pangas leave from. The pangas leave on demand so you can go when you feel like it, with which guide you want and there are only 3 boats so you are
often the only boat with the whales. Ojo de Liebre is a huge lagoon with 3 different observation areas...the big hotels and companies like malarrimo,
laguna tours and mario's in town go to the mouth of the lagoon and you must take their transport.
Then there is a new area Pta. Pescal in the middle lagoon where a new company goes and the inner lagoon where the ejido Benito Juarez runs their
operation. This part of the lagoon is wonderful for whale watching from shore as well as bird watching and hiking. The 3 areas are separated so you
dont see the other companies boats. So there is much less boat traffic here than in San Ignacio. There are other companies in GN as well that take you
to all areas of the lagoon like La Cazuelas restaurant and Cowboy Motel who take you to the inner lagoon.I find the weather better in LOL as well as
prefer the aesthetics to this lagoon and the staff are very friendly...and the restaurant is beautiful...nice to buy a cold beer after seeing whales.
San Ignacio is famous for it's friendly whales. There are several gringo run camps there as well as smaller mexican outfits. There were 23 pangas
there...maybe more now and I believe there could be 12 pangas at a time in the viewing area which is relatively small. I find it a bit busy for my
taste but again it depend on when and where you go. Personally, I resent the promotion of whale petting as it puts too much pressure on the lancheros.
I always hear people asking if it's guarenteed they will pet a whale or how much it costs to pet a whale etc. While I love having contact with them, i
dont like the idea of people insisting or expecting to pet a whale.
Mag Bay is a totally different scene...they have different behavior there...more single whales, older whales, mating whales,surfing whales...that is
really cool to see them surfing at the bar. they have fewer mother and calf pairs. I find this area interesting with it's islands and beaches. I also
love that they have a patrol boat there making sure the whale protection regs are enforced, unlike the other 2 lagoons where there can be harassment
at times.
LOL has the most whales and is the biggest calving lagoon in the world...it has had up to 2,000 animals in it....it fills up first and the overflow
goes to San Ignacio and then on to Mag Bay.
Another thing I love about LOL is that there are areas off limits to boats there so if the whales are tired of boats, they can just go hang out there
in peace. When I did the census there we found lots more whales congregated in the no boat zones.
Each lagoon offers a different kind of experience at different times of the season so it depends when you can go and what you like. The best thing is
to visit all the lagoons and see how unique each of them are in their own way. It should be an honour to be around these magnificent mammals and
respect is the key to existing with them. At times I feel that no boats should be allowed in the calving lagoons...I would prefer to see viewing
platforms where you can get dropped off and spend hours there observing in a non obtrusive way....or maybe install those pay for view big binoculars
like at Niagara Falls. I would like to see stricter regulations and less harassment but it's not a perfect world I am afraid. I dedicated many years
to whale protection and education and wish we humans were more respectful of other species....so please when you do go see whales, dont pressure your
guide to get close...appreciate the natural beauty of these creatures from a respectable distance. ...thanks for asking gaucho.
I shall leave you with a great quote from a 14 year old boy yesterday...he was a shy boy who said very little but listened carefully and when I was
alone, he came over to me and said..."imagine if the whales were much smarter than us and we are just to stupid to realize it!"
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Udo
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That's an incredible piece of writing, Shari.
One can read a dozen books on whale watching at the Baja lagoons, but none can describe the watching as concisely as you have.
well done!!!
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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Gaucho
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Thanks Shari. We are always very respectful of nature and what it offers. We're a family of "ocean huggers". It seems like LOL might have a little
more to offer our kids as well, (6 1/2 and 5) with the salt works and such. My older one is studying the migration of grey whales in class right now
so this would fit in nicely with her studies. Do you think early April is too late in the year for whales in LOL?
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geomike
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hi Shari this is a great report!
we hope to stop overnight in mid April at GN.
Can you tell me how is the road in and is the turn off "south of town" well marked?
We are travelling in a 30' fifth wheel and would like to camp there. Do you know if the Ejido permits RV's?
Thanks mike
You are entitled to your own opinions...not your own facts.
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Russ
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"imagine if the whales were much smarter than us and we are just to stupid to realize it!"
Smart kid!
Bahia Concepcion where life starts...given a chance!
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shari
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thanks all....to be honest the whales that reside in LOL generally head north in late march. This lagoon fills early in January, the moms raise their
calves...force them to swim against the tide to build muscle tissue in their little flippers and nurse constantly so they grow a layer of blubber
against the cold in the north.
They are ready to go in about 3 months so the whale encounters get very interesting the first couple weeks in March when the calves are big and more
rambunctious. Just before they leave the protection of the lagoon, they get really mushy and seem to be saying warm goodbyes to their lanchero amigos.
The longest friendly encounters have been just before a whale leaves for the northern migration.
Most of the residents of LOL are gone by the last week of March. There are still some whales there but usually these are whales from other areas who
just stop off there on their way north...so these whales dont know the lancheros so they are not as easy to approach and just not as friendly.
If you are in GN in the last days of march or early april, probably the mouth of the lagoon will get more action with whales just stopping to rest so
the town tours might be better...but ya never know...I will report the census counts here. San Ignacio and Mag Bay have whales later and is better in
late march and early april.
The inner lagoon camp is wonderful for kids and an RV...large camping area, easy entrance,lots of space to run around. Keep in mind that semana
santa...holy week is early this year...the last weekend in march and first days of april.
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bajafam
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I have goose bumps and am misty eyed viewing your photos and reading your story, Shari. I cannot wait to feel this for myself and share it with my
family. Do you have any info regarding age restrictions for whale watching in the places you have experience with? While I am eager to do this, I am
worried that we may have to wait because the kids are so small. Have you (or anyone else) taken small children on a whale watching excursion or had
them on the boat with you?
Thanks again, Shari...wonderful!
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shari
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Mood: there is no reality except the one contained within us "Herman Hesse"
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little kids are whale bait!!! I used to laugh because some adults didnt want to go on a paga with a bunch of little kids for fear they might cry or
make a fuss...but whales LOVE kids and seems they like to bring their babies to see yours...so dangle mister man over the side and see what happens!
Once a mom was dangling her baby over so he could pee and a big whale spouted right under his bum...quite a bidet eh! (true story)
Voices dont bother them...they seem to like excitement and enthusiasm. Sometimes they do things just to hear people scream and laugh!
One word of caution though...please make sure all your water bottles, camera gear, loose items are secured in a pack so they wont roll around in the
boat....a dropped water bottle sounds like a gunshot under water and will startle a whale...which can be dangerous if it is directly under your boat.
A common occurance is when a whale passes under the boat from one side to the other...people stand up to see it and drop stuff...BANG...and the whale
freaks and tries to dive and might lift the panga a bit. Also if you on top of a whale, be aware that it might lift or push the boat so you shouldnt
be hanging over the side standing up or standing on the benches..stay low in case the boat gets knocked around a bit...hang onto the kids.
Kids have short arms and is hard for them to reach the whale...I used to hang sirenita over the side holding her by the strap of her lifevest. You may
want to bring your own life jackets so the kids feel more comfy in their own and bring snacks.
Once a mother and calf were being caressed by the parents of 5 little kids...they were so smitten with the whale, they totally ignored the cries and
screams of their kids wanting to get in on the action but couldnt reach...the lanchero and I were trying to hang onto the kids leaning over the side.
The mother whale was aware of this problem so she promptly lifted her calf onto her back and up level with the gunnel of the panga so the kids could
see and touch it! All at once 10 little hands were on the calf and the poor baby startled and flipped over nearly into the panga!!!
Whatever you do...do NOT put your hands down if the tail is close...that tail can break your arm in an instant...only touch a whale if it presents
it's head or is gentle and drifts alongside the panga...an agressive whale will lift the hind quarters and move the tail laterally...if you see this
you may get splashed or slapped...always be carefull of tails.
We have been lulled into believing whales are gentle giants...which usually they are...but they are also unpredictable wild animals who can and do
lose their temper with us. I have found that after a half hour with the same group...or if we make several passes and bother the same whales for too
long is when they become impatient and may splash you in hopes you go away...males wanting to mate dont appreciate pangas cutting in on their action
either and can aggressively push you away. It's wise to give them wide berth. The most effective whale observation is to visit several groups of
whales and only remain a short time with them.
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Natalie Ann
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Excellent report, shari. Thanks.
nena
Be yourself, everyone else is already taken.
.....Oscar Wilde
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DianaT
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Nice report and nice pix. I will say, however, that while we will go to Ojo de Liebre again this year, we have always had better experiences at San
Ignacio and have found the pangueros to be very profesional, friendly, full of knoweledge, and very respectful of not chasing whales. And we had a
very good experience the one time we went to Mag Bay. The road to San Ignacio lagoon can be a real rough one, but it is beautiful and we love the
town of San Ignacio. It will always remain our favorite. We think the ejido there does a great job.
The salt works are very interesting, but I am happy the battle against putting one at San Ignacio was won---at least for now.
Most of our experiences at Ojo de Liebre have been OK and we loved camping there, but out of the three lagoons it was the only one where we had a bad
experience with some very inconsiderate pangueros.
But since they are close, we will try them again and hopefully will visit San Ignacio one more time this year. Many whales are still headed south.
Looks like you showed your clients a really interesting and good time. Good job and glad you were able to see so many whales.
[Edited on 2-11-2010 by DianaT]
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Bajahowodd
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Shari- Wonderful post. I am curious. You folks went to the lagoon with Chavelo. I note that the life jackets are Ejido Benito Juarez. I am assuming
that they took you back out to Highway One and down to the turnoff and into the lagoon where the visitors center is. A few years ago, we were staying
at Caracoles, and Raul took us in a van through town, and through a gate at the salt works to get to pangas. Since we are planning on heading down in
a few weeks, was just wondering if you know if the access we made is still used, or if everyone now goes down to the ejido visitor's center. Frankly,
when we went out with the Caracoles folks, it was a less than satisfying experience. Lunch was a bologna sandwich, and almost zero whale contact. Not
to knock Raul, but having gone whale watching in San Ignacio and Mag Bay over the years, our trip that particular year was probably the least
satisfying.
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Ken Bondy
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| Quote: | Originally posted by shari
Personally, I resent the promotion of whale petting as it puts too much pressure on the lancheros. I always hear people asking if it's guarenteed they
will pet a whale or how much it costs to pet a whale etc. While I love having contact with them, i dont like the idea of people insisting or expecting
to pet a whale.
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That is so true and brilliantly expressed sis. ++Bro++
carpe diem!
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geomike
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Thank you Shari et. al., it sounds as though for late season (mid April) encounters that San Ignacio lagoon might be a better option...did I get that
right?
You are entitled to your own opinions...not your own facts.
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geomike
Junior Nomad
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never mind! just found the search button!
sorry all!
You are entitled to your own opinions...not your own facts.
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