Cabo San Lucas (Mexico) | A Whale of a Day - Day 3

South of the marina in Cabo San Lucas is a small peninsula that divides the Pacific (i.e., the back side of the rocks) and the Sea of Cortez (foreground). Located in the notch, photo right, is a beach that connects the two bodies of water. It is accessible by water taxi. The beach is known as Lover's Beach on the Sea of Cortez and Divorce Beach on the Pacific Ocean. I love the connection and metaphor.

From the moment I planned my trip down to Cabo, I knew I wanted to spend time on the ocean whale watching. Cabo San Lucas, more specifically, the Sea of Cortez, is one of the best places in the world to observe Humpback Whales. Although 5 species of whales are present in the Sea of Cortez this time of year, about 98% of the whale observations near Cabo San Lucas are Humpies.

My choice for the experience is Whale Watch Cabo. Although there are a variety of possibilities for whale watching in the area, I chose WWC because they guarantee the experience and fill each boat with a marine biologist. This is a great way to learn about these creatures and makes the trip interactive.

While waiting for things to start, I take a moment and flaneur my way through the adjacent local shops.

When I spot this shirt, I start laughing! I love it when people find a way to derive humor from the fears of others. Being in Mexico again reminds me that Mexicans are like others worldwide. They are kind and friendly. Of course, there are harmful agents everywhere you go, but it is not any different back home. 

The outing started with Sara, our Portuguese biologist, giving the group some background on Humpback Whales. "The Sea of Cortez is where whales come to reproduce. Females without calves come here to get pregnant. Once a whale is pregnant, it leaves the Sea of Cortez to migrate up the Pacific Coast to Alaska. Pregnancy lasts 11 months, and when they are ready to give birth, they return to the Sea of Cortez," says Sara. It's relatively rare for a whale who just gave birth to get pregnant again, as the calves stay with the mother for 1 year before being weened. Wales fast while they breed and give birth. They resume feeding once they return to the Pacific Ocean and begin their migration north.

This is our boat, a zodiac that holds up to 10 participants, the biologist, and our Captain. Today there are 7 participants. Four will be behind the Captain while I share the front of the boat with a young couple, Pete and Devin, from Seattle. 

Unfortunately, as we left the harbor, our tour ran into an unexpected glitch. The Mexican harbor police stopped our boat. After a lengthy conversation in Spanish with our Captain, Sara says, "The police will not allow us to proceed as the Captain's papers (i.e., license) are being renewed, and he does not have them with him." Sara immediately makes phone calls as the Captain returns to the dock. 

 

Fortunately, no one makes a fuss, and we give Sara space and time to make the necessary calls. "There's a sea lion," says Devin as she points to an adult swimming port side of the boat. Once we reach the dock, we switch Captains and head back out. "Anyone with a cruise ship or need to be back early? We would like to extend the trip past 5 pm to compensate for the inconvenience," says Sara. We all agree that it is a great idea and appreciate their efforts.

After a 20-minute boat ride north, we spot our first whale breach. We spot a tower of water spraying into the air about 10-15 feet (3-4.5 m) in height. "That one is a long way away and a single whale. Let's head to our right, where a mother and calf are currently being observed," says Sara. 

When we arrive, several boats are observing the whales. The calf in the picture below is about 2-months old. It can only stay under for two to three minutes before surfacing. The mother will stay under for up to 15 minutes but is always near her calf.

"Don't worry about taking pictures. Just enjoy observing the whales. I will take pictures and have them available for you in a couple of days," says Sara. This is good news! Taking photos from an iPhone while bobbing up and down in a zodiac is quite challenging.

"Humpbacks are solitary whales, unlike other species that travel in pods," says Sara. Occasionally, we will get escorts that swim with moms and her calf," she continues. Soon after, mom and calf are joined by two more adult Humpies. Because the whales are near the calf, the swimming behavior is very relaxed. 

This was my poor attempt to capture a whale tale, one of the few times it breached the surface of the water. "Oh my gosh! I can see them under the boat," says Devin. We all lean over the starboard side and see the adults pass slowly under the boat. Devin loves whales and has a great eye! Meanwhile, the calf continues to swim near us. It shows off and swims within about 10 feet of our boat. 

We take a break from observing the foursome and the other boats by heading further east. "Let's see if we can hear any males singing," says Sara as she drops a microphone overboard. Sara tells us that the microphone can pick up sound within a two-mile (3.2 km) radius. Here she sits carefully listing, trying to distinguish the sounds. "That's a boat. Ah, there's a Humpback, and it sounds like he's getting closer," says Sara. Only males sing underwater. It is how they attract females. Males stay suspended in the water column with their heads facing down while they sing. Most males sing for 20-40 minutes, and some have been observed signing for up to an hour. Singing is done in one single breath. "I'll send you guys the recording, too," says Sara.

The trip continues, and we observe several other whales and fountains in the distance. It is estimated that there are somewhere between 3,000-5,000 Humpback Whales in the Sea of Cortez this time of year (November thru March). Finally, sometime after 5 pm, as the sun begins to set, we head back to Cabo San Lucas.

On the left side of this photo, the Cabo Arch is visible. Notice the small hole on the left of the 3rd rock.

This was a fantastic way to spend the afternoon. I forgot how much I enjoyed being on the ocean. I spent many days fishing on the sea in the Pacific Northwest. We saw just under a dozen individuals, and listening to the male sing was quite a treat. Sara was outstanding as a guide, and I enjoyed learning about these magnificent creatures. The zodiac ride alone is worth the price, but I was blessed to see whales. The experience cost me 1,422 Pesos ($79 USD) and was well worth it. I would not hesitate to book Whale Watch Cabo again. I will post a link to the photos and the recordings when I receive them in the next few days.