Day 4 took us to San Ignacio Lagoon where the baby Grays are born and nursed. The males have already left the lagoon. This is the most magic place I have ever been. You are taken out in Pangas (Mexican skiffs that hold nine people) and you go out looking for mama and baby whales. It didn't take long and we met our first pair. The babies are larger than our boat and come right up to it. They stick their heads out of the water to look at you and love it when you rub them. The mothers come to the boat as well and also like being petted. You can't imagine the feeling of touching and/or kissing a whale and you know you are not harrassing them because they stay with you (a mother would never take her calf anywhere she didn't want to). The other's head was as big as our boat and they are so gentle they they get under the boat but never tip it - it seems they're playing and tilt it. We went out a second time and a pair staryed with us for 1½ hours. They look at you with those huge eyes, open their mouths, blow on you, but you never have one moment's apprehension. We never went out that we didn't have an encounter. I'll never have another experience like this (until we go back in 1999).
Day 6 we saw our first blue whale (actually, two - a mother and her calf). The blue whale is the largest creature ever on earth. It's heart is the size of a Volkswagen and the whale itself is larger than a 737. One even rode our bow wave.
Everyday we went on shore to some of the most beautiful scenery you can imagine. We usually had dolphin by the hundreds jumping right alongside the boat and snorkeled quite often.
On day 8 we saw a pod of pilot whales which are quite small. We also saw another pair of blue whales.
Day 9 we saw a large group of manta rays and a huge herd of common dolphin and pelicans in a feeding frenzy munching on a school of mackerel.
Day 10 brought us in contact with two fin whales which are second in size to blues. In the distance Cap'n Tom noticed a line of white water about a mile across. It turned out to be a herd of bottlenose dolphin (my favorite). There were thousands and they frolicked and jumped alongside the boat.
Day 11 brought us to Los Islotes where we snorkled with sea lions - another magical encounter and more great underwater photos.
Along the way we also saw humpback whales, marlin, pigmy sperm whales, a kazillion dolphins, etc., et., etc.
Baja is one of our favorite destinations.
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PHOTOGRAPHS OF BAJA
