Trip Reports

Hello whalewatchers: Happy Saint Patricks Day! We started the day at Isla Santa Catalina with an early hike and then a snorkel session and a Crazy Coastal Cruise for everyone. There was a good group of bottlenose dolphin that everyone enjoyed during the cruise. It is a totally different  perspective from the skiff instead of the Searcher. We had lunch and then went west towards Isla Monserate where we have had great success finding whales. It didn’t take long once we got across the channel to spot several spouts in the distance and we found another area of blue whales. We saw at least eight different whales and we spent a couple of hours veiwing them. Two were” flukers” so we had great photo opportunities. Today’s photo is a blue whale fluke.
Team Searcher

Hello whalewatchers: Well today was quite a day, beginning with dolphins and bioluminesence at 430 am. We enjoyed great weather and a gorgeous sunrise at Punta Colorado. Everyone went ashore early to beat the heat and then came back to the boat for a snorkel session. It was a great morning.
We headed north and didn’t get very far.We  came upon an area of blue whales –yes, an “area” –with 10-12 whales, two cow calf pairs and two flukers all in a 2- square mile area. We spent two-hours with them. Along with the blue whales were several manta rays on the surface, there were packs of them at times with 7 or 8 rays together, and of course they were jumping. We decided to leave  and head north to see what the rest of the day would bring us. Lots and lots of diving pelicans, jaegers, gulls, shearwaters and storm petrels. The crew spotted two dwarf sperm whales and also in the distance some pilot whales. We had some great looks at these whales. We made it up to Isla Santa Catalina for the night. Also we had one more look at Panstarrs comet. Very cool!
Today’s photo is of a male pilot whale.
Team Searcher

Hello whalewatchers: What a great day today! Lots of humpbacks around the Gorda Banks area. We saw all the great behaviors for humpbacks. The highlight was a trio of whales, a cow with a calf and an escort, with the calf breaching along with the escort, and the cow and escort flipper flapping together. The weather was tremendous with sunny skies and calm seas. We went ashore and had a good snorkel session at Bahia Los Frailes. We ended the day with smooth-tailed mobulas everywhere and a typical Baja sunset. Today’s picture is a tail-lobbing humpback whale.
Team Searcher

Hello whalewatchers: We are outside Bahia Magdalena today and have had a great morning already. Our viewing conditions are good with calm seas, light winds, and clear skies. Great bird sightings with masked and brown boobies, Sabines gulls, black storm petrel, red phalropes, black-footed albatross and frigatebirds. We had a few long beaked common dolphins and a great look at a Bryde’s whale. The highlight has been a trio of blue whales up close in clean water and great lighting. We spent an hour with them and decided to head south since they were heading north. More later, Team Searcher

Hello whalewatchers: We have a  mid-day report from Laguna San Ignacio. The Searcher got in the close-encounter action with two adults stopping by for a quick visit. Charles and Geri -Sue get to take a break from making lunch to take a look! The weather is calm and sunny, and this is San Ignacio at its best.
Team Searcher

Hello whalewatchers: Today we arrived at Laguna San Ignacio. As advertised, there are a lot of gray whales here! (The March 10 census found 235 whales.) We were able to maximize our whalewatching opportunities today with great weather all day, so we did four trips out in the pangas. Everyone had a chance at a close encounter with a whale today. I think everyone would agree how magical this place is. We are truly blessed to come back to this place mulitple times a year and every time we marvel at how great of a place it is. It is really clear today and so we are looking forward to lights out tonight, the stars will be out in full force.
More tomorrow, Team Searcher

p.s. They also got to see the comet Panstarrs tonight!

Hello whalewatchers: Today we arrived at Islas San Benito and we were greeted by a juvenile humpback whale that did a half breach. Everyone was ashore early and had almost the whole day for a good hike. The weather was outstanding with sunny skies and a light breeze, just right for hiking. There were plenty of weaner elephant seals and just a few fur seals. Everyone had a great day. I went for my usual walk to the new lighthouse at the top of the island. The view was great.
We left the island, headed south and just before the sunset we spotted a blue whale. We spent about an hour with the whale.
More tomorrow from Laguna San Ignacio,
Team Searcher

Hello whalewatchers: This afternoon we managed to have some great sightings, starting with a short visit to Islas Todos Santos. All the usual suspects were there, northern elephant seal weaners (no females or males on the beach), plenty of harbor seals and the usual California sea lions hauled out on the rocks.  We also saw lots of black oystercatchers, a few pelagic cormorants, peregrine falcons with a surprise look at one hunting and capturing a morning dove right off the bow–what an impressive bird of prey!
We came across the” gray whale highway” before lunch, seeing several northbound whales including a group of 5 animals that we were able to follow for a while. A little further south we saw an area of 5 or 6 fin whales in a small area. We were able to get a good look at one whale and make a positive id with the lower right jaw being white. There were also some long-beaked common dolphin with a small group of short-beaked common dolphin as well. Late in the afternoon was great for the pelagic birds with several blackfooted albatross, a laysan albatross came close, and there were several northern fulmars, Xantus’ murrelets, red phalaropes, and black-vented, sooty and pink- footed shearwaters.
More tomorrow, Team Searcher