shari
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Nomad Whale Booty Trip
Our first trip this season to the calving lagoon of Ojo de Liebre was outstanding…as usual! We rendezvoused with old nomad amigos from Vancouver
Island and new amigas from Los Barilles at the Cowboy Hotel in Guerrero Negro.
It was Eli’s birthday so we celebrated it at Las Cazuelas with mano de leon scallops, seafood soup and chocolate clams in a heavenly cilantro sauce
and birthday cake of course!
At dawn the Saturday morning, we had a lovely desayuno at Don Gus before heading to the lagoon. Because it was Presidents Day Weekend, it was the
busiest time of the whole season with bus tours from Caracoles and other tour groups.
We met the rest of our panga mates at their campsite and soon set out on the second round of pangas so the lanchero already knew where the action was.
Raffa, our skipper headed straight out to the point where there was a large concentration of mating trios. They were everywhere…I have NEVER seen so
many trios in one place at one time…all actively engaged in mating activity. It was very intense and raucous as threesomes rolled around embracing
each other with their flippers. We glimpsed two pink “cuernos” (whale penis) which is always a treat. We called this the whale booty trip!
her is a female presenting her privates...note the swollen breasts on the right of the photo
It was exhausting watching all that action and so we made our way back closer to the camp to visit with some mother & calves in their nursing
groups. the calves are still pretty small and sticking real close to mom so we kept our distance. Our amigo Gil called us on the radio to come over to
where he was having a nice encounter with a large whale.
The kids in his pang were riled up and jumping around making a lot of noise in the boat and the whale gave them a swat with her tail. That panga has a
history of receiving tail slaps as you can see by all the patches on her sides…the guys always make fun of the lanchero who has to skipper it.
After that, we went to check out more whales a bit further out. We came upon a whale who spy hopped as if to get our attention and so we slowly
approached her.
Our whale whisperers went to work calling her over and she responded to us and headed over for a nice visit. She was very gentle and just stayed under
and around our panga for quite some time allowing everyone to commune with her. Adan was thrilled to make physical contact while his dad Ken recorded
the experience on video.
We had several whales under and all around the boat but most mothers were still prohibiting the calves from approaching. Besides, they were busy with
swimming lessons where they swim against the tide so the calves develop the muscles and condition they will require to make the long migration north
to the feeding grounds. We did see one mother teaching the baby to bottom feed and a nice breach.
It was an exciting trip with whales everywhere and as the kids liked to say we were in whale soup! We spent the rest of the afternoon watching whales
from shore at the lagoon, eating great shrimp tacos accompanied by cold Pacificos on the beautiful patio of the Interpretive Center.
The following day we got out earlier to the lagoon to get the first boat out in the morning. This time we were on the panga named after my daughter
Sirenita with my old pal Luis and a family group from San Diego. It was a lovely calm morning and the whales were mostly resting and nursing their
calves.
We saw the Colmena had a friendly visitor but she wasn’t interested in us so we moved on. We saw lots of spy hops, tails and more swimming lesson
activity but less mating trios than the day before. We saw another panga being entertained by a friendly whale and so sidled over as well but she
wasn’t interested in us so we moseyed along weaving through whale soup.
We saw a whale pause so we approached but she turned and went down so we went on until the whale surfaced right behind us and was pursing us.
So Luis put the engine in neutral and she surprised us by pushing the bow around with her nose….first one way, then the other. Then she lifted us up
on her back a few times very gently. Then I noticed her flippers were on both sides of the panga and we started moving forward…she was upside down and
had us on her chest and was taking us for a little joy ride. This was really fun as she was playing with us very gently.
Before the trip, I had told the family a story about a famous whale in the lagoon called “La Puchona” who constantly pushed pangas around rather
aggressively. In fact, she was downright frightening as she would toss pangas aside, flip them up in the air with her snout and carry them around in
her flippers real fast. We would actually avoid the part of the lagoon where she was spotted but she would seek us out and start her little games. We
even had to beach the boat once as she was so aggressive and we had to wait over half an hour until she finally got bored waiting for us and left.
Well, we believe her calf learned this behavior from her and quite possibly, this was her only a much more mellow behavior.
Anyway, when the whale pushed us around and played for a bit, she finally lifted her head up so everyone could make contact and feel her rubbery skin.
I was enjoying watching our group caress that gigantic sweetheart and try to balance out the panga by standing on the high side. But then she slipped
back and Luis said…get in there shorty and give her a kiss. So I handed him my camera and as I went to where she was, she lifted her lips up to me and
I planted a big long kiss on her and several more after that! My heart was so full of love, my eyes leaked tears of joy and I was overwhelmed with
emotion.
Everything was sort of a blur after that…the main course was so filling and satisfying but we got served up a nice desert when a whale did a huge long
spy hop right in front of us…whew…what more could we possibly want.
Everyone was emotionally exhausted as we headed back to land… full to the brim of whale excitement. We said our farewells to the folks at the lagoon
and headed back to town to drop off Eli and Xotchil at the bus depot.
It was an incredible 2 days and I cant wait to go back for my birthday. Here are some photos of both days
http://s385.photobucket.com/albums/oo295/blowhole1/WHALES%20...
http://s385.photobucket.com/albums/oo295/blowhole1/WHALES%20...
By the way, Baja Bernie is coming to whale watch on March 10th if anyone wants to join our group.
[Edited on 2-22-2011 by shari]
[Edited on 2-23-2011 by shari]
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KurtG
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Great photos. Kathy and I and the girls will definately be camped at the lagoon 3/18 & 19. Full moon that weekend, should be spectacular. I
read a local article about the grey whale observation post on the Big Sur coast that said the migration had become slightly later in recent years.
Last year the 3rd weekend in March was great and we're hoping its as good this time. We look forward to seeing you there.
Kurt
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woody with a view
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we'll be there the 16th, panga on the 17th.....
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shari
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dont forget your pyjamas woodman!
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woody with a view
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how could i forget?
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shari
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some of your amigos from "that" place may also join in the festivities...your host on the hill we hope.
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ElCap
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Great photos and stories Shari! I have been see the whales the last 3 years in Laguna San Ignacio, but have not been to Ojo de Liebre yet. But I
know what you mean about the emotions these experiences can draw out of us - it is a really powerful experience knowing that these great creatures are
communicating with us in their own way. And I have always been impressed by the pangueros and the whale watching operations. From my experience they
are very good stewards of these truly special places.
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Bob H
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What a LIFE! Wow.... nice.
The SAME boiling water that softens the potato hardens the egg. It's about what you are made of NOT the circumstance.
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Eli
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Seeing the whales with Shari was so worth the long bus ride all the way from Los Barriles. What a beautiful place Ojo de Libre is. To look into the
eyes of a whale, well, it was a dream come true, a perfect 60th birthday present. Truly a couple of the best days of my life were spent in the
presence of the Whales and Shari. Amazing, I am still in awe. Sara
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woody with a view
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Eli Happy Birthday! you couldn't have picked a better place to enjoy it with friends. i spent my birthday just north of there this year (jan 8) and
had a blast.
Shari we'll try to coax everyone along. how many crazy nomads can we fit into a panga? sounds like a Guiness World record in the making!
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shari
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Posts: 13048
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Mood: there is no reality except the one contained within us "Herman Hesse"
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Eli...it was a true honour for me to share tears of joy with you...and your birthday! I shall never forget it....thanks for coming sister.
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Eli
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Woody, Thanks for the birthday wish, I have been celebrating for a month now and the trip with Shari was the cherry on the Sundaee. Going out to see
the whales has always got to be an adventure of wonder, meeting Shari makes my heart sing with joy, she is like a major dose of Don Jimmy all over
again, they share a kindred spirt of old school ranchero baja, karisma and adventure. Getting to see the whales with Shari, O.M.G., HOW GOOD CAN IT
GET!!!!!!!!!!!!
I already envy those who get to go on the next trip with her. Ah well, Now on the bucket list is to someday return to visit the whales with Shari,
(which makes me feel kind of greedy, I mean how much can I ask for in one life time).
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woody with a view
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keep asking! otherwise, the answer is invariably "no!"
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Eli
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good advise Woody, I will keep asking!
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