Loreto National Park, Agua Verde
We spent our time this week at the Loreto National Park looking for whales and dolphins. Conditions were great, the ocean was calm, and the weather cool and windy, a perfect day to be up close to Nature. Bottlenose dolphins, common dolphins, fin whales, and various species of birds gave us company throughout but the icing on the cake was a small colony of blue-footed boobies that flew past us not far away.
Amazing Whale watching Day
We started our day just south of Loreto National Park where we spotted Humpback and fin whales. We had barely finished our breakfast and jumped on the speedboat when we observed a female whale and her calf. It was a great experience following them closely from our speedboat.
Just when we were arriving back to the mother ship for lunch, Captain Gordon spotted a pod of Orcas not too far from us! Lunch was forgotten as we scrambled back on the speed boat and had a spectacular encounter with 5 female orcas and two juveniles.
The highlight of the day though was sighting a Blue whale which was on the bucket list for most of us and one of the main reasons for our Baja trip. There was a bonus too while we were returning to the Gallant Lady – seeing Humpbacks, a possible fin whale, and a pod of Bottlenose Dolphins feeding and frolicking around our boat. It could not get better than this!
We rounded off the day with a hike and cocktail hour on the beach, timed perfectly to catch one of the most unforgettable sunsets that only the Baja peninsula can offer.
Tomorrow we will again go looking for blue whales.
Most Amazing Experience
If I must pick my favorite trip experience, it will surely be our ride on the small boat around a little island off the coast. We were exploring the area and it felt like a great adventure as Juan, who was piloting, took the boat around the area and we came up close to a lot of dolphins and birds. As we were coming back to the Gallant Lady, we were told that there were orcas nearby. Immediately, we wanted to go after them but better sense prevailed and we had a hot drink before leaving.
What impressed me the most was the momentum and the huge excitement of the occasion, fuelled by the attitude of the crew willing to do whatever it takes to ensure that we had the time of our lives.
Summing Up Our Trip
Just as all good things come to an end, so did our trip here.
On the last day of the trip, we had a once-in-a-lifetime experience following a blue whale for over 2 hours. Initially, the whale was keeping a distance from the boat but we were patient too, knowing that we could win over his confidence. Sure enough, it got used to the boat and we were able to get close enough to have a good look at his body, the tiny dorsal fin, and the big spouts. We all had a really great time.
The trip has been fabulous. We saw many different birds, blue-foot and brown-foot boobies, pelicans, and cormorants. Then there were dolphin sightings on 3 different occasions and a wonderful view of orcas, humpbacks, and fin whales. When we went snorkeling, lots and lots of underwater fish swam past us, and at times we were swimming with sea lions!
This post will not be complete without a mention of the fabulous crew who made all this possible for us. Their organizing capabilities, implementation of safety features, and willingness to go the extra mile have impressed us no end. A big thanks to them.
It is time now to be on our way back to La Paz and get ready for a new trip.
