Protected from the rolling, open Pacific by sandy Isla Magdelena, we slept hard and awoke rested for a day in the sun. This lagoon not only makes for a great anchorage, but also harbors giant cetaceans and their not-so-giant offspring. Taking to our Zodiacs, we zipped along mangroves and sand dunes to the spot where California grey whales are regularly found. We followed many cow-calf pairs by spotting short, bushy clouds of water vapor projected high above the wind-tossed water with each exhalation. Tidal currents are magnified through the narrow Boca de Soledad and it was here that most pairs were found holding their position against the running tide. These whales will start a migration to the Arctic any day now so it’s easy to imagine them using the running tide as a watery treadmill, especially for the 3 month old calfs. We rattled off a dozen shots with each breaching baby and pointed at distant, tombstone-shaped heads held high out of the water. An adult grey whale spyhopping in the distance is very difficult to miss. It could be easily mistaken for a gray monolith at once there, the next second razed by the sea.
Rosy cheeks and permanent smiles were required attire for the evening’s entertainment. A local band from the nearby town of Lopez Mateos, Los Coyotes de Magdelena, strummed Mexican tunes and added a bit of flair to our celebration of the grey whale. We are all very excited to see what tomorrow morning brings and just how curious the young whales will be.
