Up Close with the Whales at the Lagoon – An Amazing Experience

It is truly an ethereal experience interacting with the whales at the Lagoon. These giant mammals are surprisingly gentle, come close to you, let you pet them and their calves, and then silently slip away in the blue.

Every day the ocean throws up surprises and it would be almost impossible to describe everything in a post. So, let us catch up with the action we faced on a typical whale-watching day in the Observation area at the Lagoon. It will give you a bird’s eye view of what Mother Nature has to offer.

We departed camp at 7.45 in the morning and it was a smooth sail to the observation area. We found 2 pairs of whales but they did not want to come close to the boat. Every time we got close, they changed directions, a sign of no interest, so we decided to go toward the mouth of the Lagoon. Here we were lucky as we saw some spouts in the distance. When we approached them, we realized that it was a mother and a calf. They came right up to the boat and we could touch them, first the baby and then the mom.

Another boat showed up at the same time so we told them to stay with one of the pairs. Our boats were within 30 feet of each other and the whales were playing and interacting with us for a long time, getting touched and rubbed by everyone. The baby especially was very cute. It was opening her mouth wide so we could take a lot of smiley pictures! This went on for the rest of our first round until it was time for us to go for a break. It had been a morning to remember.

We were back in the observation area around 12.30 and all of us were eager to see what Mother Nature had to offer from the depths of the ocean. But this time it was not as exciting. It was hard to spot whales at first but finally, we saw some spouts in the distance. However, the mammoth creatures were not interested in us and most of them were leaving the Lagoon.

At last, we got a call from another of our boats that had found a friendly pair so we went there. The mother and the baby pair did come up close and interacted with us for a good 20 minutes and everyone had a chance to touch them and pet them. With this awesome interaction etched in our memories, we headed back to camp.

We left camp at 2.30 in the afternoon and this time, the southwest wind was blowing on our faces. Though a bumpy ride, we steered very slowly to the observation area. For a few minutes, it was a bumpy ride but we did it slowly. Initially, we saw no spouts but there was a boat in the distance and we knew that a whale was headed in that direction.

We were right and soon came across a very friendly mother-calf pair. As soon as we arrived, they both came to our boat and we got to interact with them. They allowed us to touch them, rub them and kiss them. This went on for about 20 minutes until they decided that they had enough of us and started swimming away. We stayed for some time hoping for another awesome experience but we were disappointed and decided to head back to the camp.

For a trip of this magnitude where you are far away from mankind in the middle of the ocean, the organizers must have excellent backup staff to take care of any eventuality.

And it could not have been better on board the Nautilus and the camp – simply 5-star! This is what one of our guests Jodi Sanford had to say.

“The Staff, Guide, and Captain were all superb!! Attentiveness was truly amazing. The food far exceeded our expectations and the hostess knew our names, our allergies, and our food preferences by the end of the first meal, with absolute attention to detail. The camp manager was unflappable, tending to every detail behind the scenes. If a guest needed Anything she was on it in a jiffy.”

While we are always focused on the happiness of our guests and try our best to make the trip an incredible experience for them, it warms our hearts when our guests appreciate our efforts. Here is what some of them had to say about this whale-watching trip.

• We were fortunate to have the same guide (Jesus) every day. He was very friendly, knowledgeable, accommodating, and clearly passionate about his work, ensuring the comfort of the passengers. This was memorable in every way!! – Jodi Sanford
• The hosts, chefs, and manager Laurentia were amazing they were attentive and prompt – could not get better service!! I cannot believe they tear this camp down and rebuild it every year. The amount of hard work and effort that goes into it is very impressive. The tents are amazing as well as the bar tent and dining tents! Thank you for everything! – Emily
• I will never be able to explain the area in words and the trip pics have touched my heart & soul. Nautilus is the standard that all other companies must meet. – Faith Connelly, Florida
• I want to express my gratitude for the amazing experience my daughter Alice and I had on our great whale-watching trip with you. As someone who has been on this trip before, I knew it would be special and I wanted Alice to experience it too. And just like last time you certainly did not disappoint. I will definitely recommend this experience to anyone!! We cannot wait to come back and do it again! Dimitry And Alice Malinsky.

It has been an incredible trip for all of us. The whales have been friendly, we have been to handshaking distance to them, petting and loving these huge creatures. The guests have loved every minute of this trip and most of them have promised to come back next season onboard the Nautilus.