San Ignacio Gray Whales Trip Report 2024
Read about our unforgettable trip to interact with Pacific gray whales in San Ignacio, Mexico, in March 2024. We experienced the incredible bonding experience of petting mothers and calves as they approached our boat to seek affection.
San Ignacio Gray Whales Trip Report 2024
Interacting With Pacific Gray Whales
Words and Pictures by Tim Yeo
Camera Equipment Used: GoPro Hero 11 and iPhone 13 Pro Max
Day 1
We convened at the SeeCreatures dive shop at 6:40am, and by 7:30am, we were en route on a bus to the private terminal at San Jose del Cabo airport. We divided into two groups of 12 and boarded a small charter flight for a 90-minute journey to San Ignacio Lagoon. The flight offered breathtaking views, as it not only traversed the mountains of Baja California Sur but also skimmed over narrow sections of the peninsula, allowing us to see the Pacific Ocean on the left and the Sea of Cortez on the right from our plane windows.
Upon arrival at the camp, we were promptly served lunch before embarking on our boats for the initial whale-watching session. The observation area was teeming with gray whales. Some of them were breaching and many of them were spy-hopping close to our boat. However, none of the whales came close enough for interactive encounters with our group.
If you want to get in the water with whales, read about where to swim with whales.
Day 2
On the second day of our trip, breakfast was served at 7am, and by 7:45am, we were on our boat heading toward the observation area. It was a quiet session until the last 30 minutes when we encountered a mother and calf duo. The calf was notably curious, frequently coming close enough to the boat for all guests to touch it. Remarkably, one guest even succeeded in kissing the calf on its nose, all under the watchful eye of its mother, who stayed a few feet away.
The second session of the morning was quieter, influenced by the outgoing tide that led the whales to venture deeper into the lagoon. Despite this, we observed numerous whales on the move, including some spy-hopping and breaches.
We set out for our last session of the day after lunch. Although winds were anticipated to intensify, they remained just below the 16-knot threshold, which would have necessitated the closure of the lagoon for safety reasons. Consequently, it was a relatively calm day on the water in terms of whale interactions, yet we still observed a considerable number of whales throughout the lagoon.
Day 3
The initial morning session started off rather tranquil, but after 30 minutes, we encountered a mother and calf in the observation area. This duo approached all four boats in the vicinity, interacting with the passengers. We followed the pair to the lagoon's entrance, where we found at least six other whales frolicking in the water.
Directly after the break, during the second morning session, we swiftly came across a mother and her calf. The calf moved between the two adjacent boats, seeking attention and pets from the guests.
After lunch, we embarked on our final afternoon session. The wind made our journey to the observation area somewhat choppy, but the experience proved rewarding as we spent the latter half of the session following a couple of whales. These whales surfaced near us multiple times, which was exhilarating.