BajaGeoff
Super Nomad
Posts: 1727
Registered: 1-11-2006
Location: San Diego and Campo Lopez
Member Is Offline
Mood: Heading To Baja!!!
|
|
Whale Watching Recommendation
Hello Nomads,
Seeing the whales has been on my Baja bucket list for a long time. Who would you recommend for whale watching tours out of Guerrero Negro or San
Ignacio? Any advice would be appreciated!
|
|
|
bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
Member Is Offline
Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
|
|
The BEST!!!!!!!i
Hands down, a trip with our own Nomad and whale expert Shari in Grerrero Negro. An OUTSTANDING trip/adventure. If you book with her try and go on the
Nomads trip, Highly recommended.
We went on the Nomads trip last year, and it is on our list for next year.
[Edited on 1-30-2012 by bajaguy]
|
|
|
ElCap
Nomad
Posts: 281
Registered: 1-22-2010
Location: Montara CA, or San Ignacio BCS
Member Is Offline
|
|
Kuyima Ecotours does a great job out of Laguna San Ignacio. They also have a good website and a physical presence in the plaza in San Ignacio, and
will provide transportation out to the laguna, which is more than some of the other operations offer. I've also been with Antonio's Ecotours, but
that has been taken over by Baja Expeditions as of last year, so am not familiar with how the operate now. I'm not familiar with GN but hopefully
Shari will chime in with her recommendations.
|
|
|
goldhuntress
Senior Nomad
Posts: 663
Registered: 1-28-2010
Member Is Offline
|
|
In all I've read about it here it seems the San Ignacio whale watching experience is really good. I personally have gone out of Guerrero Negro and
always had an awesome time. The Ejido Benito Juarez runs the tours out of there. They have a very nice website and are very nice people. http://www.ballenatours.com/casa-mexicana-de-la-ballena-gris...
|
|
|
KurtG
Super Nomad
Posts: 1205
Registered: 1-27-2004
Location: California Central Coast
Member Is Offline
Mood: Press On Regardless!!
|
|
All the above posts give good advice especially about going out with Shari. Another simple option is to just drive out to the ejido facility at Ojo
Liebre and get in a boat. No tour group needed and the people there are very nice. I like to camp there which is cheap and then go out first thing
in the morning in case the wind comes up. That happened last year, we had a great time on the water with lots of whales but no boats went out after
we came in. If we hadn't been there first thing we would have missed out. The road to the lagoon from Hwy 1 is smooth and any car can make it.
|
|
|
DianaT
Select Nomad
Posts: 10020
Registered: 12-17-2004
Member Is Offline
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by BajaGeoff
Hello Nomads,
Seeing the whales has been on my Baja bucket list for a long time. Who would you recommend for whale watching tours out of Guerrero Negro or San
Ignacio? Any advice would be appreciated! |
We very much prefer San Ignacio over the other lagoons---we have had our best experiences in San Ignacio. Besides, we love that town and we love the
drive out to the lagoon. One can take a van, but we prefer to drive ourselves.
We really like Kuyima (http://www.kuyima.com) We think that they do a very professional job. Other people prefer other tour guides.
Where ever you go, it will be a great experience.
[Edited on 1-30-2012 by DianaT]
|
|
|
shari
Select Nomad
Posts: 13048
Registered: 3-10-2006
Location: bahia asuncion, baja sur
Member Is Offline
Mood: there is no reality except the one contained within us "Herman Hesse"
|
|
Hi geoff...when are you coming down? Sometimes the dates can decide which lagoons are better. My favorite is Ojo de Leibre because it is the main
lagoon with around 1,500- over 2,000 whales, San Ignacio generally has 3-400, Mag Bay around 200 animals. It is also easier to get to.
I prefer to drive out to the Interpretive Centre inner lagoon or nursery where the Ejido Benito Juarez operates pangas on a first come first serve
basis so you can decide when you want to go out and wait for a panga with less people, or for better weather, tide condition etc...plus there is the
center and a restaurant right there, great birdwatching and whale watching from the patio of the Center. I like the freedom of that place.
The town tours take you in a van so you are at their mercy and most go to the mouth of the lagoon. Ojo de Liebre is great in January to see new
babies...the peak is in February and whales start leaving after the 2nd week of march...so if you are going later, San Ignacio is a better bet of
having whales later in March.
We have room on some of my guided trips on Feb.16th, March 3rd, March 10, 11, 12th in case you are around then...have a blast!
|
|
|
David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64852
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
|
|
Shari, I read some whale can be viewed from the old salt loading warf in Laguna Guerrero Negro... Do you have any new data on numbers of whales that
use Black Warrior Lagoon? Is there a passage deep enough for whales to go from Black Warrior to Scammon's, or do the whales that breed in one, not go
to the other?
|
|
|
shari
Select Nomad
Posts: 13048
Registered: 3-10-2006
Location: bahia asuncion, baja sur
Member Is Offline
Mood: there is no reality except the one contained within us "Herman Hesse"
|
|
David..this is a classic case of..."take what you read with a grain of salt"!!! When the salt company built that loading dock, they were dredging the
entrance to this small lagoon, but soon gave it up as it kept filling in faster than they could dredge it. Some whales did manage to cross the bar
when it was dredged and once in a great while, a whale does go in there at a high tide but exits again before the tide drops and traps it in there. It
is extremely rare to see a whale from that dock but is not impossible. But it's worth it to take a trip out there to see the wetlands and eat some
chocolata clams with the watchman. (bring him some tecate!)
Here is an article on the high number of whales present early this season. It states that becaus of "La Nina", the ocean is colder so whales came
south earlier. The first mid January census says....
Ojo de Liebre.....896
San Ignacio........114
Mag Bay..............23
http://www.jornada.unam.mx/ultimas/2012/01/29/162545086-repo...
|
|
|
bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
Member Is Offline
Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
|
|
Whale Education
Geoff.........
One thing I forgot to mention. When you go on a whale watching trip with Shari as a guide, Shari provides historical and educational information,
before and during the trip. She sure knows her whale stuff!!!.
Also, a great read before you go is Hunting the Desert Whale, by Earle Stanley Gardner:
http://www.amazon.com/Hunting-desert-whale-Stanley-Gardner/d...
|
|
|
BajaGeoff
Super Nomad
Posts: 1727
Registered: 1-11-2006
Location: San Diego and Campo Lopez
Member Is Offline
Mood: Heading To Baja!!!
|
|
Thanks for all of the great info everyone. No dates planned just yet, and with they way the year is already flying by it might have to be in 2013!
|
|
|
![[*]](images/xmbforum/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
