The months of February and March form together to bring one of the most diversely abundant seasons in Baja of the whole year, and the Latitude team aims to take full advantage by pursuing incredible whale encounters up and down the peninsula. Although within Mexico it is not permitted to enter the water with any baleen whales, we can still have incredible encounters from deftly maneuvered boats in the hands of our captains and the keen eyes of our experienced whale guides.

With luck and good conditions, the waters around Cabo San Lucas are still clear and blue, and Humpback Whale season is at its peak during February and March. The Humpbacks find sanctuary around the waters of Los Cabos during the winter months, migrating from the cold nutrient-rich waters of Canada and Alaska where they feed to the warmer waters of the Baja Peninsula where they mate, give birth, and socialize. This allows for a huge variety of examples of different whale behavior that we are able to witness. Breaching, fin & tail slapping, and spy hopping are all common sights, methods that are used for both communication and play, which is what makes the Humpback Whales so dynamic to see. They seem to be truly enjoying themselves, the most blatant example of pure joy being newborn calves first discovering their acrobatic abilities and breaching repeatedly under the watchful eye of their mother’s close by. Their extra-long pectoral fins give them the great capability to propel their massive bodies with grace, often completely out of the water. A diligent observer watching a humpback breach repeatedly may notice that, like humans, they have a preferred side that they always launch from, though some whales may also be ambidextrous and be able to breach from both sides. The Humpback Whale is also famous for their unique vocal abilities, and we can listen for whale song first hand with the help of our hydrophone. The sounds they can produce are incredible, and although all humpbacks can vocalize, it is the males that are the singers. Through the hydrophone we can record the whale songs and share them with local researchers, who can potentially recognize whales by their sounds and patterns in the songs that are produce. Throughout the months we have the Humpbacks with us we are fortunate to really get to know them, and when they begin their northern migration in April we truly miss their presence, and it is a welcome event when they begin to return the following October.

Further north along the coast additional incredible encounters are possible in the bays and lagoons that fringe the edge of the Pacific. Magdalena Bay, San Ignacio Lagoon and Guerrero Negro all provide sanctuary for the formidable Gray Whale, who each year makes the longest migration of any living mammal, traveling 5,000 miles from Alaska’s Bering Sea. Like the Humpbacks, the Gray Whales come to these warm protected waters to mate and calf, but unlike the Humpbacks who fast for their entire calving season the Gray Whales feed on small crustaceans and bait fish that are abundant in these bays and lagoons. They are baleen filter feeders, collecting fish and plankton along silty bottoms as well as mid-water, then filtering the rest out through their sieve-like baleen. Their more active bottom feeding technique is when the whales dive to the bottom, turn sideways to hit the bottom and stir up the sediment and any crustaceans living within in, and then turn themselves facing forward again to scoop up the crustaceans in the mouths. Lucky whale watchers can see the Gray Whales incredibly close, as they sometimes use the hulls of boats as scratching tools to rid their skin of irritable parasites. They also display signs of pure curiosity, such as rolling to one side to look up at boats and frequent spy hopping to see what’s happening above the surface. The whales are found close to the mouths of the bays or lagoons where the protected waters meet open ocean, and the sheer number of them within a relatively small area is impressive. Spouts pop up every few seconds giving away the location of the massive animals, and the Gray Whales are known for the heart shape of their exhalation produced by their two side-by-side blowholes. In March we can start to see mother and calf pairs who will be the last to migrate again at the tail-end of the season once the babies are strong enough to make the journey.

The most giant of gentle giants can be spotted in the Loreto area of the Sea of Cortez during these same months, when the elusive Blue Whale makes it way into these waters to breed, calve and feed. The Blue Whale is the largest of any mammal living or extinct, reaching lengths of 100ft/30m and weighing in at 400,000 pounds and being in their presence is a truly humbling experience. The size of their exhalation and the incredible sound that accompanies it is truly awe-inspiring, and paired with the beautiful backdrop of the La Sierra de la Giganta mountains that fringe the coast make for incredible views. With luck you can encounter the Blue Whales in a relaxed state, where in they stay more or less in the same area for their resting period, remaining submerged for 8-10 minutes at a time only to then resurface close by for several breaths. When they descend again they perfectly arch their backs to reveal their massive length and relatively small dorsal and tail fin compared to their massive bodies. Compared to the Gray Whales and Humpbacks, the Blue Whales don’t often interact with boats, however the young Blue Whale calves at times show their more playful sides and will surface close to boats and spy hop to check out whale watchers. The Loreto Marine Park is also home to resident Fin Whales, the second largest whale on earth, and it is possible to also see Humpbacks in the area during their winter migration in Baja.

In addition to Humpbacks, Gray and Blue Whales, any number of other marine mammals can be encountered on our offshore adventures. Dolphins of many species are common to see in each of these locations, and with luck other species of whales such as Bryde’s Whales or Sei Whales, which are smaller but similar in shape to a Fin Whale, can be encountered. Not outside the realm of possibilities either are Sperm Whales or Orcas. Just as with any of our expeditions an open mind and a keen eye can make any encounter possible. These whales are just one of the many reasons we love Baja California so much and make it our mission to share and conserve this incredible place and it’s seasonal cetacean residents.

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Latitude