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Guest Article: Whale watching in Baja California,
Mexico
Whale watching in
Baja California, Mexico
By Josh Roberts
Brought to you by USA Today,
September 2006
"It's the moment of a
lifetime," says Terry Prichard, president of Sea Kayaking Adventures. Prichard
is referring to the moment when friendly whales swim up and nudge the hulls of
his company's motorized skiffs, which happens frequently during the four-day
Gray Whales of
Magdelana Bay trips that head into the deep waters of Boca de Soledad in
Baja California, Mexico.
Sea Kayak Adventures has an exclusive permit to use the
campsite at its Isla Santo Domingo base camp, located in the heart of a
whale-calving area in Baja California. "As whales breach and spy-hop just
offshore, guests can explore whalebone-littered beaches and look for herons,
egrets, dolphins and spouting grays," adds Pritchard. "Boca de Soledad has the
highest concentration of gray whales of any Baja lagoon, and our camp is
situated at the edge of a deep channel where the whales cruise mere yards from
the beach."
The "Gray Whales of Magdelana Bay" is a bargain at $799
($719 for kids ages 17 and under). It includes camping equipment for two nights
at the base camp, naturalist guides, meals, daily motorized skiff excursions,
airport transfers and two nights' hotel accommodations.
"There was good food, good leadership and a variety of
activities that included whale watching, bird watching, hikes and swimming,"
says Gary Rogers, a 66-year-old traveler from San Luis Obispo, California. "Of
course seeing the whales was a highlight. They came right up to the boat and we
were able to touch them."
"It was a very enjoyable and educational trip with a
nice balance between free time and organized activity," agrees Susie Gillatt of
Tucson, Arizona. "Great guides and good food, too."
For a few hundred dollars more, the $930 six-day
Quick Adventure
from Sea Kayak Adventures is a great value for travelers who want a bit
more action. It includes four days of kayaking, snorkeling and hiking in the
Sea of Cortez; three nights' camping; and two nights' hotel. A similar trip
from Mountain Travel Sobek goes for $1,390, or almost $500 more.
Click here for Whale Watching
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