Sunday March 12, 2017
Los Cabos, Mexico
Another Glorious Sunny Day
The magnificent Grey Whale – called Grey due to the barnacles that make there black skin look grey are endangered and almost went extinct due to humans – hunting, off shore drilling, boat collisions and fishing nets. However, the US, Canada and Mexico have offered these critically endangered species a safe haven where they are now protected and thus making a slow comeback. In Baja,California at Magdalena Bay, the whales mate, and the impregnated females return to have their babies and stay there until the calf is about 3 months old. The calves stay with their mothers for 1.5 years and travel with them to the Bering Strait way up North and return every January to Magdalena Bay.
We were fortunate enough to get up close with them because of a special tour my BFF Sandra arranged. We were picked up and whisked onto a private plane to the bay. The bay is protected and only a limited amount of tourists boats are allowed to preserve the breeding ground for the whales. We were lucky because many of the whales had babies that were already 1-2 months old and although huge 10 ft or so long, have a curiosity of a toddler and came up to us to play. It was a very special experience and I am optimistic that they make a comeback where future children can have the same experience as we had instead of just reading about the in books.
Our private plane
Getting ready to board the boat. Sandra's sister Wendy and her husband joined us
On the boat
First sighting! A mama whale look at the 2 blow holes! We were so close we got sprayed
Showing her profile
Mama and baby
They were everywhere and came up close to us
A calf came up to the boats for some playtime. They loved to be splashed with water and petted
Look closely, the eyes are closed
On our way back, we went by the virgin beaches of the bay and saw magnificent birds and wildlife
Including a coyote
It was a great trip. A once in lifetime trip that everyone should try and take. It's also a great time to be in Cabo as just laying buy the pool at the beach club, I saw a humpback whale go by. Whales are magnificent creatures and saddens me to see some countries still hunt them and are the oceans are getting filled with trash that not only effect whales but all creatures that call the ocean home.
And here's the pilot on landing- got us safely back home