A Year with Latitude
January 1st will mark Latitude Encounter’s 1st birthday! We are so happy to celebrate this wonderful first year with everyone that has been part of this wild adventure. Every day on the water is pretty memorable which is why choosing our top five was pretty hard but…we tried!
5. A DAY OF AN UNEXPECTED CHANGE OF PLANS
In March 2021 we went out for a day of Shark Adventure but weren't lucky in the water (some days sharks are shy) this isn't that unexpected but what we stumbled upon after sure was! On our way back to shore, we spotted a very large "ghost net" floating near the coast. We knew these floating nets are a HUGE danger to marine life so we jumped into action!
We immediately phoned local authorities to try and get it out. With whales and their calves present in the area during this time, we were terrified of any potential entanglement (#DYK fishing gear entanglement is one of the largest threats to whales?). After receiving clearance, we took advantage of an incoming fishing boat and asked the captain to help us get the fishing net out of the water. A HUGE SUCCESS! Unfortunately, it wasn't all good news... As is normal in the case of ghost nets, there were lives lost. The casualties? Two sharks, a marlin, a sea lion pup, and an adult sea lion. This was tragic, but we can only imagine how much more harm it could have caused if it wasn't plucked from the sea—We sure were glad to get it out!
If you spot a floating "ghost net" please contact authorities. If you are in Cabo, please also contact us directly and we will help alert the right people and make sure the net gets out of the water! We also want to again thank our amazing clients that day who supported us in this endeavor. We always want to help the ocean in whatever ways we can, which is why we assisted in this net removal and why we are committed to exploring, appreciating, and protecting our amazing planet in 2022!
4. THE SHARKIEST DAY OF THE YEAR
If you haven't picked up on it by now, we are WILD about sharks! We consider the day a total "win" if stumble upon any sharks on our Safaris, but some days we get super lucky and hit the shark jackpot! One such time was when we encountered a variety of sharks out on the water including TEN BLUE SHARKS!
We are lucky to encounter pelagic shark species (like mako sharks, blue sharks, silky sharks, and smooth hammerheads) throughout the year and at Latitude, we know each and every shark sighting is a gift! Not only are sharks absolutely gorgeous creatures, but they are also super valuable to the ecosystem—seeing them around Baja is a great sign of ocean health. Shark season is about to start! We can't wait for more shark-filled days in 2022! We start our Shark Safaris again in January and are sooo excited!
3. THE DAY WE WERE PART OF THE POD
The 5th of September, 2021 felt like a normal low-season Sunday in Cabo. BUT WOW WERE WE WRONG! A lazy morning at home turned into a mad dash to get out on the water after we heard a report that orcas were spotted headed towards Cabo!
The weather and sea conditions were excellent and the orcas were curious and interested in us—a perfect combination for an unforgettable wildlife encounter! The encounter happened completely on the orcas' terms and we were so thankful they chose to engage with us and put on a show. It just goes to show that if you respect nature, you will be blessed right back. Click here to read more from this epic day and stay tuned for what we hope is another year full of surprise orca whale sightings!
2. 10 EPIC DAYS—MOBULAS Y MUCHO MAS
In June 2021, we went on our last big animal trip of the season and it was one for the books! Not only did the sea bless us with some of the most epic wildlife encounters EVER, we were lucky to have not just one, but TWO amazingly talented photographers (@ericduranphoto and @dserradell_photo) onboard for the adventure—resulting in some of the best Latitude Expedition shots of 2021!
Click here to read more about this incredible 10-day adventure and epic images from all the creatures we saw! We hosted some truly exceptional photographers and videographers in 2021 and we know we have more breathtaking photos and footage to share with you all in 2022—make sure to follow along!
OUR FINAL DAYS IN MAG BAY
If you follow us, you already know we are OBSESSED with Magdalena Bay—it is absolutely one of this planet's wildest treasures. And Sardine Run Season (Nov and Dec) is easily our favorite time there.
The bay and the surrounding Pacific pulse with an amazing variety of life—all attracted to the region by the presence of an abundance of sardines and mackerel: the foundational food source for so much marine life. Though the striped marlins are the headliners, they are by no means the only attraction, as pelagic species of all sorts make their way to the area to feed or to rest during a long migration. The region teems with life at this time of year, from frigate birds overhead to coyotes in the sand dunes to all the amazing life below the ocean’s surface, PLUS spectacular scenic views of mountains and mangroves, there is always something to see.
Each trip to Mag Bay is special, but our last few weeks there were ✨PHENOMENAL✨
We honestly could never truly put our recent time there into words. Even Fer, our founder and real-life mermaid (or so we suspect) described our last day in Mag Bay for 2021 as: "Maybe the best day in the water. EVER."
We are already daydreaming of 2022's Sardine Run/Marlin Expeditions. Want to make sure you don't miss out on the action next year? Click here to learn more.
