Sea Lions, Whale Sharks and Grey Whales, Baja Mexico

Can you remember the last time you were in “awe”? I mean truly mesmerized? I don’t think this happens a lot in life so when it recently happened, not once, but twice, I was grateful. Of course, both times happened when we were out in the water surrounded by marine life. 

We have been staying in La Ventana for the sole purpose of kiteboarding every day until our departure date at the end of February; Brent’s purpose, not mine. Unfortunately for him, fortunately for me, there are plenty of “non-wind” days. These are days that we generally do something together like bike, hike or do a little sightseeing. 

Before coming to Baja, I did  a lot of research on points of interest and excursions not to miss, and swimming with Whale Sharks was mentioned numerous times. Lucky for us, these gentle creatures love to hang out in La Paz, a 45 minute drive from La Ventana, so we booked a day tour. 

You can book a tour with one of the many tour companies situated along the Malecon in La Paz, but we ended up booking with Lobitos Seafaring. They were reasonably priced and professional throughout the booking process. We booked a combination tour for six of us which included swimming with Whale Sharks and Sea Lions. 

Whoever you go with, don’t be surprised if you get a call to rebook as every tour is dependent upon the weather. If it’s too rough, then you’ll have to postpone  which happened to us twice. No big deal for us as we were flexible, but if you are limited in time, be prepared to cancel. 

We arrived early, signed waivers, and were given any gear we didn’t bring with us. After boarding the boat, we road about an hour past some beautiful scenery including Isla del Espiritu Santo, until coming to our first destination spot, Los Islotes, where we spent the next forty minutes swimming with the local sea lions. 

Before getting in the water, our guide gave us strict instructions about where to swim and made it pretty clear there were policies and procedures to follow outlined by the La Comision Nacional de Areas Naturales Protegidas. I’ve also read that the tour operators are monitored and if caught doing anything illegal, they will lose their licence. 

What an experience this was for me! I’m usually a bit cautious in open water, especially when I’m not really sure what is lurking below, but I have to say I wasn’t nervous at all. The frolicking pups were so fun to swim with and I’m pretty sure they were just as curious about us, but I did keep my eye on an adult who entered the water nearby. After all, they are wild mammals. 

After a fabulous lunch on the beach we headed back to La Paz where we spent the rest of the afternoon swimming with a few whale sharks affectionately referred to as gentle giants. 

After a briefing by our guide, we entered the water calmly and then swam to keep up with our new friends. Honestly, it was a bit of a challenge, but so worth the effort. So much so I went in for a second swim when we sighted a couple beauties coming our way. A few minutes in, I just stopped swimming  and took in the moment. I was only a few feet from a whale shark. The instructor and I were so close to it, we could have reached out and touched it’s tail. I don’t think I’ll ever forget that feeling. 

I was fortunate to experience this humble feeling again, a few weeks later, when we took a drive to Adolfo Lopez Mateo, a small village on Magdalena Bay on the Pacific Coast. Here, we spent a couple of hours watching Grey Whales. 

There are a variety of locations in Baja that you can go whale watching, but after reading a few articles, we decided to go to Adolfo Lopez Mateo as it offered a smaller and quieter environment. In February, the males have generally left the area and the mamas and calves remain giving the calves a bit more time to grow before returning home. 

After loading the panga, our captain rode  just a short while before we spotted our first whale, and then another one, and another…you get the picture. They were all over the bay. My goal that day was to get a “tail” shot. You know what I’m talking about; that shot of the tail just before the deep dive. That shot you see in National Geographic. My second goal, was to touch one of those beauties. Throughout my research, I saw plenty of videos showing the whales coming right up to the boats getting little pets. Can you imagine? 

Well, neither happened on our watch. But, I still got some nice photos and two or three graced us with their presence by swimming right under our panga affording us the ability to see them up close and personal. 

These two experiences were truly magical for me. They reminded me how special nature is and how important it is to keep protecting it. If you do come to Baja, I strongly encourage you to take in these awe inspiring excursions. Just do your research and make sure you are with reputable companies that follow all the restrictions and regulations to ensure they are respecting these beautiful creatures and their environment.

To see videos of our trips, check out our Youtube Channel.