Captain's Blog

Hello whalewatchers, We had a great start to our day with a sunrise at Punta Colorado, Isla San Jose. The we had an early walk in the arroyo and a good snorkel session with good visibilty and 75 degree water. There was a personal milestone for one of our passengers, Reiner Ertel from Germany. Before today he has seen every gull in the world except one and that would be the yellow-footed gull that is found here in the Sea of Cortez. Reiner completed his list of gulls today.
We left and had “Cheeseburgers in Paradise” for lunch and headed of shore. We headed west towards the peninsula and found an area of jumping smooth-tailed mobulas which is always fun to see, then a red billed tropicbird and lots of black and least storm petrels. Another new bird for everyone that we see regularly here is the Craveri’s murrelet.
We had a close look at a Bryde’s whale and at the end of the day we saw a group of bottlenose dolphin and a great sunset.
Today’s photo is of a yellow-footed gull on our boom.

Team Searcher

Hello whalewatchers, We had another great day with good conditions-light winds and calm seas. The morning started out with lots of common dolphin and seabirds, including elegant terns, Sabines gulls in breeding plumage, pinkfooted and blackvented shearwaters, red phalropes, frigatebirds and the highlight- masked and nazca boobies.  We saw a few sea turtles as well.
We had a dry spell for a few hours and then the seabirds started to show up again, and then we saw pair of humpbacks that fluked for us multiple times. We ended the day with a huge herd of common dolphin, around 4000-5000 dolphins. It was awesome to see. Then a cow and calf humpback and the calf performed for us with some breaches. We are headed for Gorda Banks for more humpbacks. Today’s photo is of one of the humpbacks fluking.

Hello whalewatchers: We had a great day at Islas San Benito, starting with a blue whale in the anchorage. We haven’t seen a blue whale in that shallow of water here ever before! We had a few good looks and then went ashore. The group had a good day and saw plenty of elephant seals returing to molt, Guadalupe fur seals more abundant now than in earlier trips, and ospreys, peregrine falcons, horned larks and a mockingbird.
I went for a little walk up to the lighthouse for some exercise. I visited the lighthouse for the final time this year and took some scenic photos that will be on the website after the trip. It was a lovely day. Today’s photo is from the top of the island with blooming barell cactus in the foreground. and middle and east island in the background.
We are headed to Laguna San Ignacio for the final time this year.
Team Searcher

Dear whalewatchers: What a great start to our tour #6! We saw at least 6 blue whales, two fin whales, and lost of short-beaked common dolphins. The birders were happy with shearwaters, phalaropes, elegant terns, Bonapartes gulls and more. We saw all the species of pinnipeds at Islas Todos Santos also.

We are looking forward to our day at Isla San Benito tomorrow.

Team Searcher

Hello whalerwatchers: We had another beautiful day in the Sea of Cortez. The weather was great and the walk/snorkel at San Jose Island was great too. Shortly after leaving the island, we enjoyed a big group of long-beaked common dolphins and shortly after that pilot whales–one of my favorites. We were lucky to find a group of bottlenose dolphin to end the day. We’re off to Santa Catalina island to see what the next day brings.

Capt Aaron and the Searcher crew

Hello whalewatchers: We had another fabulous day here on the Searcher, including lots of really good looks at humpback whales. We got to see all types of action: breaching, flipper flapping, and some tail lobbing. The highlight was seeing a baby humpback breaching repeatedly over and over. We also we got to parallel a blue whale for some time, The animal never really went deep so we were able to see what blue whales do when they just are beeing blue whales. The weather is awesome and the forecast looks great as well. We;re off and up into the Sea of Cortez , our first spot tomorrow will be Punta Colorado. so wish us luck.
Capt Aaron and the Searcher crew