I Kissed a Whale and I Liked It!
Mar 30, 2017, 1:47 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Fort Worth, Texas USA
Programs: AA Executive Platinum 5 million miles
Posts: 1,001
I Kissed a Whale and I Liked It!
INTRODUCTION
Every year for the past ten years, I have joined a group of whale fanatics to travel approximately 1,300 miles round trip from San Diego, California to Laguna San Ignacio, BCS, Mexico to have close encounters with gray whales. I have written trip reports in the past and posted them on FlyerTalk and decided to post a report of my latest adventure.
[B][/DFW to SAN (San Diego)B]
My mother joined me on this trip. My niece and sister-in-law were scheduled but had to cancel about a month before departure. My niece went last year and had an amazing time.
Since the trip started in San Diego and we live in the DFW area of Texas, we had to first travel to California. I had booked award tickets on AA back in November 2016, but when the fare dropped to around $225 RT, I cancelled the award tickets and purchased tickets to depart on Thursday, March 16, 2017 and return on Thursday, March 23, 2017. The group was scheduled to meet at the Best Western Marina Gateway Hotel in National City and to depart around 9:00 AM on Friday morning. In past years, we have stayed at the Marriott Courtyard on Hotel Circle.
We flew from DFW to San Diego on AA Flight 2181 that departed at 8:50 AM. Our upgrades did not clear and when I checked the airport list we were numbers three and four with only one seat showing as available for purchase. We are both Executive Platinum on AA and have not had a coach upgrade clear since October 2016. I had an exit row seat and my mother had a window seat in the main cabin extra section of the aircraft.
We did not have time to visit the Admiral's Club on this trip since we were boarding at gate 39 in Terminal A; the club is located about 16 gates away in the opposite direction. Even though we arrived at the gate 20 minutes before boarding was scheduled, boarding had commenced and our upgrades had not cleared. We boarded and stowed our bags.
We departed on time with a totally full plane; the number one passenger on the upgrade list did clear. I was happy with my substantial legroom in the exit row. I was served a croissant sandwich with boiled eggs, turkey bacon, and cheese. I also received a glass of orange juice and a bottle of vodka. I saved the vodka for later. My mother received the same items as her complimentary EP service on AA. The flight was uneventful and we landed on time.
We headed to the rental car shuttle and then to Hertz for our car for the day - a silver Toyota SUV.
photo of car; cheapest available
great parking spot at the San Diego Zoo.
I drive a two-seater in real life, so rental car companies always assign me massive vehicles to drive. We headed straight to the San Diego Zoo and parked less than a block from the entrance. We have a family membership so entrance was at no extra cost. We spent the day visiting the polar bears, pandas, hippos, tigers and elephants. I have gotten a little spoiled with my animal encounters from experiences in other countries (photos are included) but nevertheless enjoyed seeing the animals.
These photos were not taken at the San Diego Zoo. Sorry to have offended anyone by hugging a tiger. Animals treat humans better than humans treat each other. I am a big supporter of animal rights.
Every year for the past ten years, I have joined a group of whale fanatics to travel approximately 1,300 miles round trip from San Diego, California to Laguna San Ignacio, BCS, Mexico to have close encounters with gray whales. I have written trip reports in the past and posted them on FlyerTalk and decided to post a report of my latest adventure.
[B][/DFW to SAN (San Diego)B]
My mother joined me on this trip. My niece and sister-in-law were scheduled but had to cancel about a month before departure. My niece went last year and had an amazing time.
Since the trip started in San Diego and we live in the DFW area of Texas, we had to first travel to California. I had booked award tickets on AA back in November 2016, but when the fare dropped to around $225 RT, I cancelled the award tickets and purchased tickets to depart on Thursday, March 16, 2017 and return on Thursday, March 23, 2017. The group was scheduled to meet at the Best Western Marina Gateway Hotel in National City and to depart around 9:00 AM on Friday morning. In past years, we have stayed at the Marriott Courtyard on Hotel Circle.
We flew from DFW to San Diego on AA Flight 2181 that departed at 8:50 AM. Our upgrades did not clear and when I checked the airport list we were numbers three and four with only one seat showing as available for purchase. We are both Executive Platinum on AA and have not had a coach upgrade clear since October 2016. I had an exit row seat and my mother had a window seat in the main cabin extra section of the aircraft.
We did not have time to visit the Admiral's Club on this trip since we were boarding at gate 39 in Terminal A; the club is located about 16 gates away in the opposite direction. Even though we arrived at the gate 20 minutes before boarding was scheduled, boarding had commenced and our upgrades had not cleared. We boarded and stowed our bags.
We departed on time with a totally full plane; the number one passenger on the upgrade list did clear. I was happy with my substantial legroom in the exit row. I was served a croissant sandwich with boiled eggs, turkey bacon, and cheese. I also received a glass of orange juice and a bottle of vodka. I saved the vodka for later. My mother received the same items as her complimentary EP service on AA. The flight was uneventful and we landed on time.
We headed to the rental car shuttle and then to Hertz for our car for the day - a silver Toyota SUV.
I drive a two-seater in real life, so rental car companies always assign me massive vehicles to drive. We headed straight to the San Diego Zoo and parked less than a block from the entrance. We have a family membership so entrance was at no extra cost. We spent the day visiting the polar bears, pandas, hippos, tigers and elephants. I have gotten a little spoiled with my animal encounters from experiences in other countries (photos are included) but nevertheless enjoyed seeing the animals.
These photos were not taken at the San Diego Zoo. Sorry to have offended anyone by hugging a tiger. Animals treat humans better than humans treat each other. I am a big supporter of animal rights.
Last edited by FlyForFun; Mar 31, 2017 at 11:45 am
Mar 30, 2017, 2:36 pm
#2
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Fort Worth, Texas USA
Programs: AA Executive Platinum 5 million miles
Posts: 1,001
After we left the zoo, we headed to a real zoo, the Walmart in National City, to purchase items to take on our six day and five night trip to Mexico. We bought essentials like Diet Coke (I just do not like the taste of Coca Cola Light that is available in Mexico), water shoes for the lagoons, full-size pillows for the bus rides, sandwich items for dinner, and snacks. We survived that excursion and headed to the hotel to check-in and drop off our bags. We rested for a while and then returned the rental car to the airport (after re-fueling). We took the shuttle back to the airport and then took a taxi to the hotel. I did all the research as to using public transportation to get back to the hotel but we were really tired so we just took a taxi.
We both conked out early after eating sandwiches for dinner The hotel room was quite comfortable and quiet. Breakfast was not included in the rate. The complimentary WiFi was fast and reliable.
Day One of Whale Watching Safari - San Diego to San Quintin
Our group was scheduled to meet in the parking lot at 8:30 AM with a scheduled departure of 9:00 AM. Of the 31 travelers, eight were returnees from previous years and most were whale enthusiasts who whale watched on the west coast. Ages ranged from late 20s to early 80s. I am not a group traveler, I do not like busses, I am introverted and independent, I do not like small talk or sharing toilets; however, I have been fascinated by whales since I was a little girl in Texas and have indulged in my passion quite earnestly over the past 25 years with whale watching adventures in Hawaii, New Zealand, Alaska, Canada, Monterey, Santa Barbara, New England, the Galapagos, and Ireland. Baja California is a unique experience.
We were on the road by 8:50 with everyone eager to begin the journey. All the people were kind, curious, polite, intelligent, tolerant, and wonderful. Most of us got along beautifully with no disagreements, fist fights, or name calling. We had the same tour leader that we had for the past nine years. Our driver and assistant guide returned from last year.
Our first stop was a quick visit to a local market in Tijuana where we looked at spices, sea food, vegetables, and other items. Then we headed to the toll road. Our bus had 48 seats but only 33 passengers so there was lots of room to spread out. Seats were assigned but rotated daily. I took two seats in the back that were not assigned and used them for the duration of the trip. My full-sized pillow helped as did noise-cancelling headphones. Bottled water, coffee, tea, and snacks were available. A toilet was provided for emergencies.
the market
Our second stop was for lunch at a restaurant on the ocean that featured fresh lobster. A vegetarian option was available. After stuffing ourselves on steamed lobster, fresh tortillas, and beer we continued south to Ensenada. The tour company's office is in Ensenada so supplies and our assistant guide joined our group. We had time for shopping.
It was a very foggy day along the coast so the scenery was not displayed at its best. We continued south for a few hours and stopped at San Vicente for a toilet stop (with flushing toilets) and a visit to a community museum. A new feature was wine tasting but we all had to share a cup so we became better friends quickly. A couple of bottles were purchased and shared later in the trip.
It was close to sunset when we finally arrived at our hotel in San Quintin. Johnny Cash was not in attendance but there was a bar with welcome margaritas. The hotel, Mision Santa Maria, was lovely with a beautiful setting on a sandy beach with no other facilities near. After enjoying the sunset, we had dinner at the hotel with a choice of four entrees.
Again we conked out early and went to sleep in our room with a view of the ocean. This hotel had WiFi available for free in the room.
We both conked out early after eating sandwiches for dinner The hotel room was quite comfortable and quiet. Breakfast was not included in the rate. The complimentary WiFi was fast and reliable.
Day One of Whale Watching Safari - San Diego to San Quintin
Our group was scheduled to meet in the parking lot at 8:30 AM with a scheduled departure of 9:00 AM. Of the 31 travelers, eight were returnees from previous years and most were whale enthusiasts who whale watched on the west coast. Ages ranged from late 20s to early 80s. I am not a group traveler, I do not like busses, I am introverted and independent, I do not like small talk or sharing toilets; however, I have been fascinated by whales since I was a little girl in Texas and have indulged in my passion quite earnestly over the past 25 years with whale watching adventures in Hawaii, New Zealand, Alaska, Canada, Monterey, Santa Barbara, New England, the Galapagos, and Ireland. Baja California is a unique experience.
We were on the road by 8:50 with everyone eager to begin the journey. All the people were kind, curious, polite, intelligent, tolerant, and wonderful. Most of us got along beautifully with no disagreements, fist fights, or name calling. We had the same tour leader that we had for the past nine years. Our driver and assistant guide returned from last year.
Our first stop was a quick visit to a local market in Tijuana where we looked at spices, sea food, vegetables, and other items. Then we headed to the toll road. Our bus had 48 seats but only 33 passengers so there was lots of room to spread out. Seats were assigned but rotated daily. I took two seats in the back that were not assigned and used them for the duration of the trip. My full-sized pillow helped as did noise-cancelling headphones. Bottled water, coffee, tea, and snacks were available. A toilet was provided for emergencies.
Our second stop was for lunch at a restaurant on the ocean that featured fresh lobster. A vegetarian option was available. After stuffing ourselves on steamed lobster, fresh tortillas, and beer we continued south to Ensenada. The tour company's office is in Ensenada so supplies and our assistant guide joined our group. We had time for shopping.
It was a very foggy day along the coast so the scenery was not displayed at its best. We continued south for a few hours and stopped at San Vicente for a toilet stop (with flushing toilets) and a visit to a community museum. A new feature was wine tasting but we all had to share a cup so we became better friends quickly. A couple of bottles were purchased and shared later in the trip.
It was close to sunset when we finally arrived at our hotel in San Quintin. Johnny Cash was not in attendance but there was a bar with welcome margaritas. The hotel, Mision Santa Maria, was lovely with a beautiful setting on a sandy beach with no other facilities near. After enjoying the sunset, we had dinner at the hotel with a choice of four entrees.
Again we conked out early and went to sleep in our room with a view of the ocean. This hotel had WiFi available for free in the room.
Last edited by FlyForFun; Mar 31, 2017 at 12:00 pm
Mar 30, 2017, 3:17 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Fort Worth, Texas USA
Programs: AA Executive Platinum 5 million miles
Posts: 1,001
Day Two of Whale Watching Safari - San Quintin to Guerrero Negro
We were up early for breakfast and an on-time departure. Breakfast featured Mexican specialties and basic breakfast items. I had oatmeal, fruit, and orange juice. After a yummy breakfast, we boarded the bus and headed back to Highway 1. Our first stop was in Santa Rosalia for a toilet break at a Pemex station. We continued for an hour or so enjoying the desert scenery and the boojum trees. Because of so much rain, the desert was experiencing a tremendous blooming with lots of flowering plants. We stopped for a desert hike to see the plants up close. We continued for another hour or so and stopped for another hike to see cave paintings.
After our two hikes, we were ready for lunch. We stopped at the Desert Inn Hotel in Catavina for delicious bowls of soup and bottles of beer. One more stop for toilets.
We continued enjoying the desert sceney until we reached our destination for the night in Guerrero Negro. The town was named after an American whaling ship that was stuck in the lagoon; the ship was the Black Warrior. Guerrero Negro is known for three world records: the largest salt works, the most osprey, and the most gray whales. It is also where sea monkeys - AKA brine shrimp live and for being really windy. It is primarily a company town with many of the townspeople employed at the salt works; houses, vehicles. and even company stores are provided.
We had welcome margaritas again and dinner at the hotel.
Day Three of Whale Watching Safari - We Finally See Whales!!!!
Our first whale watch was scheduled for 9:00 and we had to be ready to depart the whale watching office by 8:30 so we had to be up early. A miracle happened - we arrived at breakfast before it was ready. I am never early for anything. After breakfast, we boarded our bus for the quick drive to the whale watching company. We boarded van for the 20 minute drive through town to the departure point.
Whale watching is extremely regulated in this part of Mexico since the area is a designated biosphere. You can go whale watching only with an approved company. Only a certain number of boats can be in the lagoon at a time. Only two boats can be near a whale at a time. You cannot approach the whales. You can only spend 90 minutes in the designated whale watching area of the lagoon. You cannot enter the water. The local fishermen who take people out in their pangas enforce these rules strictly.
We divided into groups of 11 and boarded our panga. We had to wear a life vest. The journey to the designated whale watching area took about 20 minutes. When we arrived and saw whales, we were not allowed to drive up to them, to cut across their path, or do anything to change their behavior. Basically we parked and worked our whale mojo to arouse curiosity in the whales.
The gray whales migrate each year from the Bering Sea along the coast to three lagoons in Mexico (on the Pacific side of the Baja Peninsula). They make this journey for two reasons to mate and to give birth. Mating typically takes place in late December through the middle of February. We plan our trip to be in the lagoons when most of the males have headed back towards the arctic and the lagoons are mainly filled with mothers and calves. I have witnessed mating since gray whales are not the least bit shy. They do have ménage a trois; it takes a third whale to help the other two get into position. Foreplay is extensive, sensuous, and very gentle with lots of rubbing and caressing. Pink Floyd makes a brief appearance and takes just a few seconds to do his part to make a baby whale.
By late March, most of the mothers and calves are getting ready for the trip north. The mothers are exercising their babies and helping them get strong. Some people think that maybe the whales get bored since they are no longer mating and there is no food for them in the lagoons. When they see a group of crazy people in a little blue boat, they are entertained for a while.
No one knows why the gray whales are friendly to people. Back in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the whales started approaching the local fisherman and making contact. These are the same whales that killed the whalers in the 1890s when the whalers hunted them. The fishermen were hesitant at first but realized that the whales were not going to harm them.
We made it out to the lagoon and saw lots of mothers and calves. We splashed water, sang, called to them, made noise, and tried to attract them. At first they were not interested. We saw great behaviors including spyhops and breaches but no close encounters. After about an hour or so, the mothers started approaching our pangas. We were scattered about the lagoon but every single person in our group was able to pet a whale that first day. The mothers swim to the boats with their babies and lift the babies up to the pangas so that the people may touch, pet, kiss, hug, or enjoy the whale. We had mothers who were more interested in making contact with us also. You cannot touch the eye, blow hole, pec fin, or tail.
We were up early for breakfast and an on-time departure. Breakfast featured Mexican specialties and basic breakfast items. I had oatmeal, fruit, and orange juice. After a yummy breakfast, we boarded the bus and headed back to Highway 1. Our first stop was in Santa Rosalia for a toilet break at a Pemex station. We continued for an hour or so enjoying the desert scenery and the boojum trees. Because of so much rain, the desert was experiencing a tremendous blooming with lots of flowering plants. We stopped for a desert hike to see the plants up close. We continued for another hour or so and stopped for another hike to see cave paintings.
After our two hikes, we were ready for lunch. We stopped at the Desert Inn Hotel in Catavina for delicious bowls of soup and bottles of beer. One more stop for toilets.
We continued enjoying the desert sceney until we reached our destination for the night in Guerrero Negro. The town was named after an American whaling ship that was stuck in the lagoon; the ship was the Black Warrior. Guerrero Negro is known for three world records: the largest salt works, the most osprey, and the most gray whales. It is also where sea monkeys - AKA brine shrimp live and for being really windy. It is primarily a company town with many of the townspeople employed at the salt works; houses, vehicles. and even company stores are provided.
We had welcome margaritas again and dinner at the hotel.
Day Three of Whale Watching Safari - We Finally See Whales!!!!
Our first whale watch was scheduled for 9:00 and we had to be ready to depart the whale watching office by 8:30 so we had to be up early. A miracle happened - we arrived at breakfast before it was ready. I am never early for anything. After breakfast, we boarded our bus for the quick drive to the whale watching company. We boarded van for the 20 minute drive through town to the departure point.
Whale watching is extremely regulated in this part of Mexico since the area is a designated biosphere. You can go whale watching only with an approved company. Only a certain number of boats can be in the lagoon at a time. Only two boats can be near a whale at a time. You cannot approach the whales. You can only spend 90 minutes in the designated whale watching area of the lagoon. You cannot enter the water. The local fishermen who take people out in their pangas enforce these rules strictly.
We divided into groups of 11 and boarded our panga. We had to wear a life vest. The journey to the designated whale watching area took about 20 minutes. When we arrived and saw whales, we were not allowed to drive up to them, to cut across their path, or do anything to change their behavior. Basically we parked and worked our whale mojo to arouse curiosity in the whales.
The gray whales migrate each year from the Bering Sea along the coast to three lagoons in Mexico (on the Pacific side of the Baja Peninsula). They make this journey for two reasons to mate and to give birth. Mating typically takes place in late December through the middle of February. We plan our trip to be in the lagoons when most of the males have headed back towards the arctic and the lagoons are mainly filled with mothers and calves. I have witnessed mating since gray whales are not the least bit shy. They do have ménage a trois; it takes a third whale to help the other two get into position. Foreplay is extensive, sensuous, and very gentle with lots of rubbing and caressing. Pink Floyd makes a brief appearance and takes just a few seconds to do his part to make a baby whale.
By late March, most of the mothers and calves are getting ready for the trip north. The mothers are exercising their babies and helping them get strong. Some people think that maybe the whales get bored since they are no longer mating and there is no food for them in the lagoons. When they see a group of crazy people in a little blue boat, they are entertained for a while.
No one knows why the gray whales are friendly to people. Back in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the whales started approaching the local fisherman and making contact. These are the same whales that killed the whalers in the 1890s when the whalers hunted them. The fishermen were hesitant at first but realized that the whales were not going to harm them.
We made it out to the lagoon and saw lots of mothers and calves. We splashed water, sang, called to them, made noise, and tried to attract them. At first they were not interested. We saw great behaviors including spyhops and breaches but no close encounters. After about an hour or so, the mothers started approaching our pangas. We were scattered about the lagoon but every single person in our group was able to pet a whale that first day. The mothers swim to the boats with their babies and lift the babies up to the pangas so that the people may touch, pet, kiss, hug, or enjoy the whale. We had mothers who were more interested in making contact with us also. You cannot touch the eye, blow hole, pec fin, or tail.
Last edited by FlyForFun; Mar 31, 2017 at 12:07 pm
Mar 31, 2017, 3:03 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Fort Worth, Texas USA
Programs: AA Executive Platinum 5 million miles
Posts: 1,001
I guess I'll continue even though the only comment that I have received so far was negative.
After our exciting adventure with the gray whale mothers and their babies (did I mention that the mothers average 40 feet in length and 60,000 to 70,000 pounds and the babies are 15 to 20 feet long in size), we went bird watching along the salt ponds of Guerrero Negro. We saw lots of osprey. These birds created a lot of problems by building their nests on top of utility poles and causing electric outages so poles and platforms are provided for birds to use in nest building. We also saw herons, egrets, willets, and other migratory birds.
We then headed south towards San Ignacio, a lovely town built in an oasis with lots of date palms and a natural spring. The town center has a mission dating from the 1700s that is still in use.
Even though we had a picnic lunch while whale watching, we were served an afternoon snack of tamales and beer as we drove the 100 miles or so to San Ignacio. Before we stopped at our hotel, we detoured to the local junior high school for a special dance presentation performed by the students. They demonstrated folk dances from the Baja Peninsula and other areas of Mexico. They also served us homemade date cake and coffee. We had a brief tour of the school and an opportunity to practice our Spanish with the students while they practiced English. I forgot to mention that at the cave paintings hike, local students accompanied the hikers and offered assistance. The tour organizer tries to include experiences with local students and does an excellent job. As a repeat participant, I've watched some of the children mature. One of the students who helped us ten years ago as a 12 year old is now assistant manager at one of the hotels and serves as a local guide.
No welcome margaritas tonight - instead we tasted a special liquere after dinner. Dinner was served in the hotel restaurant.
Day Four - Laguna San Ignacio or Where it All Began
We were up early again for breakfast at the hotel. Then we boarded vans for the journey to the lagoon. Ten years ago, the trip took over 2.5 hours since the road was not paved. Portions have been paved each year and now the journey takes less than an hour; the last twenty minutes are on a bumpy dirt road.
Laguna San Ignacio is where the whales first approached the fishermen. Pacheco was famous as the fisherman who was befriended by the whales; he passed away a few years ago of natural causes but his legacy lives on. We exited the vans, used the facilities (fill the bowl with water, do your business, and flush), and attended a lecture by researchers on what was and what was not permitted. Laguna San Ignacio is smaller in size and has a smaller number of whales but they are more concentrated. Also the environment is more natural with just a small fishing village and eco-camps. Again, the whale watching is strictly regulated and monitored.
The pangas are smaller are allow you to get closer to the water and the. As soon as we entered the designated whale zone, we were surrounded by curious mother and calf duos. The water was fairly smooth and the underwater views of the whales were very clear. Once again we had ninety minutes filled with activity. We all touched, petted, and embraced the whales after they approached our pangas and let us know they were interested. We were so busy enjoying the whales that we took very few photos.
[ATTACH]
[/ATTACH]
We returned to the camp for lunch of fresh scallops, fish, or veggies with beer or soft drinks. We then boarded our pangas again for our third encounter of the close kind. The wind had picked up but the whales were still very interested in us. Our panga headed towards the entrance of the lagoon and we were soon surrounded by more mothers and calves. More touching was experienced. I think our panga had the most positive encounters that afternoon; some of the other boats saw lots of whales but did not experience contact. We witnessed a lot of breaches and spy hops. Spy hops are when the whale slowly raises its head out of the water and looks around. Breaches are when the whale leaps out of the ocean.
[ATTACH]
[/ATTACH]
After ninety minutes, we returned to shore. The tide stayed high so we did not have to hike too far to the beach. After some shopping and toilet stops, we boarded our vans and had a quick tour of the village. Then we returned to the hotel. Dinner was on our own and San Ignacio has a number of charming restaurants with excellent seafood.
After our exciting adventure with the gray whale mothers and their babies (did I mention that the mothers average 40 feet in length and 60,000 to 70,000 pounds and the babies are 15 to 20 feet long in size), we went bird watching along the salt ponds of Guerrero Negro. We saw lots of osprey. These birds created a lot of problems by building their nests on top of utility poles and causing electric outages so poles and platforms are provided for birds to use in nest building. We also saw herons, egrets, willets, and other migratory birds.
We then headed south towards San Ignacio, a lovely town built in an oasis with lots of date palms and a natural spring. The town center has a mission dating from the 1700s that is still in use.
Even though we had a picnic lunch while whale watching, we were served an afternoon snack of tamales and beer as we drove the 100 miles or so to San Ignacio. Before we stopped at our hotel, we detoured to the local junior high school for a special dance presentation performed by the students. They demonstrated folk dances from the Baja Peninsula and other areas of Mexico. They also served us homemade date cake and coffee. We had a brief tour of the school and an opportunity to practice our Spanish with the students while they practiced English. I forgot to mention that at the cave paintings hike, local students accompanied the hikers and offered assistance. The tour organizer tries to include experiences with local students and does an excellent job. As a repeat participant, I've watched some of the children mature. One of the students who helped us ten years ago as a 12 year old is now assistant manager at one of the hotels and serves as a local guide.
No welcome margaritas tonight - instead we tasted a special liquere after dinner. Dinner was served in the hotel restaurant.
Day Four - Laguna San Ignacio or Where it All Began
We were up early again for breakfast at the hotel. Then we boarded vans for the journey to the lagoon. Ten years ago, the trip took over 2.5 hours since the road was not paved. Portions have been paved each year and now the journey takes less than an hour; the last twenty minutes are on a bumpy dirt road.
Laguna San Ignacio is where the whales first approached the fishermen. Pacheco was famous as the fisherman who was befriended by the whales; he passed away a few years ago of natural causes but his legacy lives on. We exited the vans, used the facilities (fill the bowl with water, do your business, and flush), and attended a lecture by researchers on what was and what was not permitted. Laguna San Ignacio is smaller in size and has a smaller number of whales but they are more concentrated. Also the environment is more natural with just a small fishing village and eco-camps. Again, the whale watching is strictly regulated and monitored.
The pangas are smaller are allow you to get closer to the water and the. As soon as we entered the designated whale zone, we were surrounded by curious mother and calf duos. The water was fairly smooth and the underwater views of the whales were very clear. Once again we had ninety minutes filled with activity. We all touched, petted, and embraced the whales after they approached our pangas and let us know they were interested. We were so busy enjoying the whales that we took very few photos.
We returned to the camp for lunch of fresh scallops, fish, or veggies with beer or soft drinks. We then boarded our pangas again for our third encounter of the close kind. The wind had picked up but the whales were still very interested in us. Our panga headed towards the entrance of the lagoon and we were soon surrounded by more mothers and calves. More touching was experienced. I think our panga had the most positive encounters that afternoon; some of the other boats saw lots of whales but did not experience contact. We witnessed a lot of breaches and spy hops. Spy hops are when the whale slowly raises its head out of the water and looks around. Breaches are when the whale leaps out of the ocean.
[ATTACH]
After ninety minutes, we returned to shore. The tide stayed high so we did not have to hike too far to the beach. After some shopping and toilet stops, we boarded our vans and had a quick tour of the village. Then we returned to the hotel. Dinner was on our own and San Ignacio has a number of charming restaurants with excellent seafood.
Last edited by FlyForFun; Mar 31, 2017 at 3:19 pm
Mar 31, 2017, 3:33 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Fort Worth, Texas USA
Programs: AA Executive Platinum 5 million miles
Posts: 1,001
Day Five - Back to Guerrero Negro
Same routine as the other days - up early, bags out, breakfast, and leave. We did have time to walk to town or to the springs that provide San Ignacio with some of its special beauty.
We allowed extra time for travelling north because of the military check points. Heading south from the US, we are usually waved through but going north, the soldiers sometimes search our luggage. On this trip we had no searches, so we made it back to Guerrero Negro in plenty of time for our last whale excursion. I realized that I had lots of whale touching, hugging, and petting but that I had not kissed a whale this trip. I had lots of opportunities but just had not; I suppose I was so mesmerized that I just forgot.
We drove through Guerrero Negro again and not much had changed. We boarded our pangas for our last excursion of the trip. It was a bit more windy and the seas were a bit more wavy this trip. Our captain found us lots of whales and fairly flat water. We were surrounded yet again - at one time we had at least ten moms and calves around our boat. They were very friendly. Usually the mothers encourage the babies to visit the boats but these mothers wanted the attention for themselves. We were more than happy to comply. We headed towards the entrance to the lagoon where it was more shallow. Our captain told us that sometimes the mothers stand on their heads and wave their tails but we did not see any. We did have a baby breach at least ten times very close to the boat. Spy hopping was also everywhere.
A mother came straight to our boat and lifted her head up to the boat so I just had to kiss her. One time I bent down to give a smack and a wave covered my head. We had a wonderful last experience and did not want to say adios, but we did.[ATTACH][ATTACH][ATTACH][ATTACH]
[/ATTACH][/ATTACH][/ATTACH][/ATTACH]
[ATTACH]
[/ATTACH]
We left Guerrero Negro and drove to Catavina where we had our last dinner. The next day we drove from Catavina back to San Diego stopping for lunch in San Quintin.
Back to Reality
We spent the night at the Best Western. We had to get up at 5:00 to make it to the airport to catch our 7:00 AM flight from SAN to DFW on AA. Our taxi took 15 minutes and cost $10 less than our 30 minute drive from the airport. We headed to the gate after determining that there was no chance that our upgrades would clear. We were 3 and 4 on the list and number 1 did clear. I had the exit row with lots of leg room and my mother had the bulk head. We both had the croissant sandwich with boiled eggs, cheese, and turkey bacon. I did not even ask for the vodka this time since I had to go straight to work and was really tempted to drink it.
I fell asleep before we departed; something I never do and did not realize that we left 45 minutes after scheduled departure. We still arrived early at DFW. I drove directly to work because I had a project that had to be completed by 6:00 PM that night. I made the deadline and went home and collapsed.
Cannot wait to go back next year!!
Same routine as the other days - up early, bags out, breakfast, and leave. We did have time to walk to town or to the springs that provide San Ignacio with some of its special beauty.
We allowed extra time for travelling north because of the military check points. Heading south from the US, we are usually waved through but going north, the soldiers sometimes search our luggage. On this trip we had no searches, so we made it back to Guerrero Negro in plenty of time for our last whale excursion. I realized that I had lots of whale touching, hugging, and petting but that I had not kissed a whale this trip. I had lots of opportunities but just had not; I suppose I was so mesmerized that I just forgot.
We drove through Guerrero Negro again and not much had changed. We boarded our pangas for our last excursion of the trip. It was a bit more windy and the seas were a bit more wavy this trip. Our captain found us lots of whales and fairly flat water. We were surrounded yet again - at one time we had at least ten moms and calves around our boat. They were very friendly. Usually the mothers encourage the babies to visit the boats but these mothers wanted the attention for themselves. We were more than happy to comply. We headed towards the entrance to the lagoon where it was more shallow. Our captain told us that sometimes the mothers stand on their heads and wave their tails but we did not see any. We did have a baby breach at least ten times very close to the boat. Spy hopping was also everywhere.
A mother came straight to our boat and lifted her head up to the boat so I just had to kiss her. One time I bent down to give a smack and a wave covered my head. We had a wonderful last experience and did not want to say adios, but we did.[ATTACH][ATTACH][ATTACH][ATTACH]
[ATTACH]
We left Guerrero Negro and drove to Catavina where we had our last dinner. The next day we drove from Catavina back to San Diego stopping for lunch in San Quintin.
Back to Reality
We spent the night at the Best Western. We had to get up at 5:00 to make it to the airport to catch our 7:00 AM flight from SAN to DFW on AA. Our taxi took 15 minutes and cost $10 less than our 30 minute drive from the airport. We headed to the gate after determining that there was no chance that our upgrades would clear. We were 3 and 4 on the list and number 1 did clear. I had the exit row with lots of leg room and my mother had the bulk head. We both had the croissant sandwich with boiled eggs, cheese, and turkey bacon. I did not even ask for the vodka this time since I had to go straight to work and was really tempted to drink it.
I fell asleep before we departed; something I never do and did not realize that we left 45 minutes after scheduled departure. We still arrived early at DFW. I drove directly to work because I had a project that had to be completed by 6:00 PM that night. I made the deadline and went home and collapsed.
Cannot wait to go back next year!!
Last edited by FlyForFun; Mar 31, 2017 at 3:45 pm
Apr 1, 2017, 11:15 am
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Fort Worth, Texas USA
Programs: AA Executive Platinum 5 million miles
Posts: 1,001
Reservations are accepted beginning in September. Our trip sold out quickly but with space became available later due to cancellations. Other trips were available with no wait list.
Andiamo's price is really a bargain compared to most of the other tour companies. It is locally owned. They also offer trips in Italian since the owner is originally from Italy. She and her daughters live in Ensenda and offer a variety of travel opportunities. They will also customize trips for groups.
