One of the highlights of the 2016 Searcher Natural History Tours whalewatching season was “The Blue Whale Visit” of the March 8-19 voyage. Enjoy the following footage and relive that memorable event! Blue whale info here.
2016 was full of surprises for our Baja Whalewatching adventurers, including one that most of our tour guests shared in common! (Many thanks to Lee Morgan for use of his beautiful cover photo.)
Following a day of birding, snorkeling, and beachcombing at Los Frailes, passengers received a delightful announcement: they would be experiencing a Whale Shark Encounter in Bahía La Paz the following day as part of Searcher‘s pilot program to include this new opportunity on our 12-day itinerary.
Searcher Natural History Tours contracted with local, licensed tour operators and guides to provide this unique experience to our passengers. A comfortable, shaded panga boat would arrive the following morning to collect groups of snorkelers and observers for an expertly piloted tour of the emerald waters near the entrance of La Paz bay in search of the biggest fish on the planet! Snorkelers would be permitted to actually swim alongside these massive, awe-inspiring creatures within the Whale Shark Reserve’s guidelines (six swimmers at a time, maintaining a distance away from the shark, and no touching). Those who chose to remain on the boat were treated to multiple up-close opportunities to observe and photograph the whale sharks as they swam and fed in the clear, warm, and plankton-rich waters.
Having a close encounter with a whale shark was an unexpected and unique event, which was added to passengers’ many highlights of their Searcher Natural History Tours’ Baja Whalewatching adventure. Our plan is to make this resoundingly popular experience available as an option for 2017 tours, weather permitting. We will keep you informed as details become available! In the meantime, please enjoy the photos and imagine what it would be like to swim alongside a 25-foot long fish….
As we began our 2016 Searcher Natural History Tours Baja Whalewatching season, we proclaimed the following:
“Our hearts are full – and we want to share the Baja love!”
(Click here to see our “We Can’t Help Falling In Love” video)
We asked passengers to recall moments when they fell in love during one of our Searcher Natural History Tours.
Here’s what our Searcher friends replied:
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Photo Credit: Michael Larsen
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Photo Credit: Chris Shields
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Photo Credit: Rob Nawojchik
As we planned early (2010) for our 25 th Anniversary (April 11, 2012), we were targeting the Galapagos Islands for our special nature trip. But then I read a book called “Whales Touching the Mystery” by Doug Thomson. It is a fascinating book about San Ignacio Lagoon and the friendly gray whales (I’ve read it twice).
Larry and I have been fascinated with nature and in particular whales for a long time. We had observed whales in Cape Cod, Cabo and Puerto Vallarta. As I was reading the book, I kept asking myself if it was “for real”. How cool to be able to really interact with a gray whale. But who do I contact? So I went back to the first page of the Introduction where the author talked about his first encounter with a gray whale while travelling on a vessel called “The Searcher”.
The internet being a wonderful thing, I searched for “The Searcher” and lo and behold, I found “Searcher Natural History Tours”. I contacted Celia, who provided great information and answered all of our questions. From that point on, Galapagos was out the window and we were going to do a once in a lifetime trip in Baja for our 25th Anniversary to see the gray whales up close and personal!
I still remember my excitement going out in the pangas, especially when I touched the smooth back of my first young whale. It’s hard to express the feeling in words. I was so thrilled, the first thing I did back at the Searcher was give Captain Art a great BIG hug. As Art famously says, I didn’t just touch the whale, the whale touched me.
Larry’s dream was to see a big blue whale. We didn’t see just one – but 20 of them – including a baby blue that thought we were its nanny! This is just a small taste of the natural wonders experienced in the 12-day adventure. I’ve learned about birds (thanks, Paul Jones!), pinnipeds (thanks, Marc Webber!) and many species of whales and dolphins.
We enjoyed it so much that we went back in 2014 and we just returned from our 2016 trip. Words cannot begin to express the amazing trips that Captain Art, Celia and the Searcher crew provide.
Thank you for memories of a lifetime (times 3!).
– Sue (and Larry) Schott – Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Did YOU fall in love during a Searcher Natural History Tour? Tell us about it!
Email your “fell in love” story to searcher@bajawhale.com
🙂
Howdy whalewatchers,
Today marked the end of our last Searcher Natural History Tours trip of the 2016 season. We had an excellent time with this group – such a great bunch – with the magic touch added by both The Travelling Naturalist leader Ian Rowlands and Searcher naturalist Rob Nawojchik. After we said our goodbyes, the group disembarked and boarded the shuttle for San Jose del Cabo. They had a few hours to explore, visiting the estuary for birdwatching or local restaurants for breakfast.
San Jose del Cabo square – photo credit: Mark Underwood
Some stayed on and extended their holiday in this laid-back Baja beach town, while the rest boarded the shuttle for the SJD airport where they started their journeys home.
We wish them safe travels and send our gratitude for a wonderful shared experience to close out a spectacular 2016 season. Already looking forward to next year!
Capt Aaron and Team Searcher
Photo credit: Osprey nest/J. Lasnier
Capt Aaron and Team Searcher
Hello whalewatchers: Today we had a wonderful visit to Isla Santa Catalina, one of the most iconic visitor sites in all of Baja California. 
Passengers spent three hours ashore exploring the arroyo at the southeast corner of the island, enjoying the bird life and amazing array of cactus, including the giant cardon.
Santa Catalina is home to the endemic rattleless rattlesnake. Few in number and cryptic in color, we often have trips where we don’t see any. Today we saw five of them, including both the brown and gray color morph. 
In addition to the snakes, we saw fantastic examples of the island’s plant, bird, and lizard life. Following the hike we had a snorkel session in the cove beneath elephant rock, where all sorts of reef fish and invertebrates were seen. Lunch was duck confit salad with fresh bread.
We’re headed south now to find even more wildlife. The wind is up a bit so wish us luck!
Capt Aaron and Team Searcher
Hello whalerwatchers: What a great morning here at Punta Colorado! We got it all started with a great sunrise on the island’s sandstone cliffs.
Then passengers went ashore to go for a desert plant and bird walk. But they also found a speckled rattlesnake, Isla San Jose whiptail lizards, in addition to the endemic gray thrasher, phainopepela, and a Costa’s hummingbird. After the walk passengers went to a nice sandy beach for a swim or snorkel with the fantastic variety of fish and invertebrates here. We’re headed north to look for wildlife this afternoon.
This afternoon, we had a beautiful ride and the sunset was great. We found just a few bottlenose dolphins and the crowd-pleasing red- billed tropicbird. Tonight’s dinner is cornish game hen with stuffing and fresh bread. Dessert is a peach cobbler. 
We’ve got our anchor down at Isla Santa Catalina so we’re ready to go ashore for a walk and a snorkel in the morning.
Capt Aaron and Team Searcher
Howdy whalewatchers,
We had a beautiful sunrise this morning, followed by the arrival of the pangas for whale shark encounters. 
Those that got in the water got to swim with whale sharks and those that stayed in the pangas got a great view of these massive creatures from the surface. The water temperature was warm with good visibility.
After heading north, we went to Isla Lobos, where there is a blue footed booby population which we observed and photographed. Shortly after leaving there we found a humpback whale that was in nice water conditions and it fluked EVERY TIME it dove! We’re headed up to Los Islotes to swim with the playful sea lions and lots of fish.
Our adventure continues – more later,
Capt Aaron and Team Searcher
Howdy whalewatchers,
It’s been a great morning here on the water. The day started with some bow-riding long-beaked common dolphin and then we saw a couple of blue whales – one fluked for us and got the tail way up in the air for some great photos. (Click the link for some great photos and details about blue whales!) We have also have seen some sea turtles and Magnificent frigatebirds, Brown boobies and some Sabine’s Gulls.
Sabine’s Gull © Lehman
We are headed south to look for some more wildlife.
(evening report follows)
It was a slower afternoon for whalewatching, but really good for watching birds and common dolphin. Sightings of Cook’s petrels were abundant with lots of Black-vented shearwaters and Magnificent frigatebirds, too.
