Check out these cool new baja whale watching videos. Five days spent exploring the sea of cortez and enjoying its abundant marine wildlife, and assisting with whale shark research. Other whale species that frequent the sea of cortez include the sperm whale, minke whale, fin whale, and more. The area is known to be a spot for blue and fin whales, which will be in the area to calve. Sea of cortez baja california 2020 all you need to know. Whale watching holidays whale watching holidays around the. We also visit the beautiful sea of cortez for whale watching on this weeklong adventure on mexicos baja california peninsula.
There are few, if any, whale watching destinations that can rival mexicos baja california. Snorkel, kayak and go whalewatching in the sea of cortes on a holiday to baja california, mexico. On these special departures we are able to participate in research on whale sharks which breed in the region. Sea of cortez baja california cruise baja adventure travel. Join our 12day tour to whalewatch for up to a dozen different species. The mv valentina scuba diving liveaboard yacht shows you why jacques cousteau fell in love with scuba diving in mexicos sea of cortez, where you will scuba dive with whale sharks, hammerhead sharks, sea lions, mobula rays and dolphins. Recent rescue of whale caught up in fishing lines and other debris in the sea of cortez, about 50 miles north of cabo in the sea of cortez, zachary pilek, was in the water with whale, and our. Get in touch with one of audleys specialists to start planning. It was an inaugural season for the classic ship, astoria. Paddling south baja kayaking expeditions in sea of cortez. Book a baja holiday with journey latin america now.
Enjoy half day whale watching in the sea of cortez as part of your tailormade holiday to mexico. We recently returned from a small ship 11 day cruise on the sea of cortez. Close encounters with the friendly gray whale cows and calves in san ignacio lagoon, a unesco world heritage site. Blue whales filmed by nic slocum of whales worldwide in the sea of cortez during the tour in 2014. A 14day whalewatching and wildlife holiday, including an 11night cruise down the western coast of mexicos baja peninsula and round into the sea of cortez. Baja offers abundant natural resources, beautiful wilderness, and clear tropical sea of cortez waters, ideal for snorkeling with whale sharks, whale watching and fishing. Two unique baja whale watching trips on the pacific ocean and sea of cortez and one baja whale shark ecotour on the sea of cortez that world travelers rave about. All our baja fishing, whale watching tours, baja surfing and baja whale watching trips in the sea of cortez begins and ends conveniently in san diego. Baja and the sea of cortez adventure cruises, mexico small ship cruise to see the whales and wilderness of baja from. Baja sea kayaking tours sea of cortez baja whale watching trips. Whale rescue in the sea of cortez may 24,2012 youtube. Whale watchers in the sea of cortez save a young whale caught in a fishing net. On this voyage of discovery, youll share some of the same experiences steinbeck recorded in his book, the log from the sea of cortez. The capital, horta, is a base for whale watching trips to see species which include sperm and.
Orcas killer whales in cabo san lucas whale watch cabo tours. Opportunities to see blue, fin, humpback, brydes, sperm, and killer whales in the sea of cortez. If youre here just for the sea kayaking, the best time to visit baja is the end of octearly dec, as well as marapr, as the wind drops and the sea of cortez is clear and calm. Divers can swim with 10metre whale sharks off the coast of santa maria island, and with. Experience the unforgettable discovering the sea of cortez. Humpbacks and gray whales are the most commonly sighted. The blue whales of the loreto marine reserve, baja california sur. Designated by unesco as a marine world heritage site and dubbed by jacques cousteau, the worlds aquarium, the islands of the sea of cortez are places of legendary biodiversity. Whales worldwide and whale watch west cork run tours to baja and the sea of cortez every february.
Approximately 900 species of fish have been recorded, including leaping mobula rays and the largest fish in the world, the whale shark. Moving slowly through the water, filtering thousands of gallons per day, these fish glean their nutrients from the rich winter waters of the sea of cortez. Baja california holidays let you witness the spectacular migration of gray whale and giant sea turtle. Balaenoptera musculus blue whale expert dr diane gendron believes that, what you do in your every day work is the most important thing in life, so find what pleases you the most, and do it well. The sea of cortez also known as the the gulf of california is a unesco world heritage site. Our 9day midwinter kayaking adventure in the sea of cortez with whale watching in magdalena bay, offers the experience of a lifetime for kayakers, bird and wildlife lovers, whale watching enthusiasts and outdoor adventurers. Our experienced professional pilots will fly you direct from san diego, ca to the remote corners of this exceptional baja peninsula. The sea of cortez is frequented by the largest and most varied population of. Not only is this the best time to view a variety of sea life in the sea of cortez, it is the best time to view gray whales and their babies. Combination gray whale trips plus whale watching on the sea of cortez for the very largest whales, blue whales and gray whales. Baja holidays on the california peninsula are actually in mexico, but are so called because they separate the pacific from the gulf of california aka sea of cortes. It starts with flying to guerrero negro, a 2 hours flight. The worlds aquarium, the sea of cortez, offers vacationers an abundance of water activities, including swimming with gentle whale sharks.
The raw untouched beauty of the sea and surrounding islands offers the explorer a true adventure. This is where all the wildlife action takes place and this islandhopping adventure takes you into a world of sea turtles, boobies, pelicans, frigate birds, blue whales, grey whales, orca, humpback, pilot and fin whales, whale sharks, dolphins, mantas, and sea lions. Twenty different whale species have been seen around bajas sea of cortez and bajas pacific coast. Mexicobaja california sur sea of cortez destination 2009. Comfortable landbased accommodations in beautiful baja california. Kamila is here to plan your tailormade holiday to mexico. There are various grey whale watching baja trips we offer. Spot whales and dolphin pods, kayak waterlevel caves teeming with sea life, and visit santa rosalia on an 8day wildlife cruise through the sea of cortez. Fly in to our camp, get up close with the friendly gray whales. Humpback whale rescued on families vacation video abc news. The whale sharks usually congregate in the sea of cortez between november and april, but other locations will have different timeframes.
Whale watching, bird watching, snorkelling and other activities in the sea of cortez. Baja california, on the wild pacific coast of mexico, is the best place in the world to see whales in all their glory. Whale sharks are the largest known species of fish, growing to 12. Enter the california gray whale birthing lagoons of bahia magdalena for close encounters with these gentle giants, a rare privilege in the natural world. The beautiful blue seas and desert islands of the sea of cortez provide a memorable backdrop to day after day of amazing whalewatching. Choose from the best wildlife locations for a fantastic whale watching experience. The east coast of baja is bordered by the sea of cortez, supporting the largest and most varied population of whales in the world, as well as one of the last sanctuaries for the endangered finback and blue whales, the largest of the cetaceans twice the size of gray whale.
Discover the natural wonders of baja mexico and the sea of cortez, and witness the gray whale migration on an expedition cruise with national geographic. The blue whales of the loreto marine reserve the aquarium of the world is how the great jacques cousteau referred to the sea of cortez. We always hope for and expect to have a close encounter that includes touching or petting a whale. Grey whales, in particular, are a big attraction here because baja is famous for its prolific numbers, coming to sea of cortez to mate and clustering in sheltered lagoons. Whale watching tours and cruises baja california, gray and. The gray whale is the most common in the sea of cortez especially in the. Baja airventures has three oneofkind soft, ecoadventure baja whale watching tours youll love. Embarkation was in puerto penasco, known locally as rocky point. Baja and the sea of cortez adventure cruises, mexico. California peninsula the sea of cortez is a balmy 27c and swimming buddies are sea lions. Mexico scuba diving holidays and liveaboards sea of cortez. Don a mask and snorkel for a swim around the rocks and inlets of the islands and you will see why. Gray whale watching tours in baja california on the sea of cortez.
Plus explore the islands dotting the azure sea of cortez, one of the best places to see marine mammals. Expedition concludes at cabo san lucas, transfer to airport for homeward flights. February is peak month for both grey whales and visitors, and whale watching trips take place in magdalena bay and san ignacio lagoon. Interested in a scuba diving vacation in mexicos baja california. Explore the best of both baja, mexico coasts on an oars baja sea kayaking and whale watching adventure. Explore waterlevel caves by kayak, hike uninhabited beaches, snorkel among fish and acrobatic sea lions, and see colorful cactus blossoms. Humpback whales also pass through the waters of bcs between december and april, and can be spotted breaching on the horizon in both the pacific ocean and the sea of cortez. They are combined grey whale and blue whale watching trips. Thats why the zoologist mark carwardine heads there at this time every year.
Half day whale watching in the sea of cortez, mexico. Spring in the sea of cortez is the best time to see large pods of dolphins and various species of whalesblue, sperm, pilot, fin, humpback and brydesall in the same week. Our driver will meet you at the holiday inn bayside and we will take you to a 70miles journey to the ensenada airport. The sea of cortez is blessed, maybe not with such great concentration of whales per square mile, but with a variety of whale species, and high chances that you will see some whale activity practically any time of the year some species live here all year, see table above. On our expedition of pure discovery, we sail through these islands that lie in close proximity to the baja peninsula but have a palpable feel of rugged isolation. If closeup encounters with the worlds great whales is your thing, then look no further, this holiday is for you. Fully inclusive birdwatching and wildlife trips led by our team of expert guides. Mexico diving holidays, liveaboard cruises, underwater photography and scuba travel specialists. Transcript for humpback whale rescued on families vacation.
Mexico vacations at the sea of cortez usa today news. San ignacio lagoon and sea of cortez oceanic society. Magdalena bay area for more gray whales, as well as feeding blue and humpback whales further offshore and around cabo san lucas. Sea of cortez wildlife voyage mexico wildlife holiday latin. David wimpfheimer is a naturalist and biologist with a passion for the birds and natural history of the western united states. Whale watching holiday to mexico loreto whales worldwide. Baja airventures baja adventure travel, baja whale shark. Apr 24, 2014 blue whales filmed by nic slocum of whales worldwide in the sea of cortez during the tour in 2014. Today you will head out of loreto by small motorboat to spend approximately 4 hours looking for whales in the sea of cortez.
Blue whale research in the sea of cortez the blue whale. As late summer fades into autumn, pregnant gray whales depart the chukchi and bering seas, hugging the nearshore pacific coast for some 6,000 miles to baja, to bahia magdalena, the end of this long and arduous journey. Baja california holidays holidays in mexico journey latin america. In addition to running whales worldwide he is the director of whale watch west cork which runs boat based tours to watch and photograph whales and dolphins off the coast of southwest ireland. Whales world wide is the overseas whale and dolphin watching arm of whale watch west cork. How to go whale watching in baja california sur, mexico.
Journey to the sea of cortez whale shark departure by. Take our fully customizable weeklong sea of cortez vacation and discover what legendary explorer jacques cousteau dubbed the worlds aquarium. Jun 01, 2012 recent rescue of whale caught up in fishing lines and other debris in the sea of cortez, about 50 miles north of cabo in the sea of cortez, zachary pilek, was in the water with whale, and our. Swimming with whale sharks in the sea of cortez, mexico ze. Experience magical, close encounters with the friendly gray whale mothers and calves of san ignacio lagoon, a unesco world heritage site. Aug 28, 2017 the sea of cortez also known as the gulf of california is my new favorite sea. Whale watching, sea of cortez, mexico whale tours dive. We specialise in taking small parties of dedicated whale and dolphin watchers to different parts of the world to experience first hand the special. Nic slocum divides his time between west cork, ireland and other iconic whale watching destinations around the world.