World Mexico Baja California Sur Todos Santos

Our Adventure

Grey Whales - Up Close And Personal Feb 29, 2008

Well, we got our chance to see whales up close. Our kind neighbours, Jeff and Sandra offered to pile us into their club cab pick-up for the 15 minute drive into Todos Santos and then another quick bounce along a dirt path through palm rimmed farmland out to the beach where the freshwater lagoon meets the Pacific.

Doing this drive ourselves with Harvey was out of the question the path was narrow and the overhanging grasses and trees formed a sort of tunnel which would have ripped the accessories off our rolling home.

The trip was fun with a stop at the local bakery for warm fresh bread following a stopped at the local dump to get rid of some trash. Our whale visit was followed by a supper at the hamburguesa restaurant in Pescadero where we all pigged out for not much pesos. There Emma met Emma the cat who will hang around anyone who might pet her. We try to discourage the Mexican animal petting especially right before we eat.

But the real treat was the beach and the whales. As reported in a previous entry, we've probably seen hundreds if not thousands of whales while staying at Playa Los Cerritos. That's because we had a beach view from our campsite, the beach is 10 km long and, well..., thousands of whales travel South and then back North past this beach. But at Los Cerritos, due to the relatively shallow beach and long surf, the whale stay further out so the viewing is not close and personal.

In Todos Santos, the impressive, steep and wide sandy beach has a large surf break right onto the shore. While this is a relatively dangerous place to wander anywhere close to the water (a rogue wave would surely drag even the best swimmer out into the deadly break), the reward is the sight, the sound and even the smell of dozens of massive Grey Whales that roll and sort of hang right in the break. They poke their heads out as if it is they who are looking at us. They lie on their sides, flapping their pectoral fins. The amateur whale watcher with us theorize that the whales hang and roll in the surf as a way of scraping off barnacles. At least that was their story and they were sticking to it.

As evening approached and the shutter on my camera got jammed with salt spray we slogged back through the soft sand. Seeing what are among the world's largest creatures up close affects you. It humbles you and it makes you smile. We are grateful for these gifts we receive and give ourselves by coming to this place. Thank you whales. The humility that you instill makes you ambassadors of your ocean realm.