Magdalena Bay
Under beautiful clear skies before a backdrop of rolling dunes and fringing mangrove in the calm waters of Baja California’s Magdalena Bay, Sea Bird voyagers enthralled in a truly overwhelming presence of gray whales today. A full day of Zodiac excursions brought a wealth of whale experience usually accumulated over a lifetime -- multiple close encounters, endearing interactions between mothers and calves, adult reproductive antics and a full repertoire of aerial displays, including continual spyhops and breaches.
The California gray whale is a true success story of conservation, its numbers rebounding dramatically after protection, to the point where it has been taken off the endangered species list. In fact, the population may have reached or surpassed its pre-exploitation levels. Ironically, scientists now wonder whether the gray whale is pushing the carrying capacity of its habitat.
A century ago the Baja California calving lagoons had been cleared of gray whales during the heyday of the romantic age of whaling. “The scene of slaughter was exceedingly picturesque and unusually exciting”, exclaimed Charles Scammon, whaling captain and natural historian.
The astounding number of whales in evidence today in Magdalena Bay may indeed be the greatest since the 19th century! We counted thirty mother and calf pairs before the sun had been up half an hour. Newborn whales seemed to appear everywhere you looked. It was hard to keep track of which animals you were watching.
As for close encounters, inspiring observations, and photographic opportunities, there was no shortage. It was not unusual for several close approaches by baby whales during an hour-and-a-half Zodiac ride. Bottlenose dolphins would dart in and about the whales or ride our bows.
One new mother was involved in a high-action social dynamic, racing about with her calf and another adult whale, thrashing the water continuously with flippers and flukes flying above the surface. This potential courtship activity led the trio to shallow water where they whacked the mangroves and sent roosting frigate birds flying.
We were privileged to watch newborn whales being lifted out of the water atop the rising bulk of their mothers, their wide eyes peering into our boat as they rolled over. The succession of “spyhopping” gray whale heads up above the water throughout the day was amazing. Sometimes you wonder just who is watching whom.
We celebrated this surreal day of whale saturation with a fresh grouper dinner, mariachi music and tequila sampling. Given the fine weather, beautiful environment and multitude of experience, one could say that ‘the scene of whale watching today was exceedingly picturesque and unusually exciting,’ to paraphrase Scammon.
Under beautiful clear skies before a backdrop of rolling dunes and fringing mangrove in the calm waters of Baja California’s Magdalena Bay, Sea Bird voyagers enthralled in a truly overwhelming presence of gray whales today. A full day of Zodiac excursions brought a wealth of whale experience usually accumulated over a lifetime -- multiple close encounters, endearing interactions between mothers and calves, adult reproductive antics and a full repertoire of aerial displays, including continual spyhops and breaches.
The California gray whale is a true success story of conservation, its numbers rebounding dramatically after protection, to the point where it has been taken off the endangered species list. In fact, the population may have reached or surpassed its pre-exploitation levels. Ironically, scientists now wonder whether the gray whale is pushing the carrying capacity of its habitat.
A century ago the Baja California calving lagoons had been cleared of gray whales during the heyday of the romantic age of whaling. “The scene of slaughter was exceedingly picturesque and unusually exciting”, exclaimed Charles Scammon, whaling captain and natural historian.
The astounding number of whales in evidence today in Magdalena Bay may indeed be the greatest since the 19th century! We counted thirty mother and calf pairs before the sun had been up half an hour. Newborn whales seemed to appear everywhere you looked. It was hard to keep track of which animals you were watching.
As for close encounters, inspiring observations, and photographic opportunities, there was no shortage. It was not unusual for several close approaches by baby whales during an hour-and-a-half Zodiac ride. Bottlenose dolphins would dart in and about the whales or ride our bows.
One new mother was involved in a high-action social dynamic, racing about with her calf and another adult whale, thrashing the water continuously with flippers and flukes flying above the surface. This potential courtship activity led the trio to shallow water where they whacked the mangroves and sent roosting frigate birds flying.
We were privileged to watch newborn whales being lifted out of the water atop the rising bulk of their mothers, their wide eyes peering into our boat as they rolled over. The succession of “spyhopping” gray whale heads up above the water throughout the day was amazing. Sometimes you wonder just who is watching whom.
We celebrated this surreal day of whale saturation with a fresh grouper dinner, mariachi music and tequila sampling. Given the fine weather, beautiful environment and multitude of experience, one could say that ‘the scene of whale watching today was exceedingly picturesque and unusually exciting,’ to paraphrase Scammon.
