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EcoBaja Gray Whale Tour Review

4/11/2017

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PictureEcoBaja Tours Office...around the corner from the bus station.

​

The Nitty-Gritty on our Gray Whale Trip
You future Baja visitors might be wondering about the tour company we chose for our recent whale-watching excursion. So here’s the “nitty-gritty” – why we chose EcoBaja, price, what’s included, the drive, etc. Essentially… a really long TripAdvisor review.

Rent a Car?
Getting to the whales at Puerto Lopez Mateo via rental car is definitely doable. But at 165 miles one-way from La Paz, be prepared for a looong day trip. And when you can’t drive faster than 50mph or drive at night (gotta watch for cows, speedbumps and construction detours), this option wasn’t appealing. Rental cars aren’t cheap here and I didn’t relish the pick-up/return hassle for merely one day. On the other hand, if you are renting a car for several days or bringing your own from the States, a self-directed day trip is a good bet.

Adding an overnight stay would make things more relaxing and allow a possible second whale-watching trip in the morning. This is my ideal… if the weather or whales weren’t cooperating the first day, you’d be guaranteed a do-over. But with this option, dollars are starting to add up.

Day-Trippin’
Fortunately, several La Paz companies offer economical tour bus day-trips. I chose EcoBaja partly because of a recent good experience using them for a shuttle ride to the Los Cabos airport.

Yes, I’m a Cheapskate
Mostly though, I chose EcoBaja because they were the cheapest. Other tours ranged from $150pp and up, which may be worth it to you if they include hotel transfers, a tour guide or fancier food. But EcoBaja provides an all-day trip for approx. $100 pp (actually 1980 pesos pp). This 7am-5pm day trip is in a comfortable 7-passenger van and includes a hearty snack, a sit-down lunch and a two-hour panga ride to the whales.  The worst part? 7-1/2 hours travel-time. The best part? You can leave the driving to someone else. That’s a pretty good deal… the best one I’d found anyway.

Pickup Confusion
Our tour was well worth it, despite a couple hiccups. The first involved a pickup mix-up. I bought our tickets at the La Paz bus station 3 days prior. This is the same place we’d purchased tickets and departed from for our airport shuttle. Of course I assumed we’d depart from where I bought the tickets, like last time. Not so. After several misunderstood conversations in Spanish, where the agent kept pointing outside and stating to go to the other office around the corner (why are you telling me to go outside?), the guy politely and physically walked us out to the street… and to literally, the “other office around the corner”. Oh. THAT other office.

No Ride Back
The woman in the other (main) office told us we could have gotten picked up at the hotel instead of taking an early taxi. Really? Bummer. In recompense, she said the driver would take us back to Costa Baja at the end. Sweet! But upon returning to the office, our sullen driver rejected our request to continue on to the marina. He was done. And we were too tired to argue. Lesson learned - don’t count on pick up or drop off from your hotel with this company. I never expected it anyway, since the website mentions nothing about such service. Not a big deal…we just had a coffee at our favorite coffee shop, Doce Cuarenta, and waited for the next marina shuttle.

Punctuality Counts
EcoBaja drivers are punctual …and as punctual people, we appreciate this… especially in Mexico where promptness is, well, unpredictable. Be sure to arrive around 6:45am, well before your 7am departure. The agent will check you in, handing out snacks and tickets for the panga ride & lunch.

Be prepared for a long bumpy ride. Twice.
This is no one’s fault; it is what it is. Thousands of “topes”/speed bumps and heat-cracked, buckling pavement makes a 4-hr ride in an already bouncy van truly annoying. Yes, I said 4 hours. One way. The road out of La Paz is still under major construction and I lost count at how many times we were diverted onto rutty, sand-filled detour routes that passed alongside slowly evolving bridges and culverts. The ride back was a bit shorter as we didn’t stop for a break. But 7-8 hours on the road plus a 2 hour boat ride and an hour lunch makes for a looong day. It was definitely nice to have someone else do the driving.

A Moving Roadblock
I happened to be gazing out the van’s front window when I noticed a white line across the road. A desert mirage? As we got closer it began to look like a large, white roadblock and I was a tad concerned at our rate of speed. Then, I realized it was slowly moving. What the…? A giant mass exodus of white goats crossed the road in front of us, I’m guessing a hundred. Inexplicably, they traveled in perfect single file, meticulously herded by a man on horseback. The occasional cow, horse or goat in the road is common in Baja, but a whole herd of goats? That’s something you just don’t see every day!

A Baño to Remember
Our rest-stop was a solitary, crumbling, roadside eatery in the middle of the desert where you could purchase fresh empanadas and coffee (not included). We declined to try the food; we did partake of the baño simply because we never pass up the chance. Yeah. We should have passed.

Now, bathrooms in Mexico are often sketchy, but this one was blog-worthy-sketchy. Essentially, these were four glorified pit toilets housed in a near-open-air, disintegrating, cinderblock “structure” that’s barely survived one too many hurricanes. I was almost impressed at the use of real porcelain commodes, had they not been 40 years old, lacking tank lids and missing seats. The lack of toilet paper was a given. Flush handles? Forget it. What to do?

A tetanus-ridden, rusty coffee can sat in each stall; 3 giant, mosquito-infested stagnant open water bins sat outside. I watched two people rinse their hands in these toxic tubs. Then I finally figured out what the coffee can was for - I watched our bus-mate dip & pour, tub to toilet. Ah, we Midwesterners are no strangers to this manual flush technique during power outages. Except, sadly, the power is always out here. The sewage went down into pipes going…somewhere off into the desolate desert. What I mean is, I really doubt there was a septic field, at least not one with a proper holding tank. Advice: just don’t touch anything. Hover required. Bring hand sanitizer. Better yet, hold it.

Lunch is NOT Comida.
Before your bus departs, the EcoBaja agent gives you a bag marked “lunch”. I was confused initially because I was thinking, “Is this all we’re going to get for lunch? I swear the website said there was a sit-down meal…” Don’t confuse “lunch” with “comida”.

Turns out, “lunch” is actually lunch type food, eaten during what Americans would consider breakfast time, before 11am. The 3 mystery meat-filled, rolled tacos were hot upon receipt at 7am and quite tasty 2 hours later while travelling on the bus. A bottle of water and a can of soda are included.

You still get second-lunch (comida) after the whales around 1pm. Comida is more like an American dinner food-wise, but time-wise, is at a very late American lunchtime. (Usually between 2-4pm). In Mexico, Comida is the main meal; dinner is optional or light. For comida, we went to a restaurant in the village and had typical breaded & fried fish, rice, beans and a coke. Beer, lobster or shrimp was extra. Good food. Apathetic service.

Our Mexican bus-mate warned us emphatically not to eat the salad (she was a pathologist in the jungle state of Chiapas and has probably seen some really bad stuff.) I was glad for the reminder. While most well-established restaurants in Cabo and La Paz are concerned about return customers, in these remote villages, washing veges with purified water is not always standard.

To Dramamine or Not to Dramamine: That is the Question.
A half hour before our boat ride we both took a Dramamine. I didn’t know how fast the boat would travel and whether there would be lots of wave action. I’d googled whale-watcher YouTube videos, many of which showed small pangas in really yucky conditions. In the end, it wasn’t necessary in the calm lagoon. But it worked out. I slept the entire way back. Bonus.

Puerto Lopez Mateo
I get the sense that without gray whale tourism, Puerto Lopez Mateo would surely collapse. This is a dusty, desolate and desperate town as fleetingly viewed via van. But to my surprise, we arrive at modern waterfront plaza. This small but tidy embarcadero is startlingly new! The panga pier is bounded by a pleasant food court, a reasonable number of knick-knack vendors and, thankfully, clean and plentiful restrooms (be sure to bring 5-pesos). You have time to use the baño and quickly peruse the knick-knacks while the driver makes your panga arrangement, about 10 minutes.

Panga Ride
Gray whales at Lopez Mateo are unique in that they seem to enjoy human interaction. This is good for us watchers; sometimes not so good for the whales. Continuous close contact with pangas anesthetizes them to other commercial and pleasure boats (and our external propellers) along their long migration route.

To limit panga bombardment, the Mexican government introduced driver requirements regarding how many boats can approach an animal (4), and how long they can remain around a pair (30 min). Our captain cautiously approached each whale and floated at idle nearby, letting the whale decide if it felt up to visiting. Drivers attempt to angle in from behind so as not to get in their path. They also try not to get in between a baby and its mum. Groups of orcas, the gray whales’ only predator, will separate mom from baby as a killing technique – we don’t need mom thinking we are a threat to her child.

No Tour Guide
Do not expect a guide on this bare-bones tour. The shuttle driver is just the driver. He gets you to the port, arranges for the panga ride, takes you to the restaurant and drives back home without a word. The panga captain is equally mum. This is not meant as criticism, but it is our experience. And the language barrier had nothing to do with it; both bus and panga drivers were equally non-chatty with our Mexican bus/panga-mates. So if you prefer an animated tour operator bursting with whale facts & brimming with town history, this tour is not ideal. If you just want to see the whales and not have to interact with a guide all day, this tour is for you.

Sand Dunes Not Included
The EcoBaja whale tour video on their website shows gorgeous people frolicking on the sand dunes. You do NOT get to go play on the sand dunes. Some tour companies may land their boat on the island as part of the tour, but not this one.

Recommend? Yes.
All in all, it worked out well and I would recommend EcoBaja Tours for a cheap day-trip alternative. If you are more comfortable with agents and drivers and passengers who speak English, this isn’t the right tour for you. I would rate this as a definite must-do for cruisers or tourists in the Baja area during January to early March.

Why Didn’t We Just Sail There?
Yeah…no. Technically we could…but that would entail sailing 3 days down to Cabo plus an overnighter back up the Pacific coast (not counting the return trip).  That’s if the weather cooperates for an entire week. But it’s winter. Weather is typically not so nice and the prevailing wind and waves are against us. Pass. I’ll take the one-day bus trip, thank you.

Plus, as a rule, we prefer to stay away from whales on our own boat. Whales are bigger than us. By a lot. Whales are heavy. Whales are unpredictable. Indigo is our house after all. So I am more than happy to use someone else’s boat as bait. :)
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A Day with the Grays

3/15/2017

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Every year, Eastern Pacific Gray Whales complete one of the longest migrations of any mammal. Beginning in Alaskan waters, these whales journey an incredible 5,000 - 7,000 miles, skimming along the North American coast, eventually returning to the same site year after year to mate or give birth. Where do they go? Mexico!

Gray whales in search of calm, shallow, nutrient-rich and predator-free waters typically visit one of three lagoon complexes along the Baja Peninsula’s Pacific side. A gray whales’ only predator, the orca, will not venture into the shallows. Here in this safe zone, mama “cows” birth and raise their “calves”, teaching them to swim, breathe and dive. And where whales assemble, whale watchers swarm. Who doesn’t want to see a baby whale?

Lopez Mateo
The smallest and least visited of these lagoons is Puerto Adolfo Lopez Mateo at the far north end of Magdalena Bay. Here, a mere 10 minute panga ride (22ft fishing boat) is all it takes to get you up close and personal with these amazing creatures. Prime viewing months are January–March when nearly 1000 visitors per weekend deluge Puerto Mateo’s 2000 residents. The dusty, isolated fishing village contrasts severely with their unexpectedly modern embarcadero. Obviously, the friendly whales have become a mainstay of this town’s livelihood. 

Desert-Lagoon
Our tour along Lopez Mateo’s vast desert-lagoon complex reminds me of the low, barrier islands of Florida or North Carolina. Except here, it appears virtually uninhabited, with no structures visible for miles. The inland side of this skinny waterway is lined in gnarled mangroves and marshes. The Pacific side comprises a narrow barrier island undulating in smooth, creamy sand dunes. Shifting sand bars abound. Sea lions pop their heads above water to have a look at us newcomers. A bevy of birds conduct a crucial congressional summit beachside.

Whale!
After a brief, windy ride skimming the shallow banks at top speed, we began to see an occasional “log” floating in the distance. Our driver slows to a crawl, turning towards center channel. Minus the engine roar, the lagoon settles back into its divinely serene state. No wonder the whales love it here. Aside from water lapping gently against our hull, the only other sound is the soft chittering of tourists in nearby pangas (just 2-3 others). We all sit waiting in hushed anticipation, watching for the telltale blast of hot air.  

“Wooosh.”  The entire boatload hears its sudden breath, gasps in unison and turns to see a 40ft mama gray whale and its 15ft baby just off our bow. We collectively “oooh” and “ahhhh” and “wow”, grinning from ear-to-ear, furiously filming and photo’ing. I resist the urge to start clapping. My composed, middle-aged self wants to shout: “Bravo! Encore!” My giggly 3-yr-old self is jumping up and down singing: “Do it again! Do it again!” In reality, I smile for two hours and keep whispering “Oh, my gosh!” over and over.

It never got old.

Where Humans and Whales Connect
Why visit the Pacific Baja lagoons to whale-watch? Nowhere else on earth is there such a concentration of gray whales. And this particular species seems, incredibly, to crave human interaction. Once our panga arrived in their territory, the whales came to us. Mama, with baby close alongside, swims within an arm’s length of our unmoving boat… diving underneath us, circling around to the other side, trolling, inspecting, blowing bubbles. Baby whales seem even more curious about us visitors. We witnessed them lolling on their backs, performing barrel rolls and gently flicking their tails at us, almost like they were waving.

Countless times, we were greeted by a maneuver called “spyhopping” – suddenly the whales’ giant head raises out of the water, eyeballing the crazy camera-clicking occupants from only a few feet away before sinking down just as fast. “Well…hello there!”

Heeeere whaley, whaley, whaley…come here! That’s a good girl!
Mother whales frequenting Baja lagoons are renowned for showing off their youngsters. It is common for mamas to nudge their baby close to a tour boat, even allowing it to rest on top of her while essentially “presenting” the calf for petting and kissing, to the delight of cooing and squealing passengers. So, as is the tourist custom, we leaned over the boat gunnel, splashing and waving our hands underwater, hoping to spark their curiosity… like entreating a dog to come over and play. Only one guy in our boat was able to fleetingly pat a baby (it’s in the video); Brian was next to him and got within inches. They did not seem to be in a petting mood today.

Hangin’ with Whales
We watched them in awe for two hours, just “hanging out” with whales… sometimes a pair, sometimes several. These guys were very low-key. We’d catch glimpses of a big mama and her smaller baby floating like adjacent logs on the surface as they took a breath or two. But they didn’t remain exposed for long, humping their backs and sinking fast. Their blows were gentile, not the 15ft high water spout you’d expect. Only once did I see a real fluke flick. No breaching. (That’s cool from afar, not cool from 10 ft.)

It seemed 90% of their bodies were always hidden below the murky water. So the couple times one swam underneath us at just the right angle and depth, bright sunlight revealed a stunningly massive body. More like a submarine. Glad I’m on someone else’s boat!

All in the Family
These remarkable giants acted like we were supposed to be there, enjoying each other’s company. Indeed, socializing with humans is their new-normal. It seems we are no longer unwelcome intruders into their world. At best, human tourists have become a part of the family. Hopefully at worst, distant 4th cousins who show up unannounced for lunch. But these creatures kindly greet and welcome us into their home with aplomb anyway. “Take lots of pictures, kiss the baby, wave bye-bye to the crazy people!” Why isn’t there a Pixar film yet?

Which leads me to ponder: What are they thinking, exactly? Do they intrinsically know we appreciate their presence? Are they showing off their children to us like a proud, smiling new parent? Or are they presenting us to their babies, “Look at these strange two-legged beings. Go ahead dear, get a good look. Aren’t they funny looking?” They seem to enjoy playing with the boats - maybe we are their TV entertainment, whiling away lazy-days in the lagoon before an arduous northern migration. Or maybe, as with all mammals, a loving pat on the head just feels nice.

From “Devil Fish” to “Snuggle Fish”
In the prior century, gray whales were notorious for their fierce defense upon attack by whalers, earning the nickname “Devil Fish”. Protected since the 1940’s, grays are no longer endangered, now boasting a thriving population over 20,000 strong.  We watched a documentary that suggested gray whales DO remember failed attacks – hence the premise for Moby Dick (though a sperm whale). Might a few of these elder whales actually have been alive when protection wasn’t quite guaranteed? Possibly. But it appears they and the current generation have forgiven us humans for the whaling era. An approaching small boat no longer signifies a fight to the death. Now, small boats are met with curiosity, playfulness, even affection. Hmmm. Maybe we should change that moniker to “Snuggle Fish”?


Cool Grey Whale Facts: 
(Well, “facts” from random internet sources… none of which seem to agree on numbers and may or may not be “actual facts”… but probably close enough to reality. Is that enough of a disclaimer?)
  • Every year, gray whales migrate from Alaska’s Bering Sea to the coastal lagoons of the Baja Peninsula and back, traveling 9,000-14,000 miles round trip, the longest mammal migration.
  • Gray whales swim an average of 5mph. (About the same as Indigo!)
  • Adults can reach up to 47-50 ft length and weigh up to 36-40 tons (as much as 5 adult elephants). Indigo is 34ft long and weighs @ 6-1/2 tons. Guess who would win?
  • Gray whales do not have a dorsal fin, just 6-12 small bumps on their back.
  • Baby whales are about 15 ft when born, weighing about 1000 pounds!
  • Gray whales can live to 50 - 70 years old.
  • One whale feeds on approx. 2200 pounds of crustaceans through its baleen – PER DAY! Talk a about a pricy grocery bill.
Grays begin arriving in December. Prime viewing months are Jan-March. I’ve heard the best month is February because they start leaving in April on their treacherous journey back to Alaska. Minor populations of Grays do venture up into the Sea of Cortez, but the Pacific lagoons are your best statistical bet for a close encounter.  ​

Links:
Aquarium of the Pacific
National Geographic
American Cetatean Society
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