2011 Baja Gray Whale Trip

Photo by Doug Balcomb

This is an AMAZING experience - come join us & the Gray whales in Baja~

VISIT THE GRAY WHALES OF BAJA'S SAN IGNACIO LAGOON WITH ORCA NETWORK!

Join our Five-day Expedition to Baja to visit the friendly Gray Whales of San Ignacio Lagoon March 9 - 13, 2011.

Orca Network is pleased to announce our 5th trip to San Ignacio Lagoon, Baja, Mexico to visit the Gray Whales in one of their birthing lagoons, and learn about the amazing ecosystems of Baja's Biosphere Reserve. The trip will raise much needed funding for Orca Network's Sighting Network and education programs, while providing an opportunity to watch and learn about the gray whales on the southern end of their migration, and experience the "Friendly Grays" of Baja.

Please let us know if you are interested in joining us on our 2011 trip - the cost for this year's trip is:
$2500 per person, including biosphere & tourist cards (the rate has been lowered to this base price).

A deposit of $750 is required to reserve and confirm your space; final payment of the balance is due Dec. 1, 2010.

For photos from some of our previous trips, visit these links:

Trip and camp info and photos from earlier gray whale trips to Baja
Facebook photos
Picassa photos
More Picassa photos 2011 Baja Gray Whale trip Registration Form.

More about our trip to San Ignacio:

The wonderful crew at the camp share their knowledge of the beautiful Baja Biosphere Reserve, teaching us about the marine and intertidal life, desert plant life, and more - along with two whale watches daily for amazing encounters with Gray whales. The moms and calves share precious moments with us, and we'll observe spyhopping, breaching, mating, and other behaviors those of us up north don't often observe.

Then there is the unbelievable experience of the small percentage of Grays in the lagoon that are known as the "Friendlies" - the whales that approach the boats for friendly encounters that are indescribable.The mothers bring their young calves up to be rubbed and splashed by the delighted people on board the small boats, or pangas, in the lagoon. "We've had occasions where a mother gray would push her calf right up to the boat, holding the calf between her body and the boat," said Susan Berta of Orca Network. "Even though we've experienced this phenomenon for several years in a row now, I still find it difficult to believe the whales exhibit this behavior", Berta stated.

"The only word to describe this experience is TRUST. The Gray whale moms show an enormous amount of trust when they bring their babes over to our boats. The young calves show trust when they nudge their round noses up into our faces. And we humans, who suddenly feel very small when Mom (all 45 - 50' of her) is right under our small boat, her head on one side, her flukes on the other - have to trust that the whales won't harm us. One flick of her flukes, and mom could toss our boat into the air - but they are as gentle with us as we are with them. We may not speak the same language, but there is a shared spirit of love and one-ness when you are in the waters with these whales".

This is not an experience you will have in US waters, where it is illegal to approach or touch a marine mammal. But in the birthing lagoons of Baja, these whales have been approaching the small Mexican pangas for several decades, seeking out human touch, and this eco-tourism industry has helped communities who are finding it increasingly difficult to survive on declining fisheries.

"We were very impressed with how the local communities operate and regulate the whale watching eco-tourism in San Ignacio Lagoon, and feel it is an incredible model for sustainable whale watching and tourism in a remote and pristine area."

The trip departs from San Diego, CA March 9 and returns March 13, 20110. Cost of the trip is $2700 (or register by Sept. 1, 2010 and save $200) and includes transportation from San Diego to Campo Cortez, Baja, meals, lodging, and whale watching. Participants are responsible for flight to San Diego & lodging the nights before/after the trip. A portion of the trip fee is a tax-deductible contribution to Orca Network.

For more information, contact Orca Network at info@orcanetwork.org or 360-678-3451.
We hope you can join us on this year's adventure - space is limited, so make your reservation now!

Susan Berta & Howard Garrett,
Orca Network, Greenbank, WA