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Whale-ista
Super Nomad
Posts: 2009
Registered: 2-18-2013
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Sunny with chance of whales
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memorable Ojo de Liebre outing
(Jump to the end for the photos)
Went out w/full panga (9 guests + captain) Friday 1/23 and had series of wonderful whale encounters/views. Surrounded by moms/calves all heading in
same direction, doing "swim school" w/frequent stops for spy hops and cavorting.
Some moms slept soundly as we motored alongside, as the current pushed them along. One mom motor boated at hi speed, practically leaping out of the
water, with a calf doing its best to stay alongside. Full body leaps were visible in the distance.
All in all, we saw so many behaviors in the 2.5 hours on the water... It was a wonderful trip!
We went out with Shari- if you have a chance, visit the lagoon and travel with her. Leopoldo was the captain- he did a masterful job of getting us
close enough to the whales to see every dimple, without scaring them.
We had a few near- collisions that the whales managed well. They were focussed on swimming, and we got in their path. And a few calves apparently
wanted to come closer to the panga, but moms blocked them, and kept them swimming. Rightfully so- they need their swimming strength/skills to be ready
for migration in a few short months, so.... mom wins!
It was such a full, satisfying trip that I decided to head south with Shari to Asuncion, and see a new town I haven't visited yet. We arrived Friday
evening, just in time for sunset. Then we learned they were doing a rare evening of caballero horse races Saturday PM!
It's been a memorable weekend and evening- I will post that Information in another place, and try to add photos.
[Edited on 2-3-2020 by Whale-ista]
\"Probably the airplanes will bring week-enders from Los Angeles before long, and the beautiful poor bedraggled old town will bloom with a
Floridian ugliness.\" (John Steinbeck, 1940, discussing the future of La Paz, BCS, Mexico)
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15939
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
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Mood: Everchangin'
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sounds awesome.
fotos or it didn't happen!
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bigjohn
Nomad
Posts: 129
Registered: 11-19-2006
Location: Mission Viejo, CA
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Ditto on Woody's post..........
fotos or it didn't happen!
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Udo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6346
Registered: 4-26-2008
Location: Black Hills, SD/Ensenada/San Felipe
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Mood: TEQUILA!
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Photos would be nice!
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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Whale-ista
Super Nomad
Posts: 2009
Registered: 2-18-2013
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Sunny with chance of whales
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photos...
after years of compulsive/excessive photo taking I took only 1 or 2 this time. I wanted to savor the experience without peering thru a lens.
Shari may post some to document the activities I described.
I did take fotos of the caballeros racing in Asuncion last night- quite show! Will post once back home, en route back north today. WiFi is limited.
\"Probably the airplanes will bring week-enders from Los Angeles before long, and the beautiful poor bedraggled old town will bloom with a
Floridian ugliness.\" (John Steinbeck, 1940, discussing the future of La Paz, BCS, Mexico)
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Ateo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5901
Registered: 7-18-2011
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Looking into that eyeball of a whale sure does change things!
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Bajahowodd
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9274
Registered: 12-15-2008
Location: Disneyland Adjacent and anywhere in Baja
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As does does petting the beasts. And I use the word beasts in the most complimentary way. They are wild animals.
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BajaBlanca
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Posts: 13196
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
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your enthusiasm is catching! and you are so right, the whales are extremely active this season - I have seen many of them leaping out of the water
right in front of our house.
Such a sight - makes you humble in the spectacular beauty of it all.
pics Shari?
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shari
Select Nomad
Posts: 13048
Registered: 3-10-2006
Location: bahia asuncion, baja sur
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Mood: there is no reality except the one contained within us "Herman Hesse"
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Here are some photos to go with Lori's trip report and some of my comments about our magical days on the lagoon. It was great to meet RnR and had alot
of fun with them and great as always to have old pals Boe4fun & Redmesa along for the ride!
Here is our convoy at the salt works gate.
Quote: Originally posted by Whale-ista  | Went out w/full panga (9 guests + captain) Friday 1/23 and had series of wonderful whale encounters/views. Surrounded by moms/calves all heading in
same direction, doing "swim school" w/frequent stops for spy hops and cavorting.
Some moms slept soundly as we motored alongside, as the current pushed them along.
this gal had lots of barnacles on her head
One mom motor boated at hi speed, practically leaping out of the water, with a calf doing its best to stay alongside. Full body leaps were visible in
the distance.
All in all, we saw so many behaviors in the 2.5 hours on the water... It was a wonderful trip!
We went out with Shari- if you have a chance, visit the lagoon and travel with her. Leopoldo was the captain- he did a masterful job of getting us
close enough to the whales to see every dimple, without scaring them.
here are some calf dimples...
We had a few near- collisions that the whales managed well. They were focused on swimming, and we got in their path. And a few calves apparently
wanted to come closer to the panga, but moms blocked them, and kept them swimming. Rightfully so- they need their swimming strength/skills to be ready
for migration in a few short months, so.... mom wins!
Flaco stopped in the middle of the whale highway so whales simply dove under us and passed us by going on their merry way...I knew they would dive
under us but some of the whale watchers were probably a wee bit unnerved by these two big suckers heading straight for us...jejeje
It was such a full, satisfying trip that I decided to head south with Shari to Asuncion, and see a new town I haven't visited yet. We arrived Friday
evening, just in time for sunset. Then we learned they were doing a rare evening of caballero horse races Saturday PM!
It's been a memorable weekend and evening- I will post that Information in another place, and try to add photos. |
As Lori mentioned the whales were very busy attending school...seems like they were learning spy hopping that day as we must have seen over a hundred!
My favorite thing to see this time of year are the calves resting and sliding on and off their mother's back..so very very sweet.
Here is a gal with a grand set of knuckles! very sexy eh!
and this lady was really flirting with her boyfriend...turning over and showing her privates!
we saw Saddle and her beau again who hasnt left her side in 3 weeks!
the restaurant is open and we had a fantastic breakfast while watching dozens of whales right in front of the patio wetting our appetite for whales!
here is the motley crew ready for action
It was a spectacular time and I cant wait for next week's trip. We still have space on the Jan.30th boat if anyone wants to join us.
[Edited on 1-26-2015 by shari]
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TMW
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Location: Bakersfield, CA
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Excellent, thanks.
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chavycha
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Posts: 373
Registered: 1-20-2014
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Lots of action!
Quite a bit of spy-hopping.
Piles o' whales. Leopoldo did an excellent job of getting us in position to see plenty, while not disturbing the goings on. The whales weren't
interested (or bothered by) the boat.
This pair floated next to us for a good twenty minutes. Mom was asleep most of the time. The calves don't sleep when they're young, apparently.
"Wrinkles" - only a few days old and still with his/her fetal folds.
[Edited on 1-26-2015 by chavycha]
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Whale-ista
Super Nomad
Posts: 2009
Registered: 2-18-2013
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Sunny with chance of whales
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Thank you For the excellent photos!
Now other nomads have proof: it really happened the way I described it!
\"Probably the airplanes will bring week-enders from Los Angeles before long, and the beautiful poor bedraggled old town will bloom with a
Floridian ugliness.\" (John Steinbeck, 1940, discussing the future of La Paz, BCS, Mexico)
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chavycha
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Posts: 373
Registered: 1-20-2014
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Going on a boat with a group of knowledgeable people made the trip even better. It's already pretty amazing to be surrounded by that many whales, but
to have the chance to learn about the behaviors we were witnessing made it that much sweeter. I got to learn about the 'why' behind the spy-hops,
the synchronized pairs swimming, the mating displays, and everything else.
Great to met everyone - and a big thanks to the official guides (Shari and Leopoldo), unofficial guide (Whale-ista, who sat right next to me and
answered all my silly questions), and the Ejido restaurant and salt works staff.
Overall, a fabulous trip. I can't wait to go again next year.
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shari
Select Nomad
Posts: 13048
Registered: 3-10-2006
Location: bahia asuncion, baja sur
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Mood: there is no reality except the one contained within us "Herman Hesse"
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It was an extreme pleasure to have you aboard too! I just finished working on the photo ID's and got more in 2 days than I usually get in a
week...there were just so many whales.
While physical contact with whales is indeed amazing, sometimes if there is a friendly whale, you spend the whole trip with it and miss out on all the
natural behaviors like we saw on our trip.
Next trip is on Jan.30th if anyone is in the neighbourhood!
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15939
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
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Mood: Everchangin'
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Flacko is a cool guy. Remember to tip your Captain!
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Whale-ista
Super Nomad
Posts: 2009
Registered: 2-18-2013
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Sunny with chance of whales
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Glad you enjoyed the trip Chavycha. I was happy to help Answer questions since the boat was so full that day. +There were a lot of amazing behaviors
you don't normally see on a single outing.
(There is no such thing as a silly question. We don't learn if we don't ask.)
Many thanks again for posting the photos. It was a pleasure to be able to share the trip with everyone else taking so many pictures, so I could just
relax and enjoy the show.
\"Probably the airplanes will bring week-enders from Los Angeles before long, and the beautiful poor bedraggled old town will bloom with a
Floridian ugliness.\" (John Steinbeck, 1940, discussing the future of La Paz, BCS, Mexico)
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Bajahowodd
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9274
Registered: 12-15-2008
Location: Disneyland Adjacent and anywhere in Baja
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| Quote: Originally posted by chavycha | Going on a boat with a group of knowledgeable people made the trip even better. It's already pretty amazing to be surrounded by that many whales, but
to have the chance to learn about the behaviors we were witnessing made it that much sweeter. I got to learn about the 'why' behind the spy-hops,
the synchronized pairs swimming, the mating displays, and everything else.
Great to met everyone - and a big thanks to the official guides (Shari and Leopoldo), unofficial guide (Whale-ista, who sat right next to me and
answered all my silly questions), and the Ejido restaurant and salt works staff.
Overall, a fabulous trip. I can't wait to go again next year. |
If I might chime in here, my advice is to not just drive out to the nature center to get on a boat. Make arrangements ahead of time, whether with your
hotel in GN, or Shari. The locals have first dibs on the pangas. So unless you are prepared to wait for hours, do what I said above.
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shari
Select Nomad
Posts: 13048
Registered: 3-10-2006
Location: bahia asuncion, baja sur
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Mood: there is no reality except the one contained within us "Herman Hesse"
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we have first dibs on boats because we make reservations in advance. Because there is no schedule out there, the boats leave on demand. If there are
only 2 people waiting, you will have to wait for awhile until more people show up...for one reason so they can break even on the trip but more
importantly for the good of the whales...which most people dont take into consideration...or care about.
The thing is that if the pangas took out 2 or 4 people, there would be twice as much boat traffic in the lagoon and thus more stress on the animals.
It is much better...for the whales if the boats have more people on them and make less trips around the whales. Whale can get overstimulated and fed
up late in the day when there is alot of traffic and in the whale watching world, we are aware of this and would rather wait till a group is formed
and everyone go together instead of 2 or 3 trips out.
If you have waited awhile, the ejido will usually take out whoever has the patience to wait even if it is one or two people.
It has been raining all afternoon here in GN and the town has alot of water around already...hope it clears for awhile tomorrow for our trip but it is
supposed to rain for 2 more days...whew!
We drove out to the lighthouse today and I can confirm first hand that there are whales there!!! It was raining and low tide so they were over by the
dunes but I saw 3 whales spouting and the guard there said there are whales every day there...soooo cool...not to mention the myriad of birds in the
wetlands.
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DianaT
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Posts: 10020
Registered: 12-17-2004
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| Quote: Originally posted by shari | we have first dibs on boats because we make reservations in advance. Because there is no schedule out there, the boats leave on demand. If there are
only 2 people waiting, you will have to wait for awhile until more people show up...for one reason so they can break even on the trip but more
importantly for the good of the whales...which most people dont take into consideration...or care about.
The thing is that if the pangas took out 2 or 4 people, there would be twice as much boat traffic in the lagoon and thus more stress on the animals.
It is much better...for the whales if the boats have more people on them and make less trips around the whales. Whale can get overstimulated and fed
up late in the day when there is alot of traffic and in the whale watching world, we are aware of this and would rather wait till a group is formed
and everyone go together instead of 2 or 3 trips out.
If you have waited awhile, the ejido will usually take out whoever has the patience to wait even if it is one .......
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Why don't they just limit the number of boats that be out there at one time like San Ignacio does? Then it wouldn't matter if there are fewer people
and the watching area is not filled with too many Boats. However, it's less profitable for everyone.
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shari
Select Nomad
Posts: 13048
Registered: 3-10-2006
Location: bahia asuncion, baja sur
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Mood: there is no reality except the one contained within us "Herman Hesse"
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there are limits on the number of boats in each viewing area... but I have never heard that San Ignacio only has one boat at a time...that has not
been my experience there.
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