This island-studded marine wilderness is often referred to as the ‘Mexican Galapagos’ and it boasts one of the greatest diversities of sea life anywhere on Earth. Baja California is one of the longest and wildest peninsulas in the world, stretching from the Californian border to the town of Cabo San Lucas, more than 800 miles to the south. It is flanked on one side by the cool waters of the North Pacific and on the other by the warm nutrient rich waters of the Sea of Cortez.

 

It is a truly outstanding area for whales and dolphins, quite simply one of the best in the world, and these waters provide rich feeding grounds for Blue, Fin, Humpback, Gray, Bryde’s, Minke, Sperm and Short-finned Pilot Whales. We also expect to see Pacific White-sided Dolphins, Bottlenose Dolphins (both inshore and offshore forms), and Short-beaked and Long-beaked Common Dolphins, and for the very keen, Dwraf Sperm Whale.  In fact, we are frequently surrounded by herds of dolphins numbering well over a thousand individuals, bubbling out of the sea in every direction, with small groups frequently venturing in to bow ride with us. On previous trips we have been joined by pods of bow riding Orcas, lunge feeding Blue Whales and groups of up to 20 Sperm Whales. In addition to the female Gray Whales and their calves waiting for us even before we dropped anchor in their breeding lagoon, other memorable moments include male Humpbacks that repeatedly breach (one 60 times in succession) just a few metres from us, thirty tons of whale makes quite a noise and a splash when it hits the water!  Our ever growing list includes False Killer Whales, an hour long encounter with a Whale Shark and Spinner Dolphins. A remarkable 13 species of cetacean were seen on one trip alone, including at least 300 whale sightings and well over 6000 dolphins. The endangered Guadalupe Fur Seal, endemic to this region, has also been seen well in the last few years. 2009 brought more breaching Humpbacks including a mother and calf in unison amongst the many sightings and amazing encounters. 2010 yielded all our favourites again, Grays, Blues (including a ‘fluker’), breaching Humpbacks, Sperm, Bryde’s and Pilot Whales plus lots of dolphins

 

During this fabulous holiday, pioneering many years ago in the UK by WildOceans, we travel the length of Baja California and explore the Sea of Cortez. We cruise south from San Diego along the Pacific coast of the peninsula, stopping at remote offshore islands for nature walks, bird watching, visits to Guadalupe Fur and Northern Elephant Seal rookeries and exploring tide pools. We will also be looking for migrating whales, dolphins, as well as other marine mammals and seabirds along the way. This is an excellent area for Blue Whales and we are likely to encounter several mother and calf pairs.

 

Every autumn, thousands of Gray Whales migrate from their summer feeding grounds in the Bering and Chukchi Seas, to the protected lagoons off the west coast of Baja California, where they mate and calve. We spend two whole days in San Ignacio Lagoon, one of their major calving lagoons, which attracts literally hundreds of whales. Our small Mexican boats, or ‘pangas’, allow us to approach the animals unobtrusively. Photographic opportunities are excellent, as here the ‘friendly’ Gray Whales are famous for approaching the pangas at arm’s length. They often nudge the side of the boat and frequently lie alongside it waiting to be rubbed by your hands; their mouths open displaying huge fringed curtains of creamy white baleen plates. Eye to eye contact with these amazing animals is something you will never forget, we guarantee it! The lagoon is also a wintering ground for migrating birds and while exploring the mangrove channels, we will look out for Mangrove Warbler, White-faced Ibis, Elegant Terns, Reddish Egrets, Brown Pelicans and numerous waders.

 

Rounding the tip of the peninsula, we then enter the Sea of Cortez, the youngest and perhaps the richest sea in the world. Nutrients from deep submarine canyons feed abundant fish and plankton near the surface. We spend the remainder of the expedition cruising its tropical waters looking for cetaceans and other wildlife and exploring its fascinating islands. In this area we often encounter numerous Humpbacks feeding, and courting. We will usually spend time watching incredible displays of breaching, flipper slapping and lobtailing.  There are also over 600 species of fish here, including huge Manta Rays, mobulas and several species of shark. We have had great views of Blue and Hammerhead Sharks, and we usually see turtles, Sailfish and huge Sunfish too.  At night we may marvel at bioluminescent seas and watch seahorses, sea snakes and flying fish as they are drawn to the ship’s lights and if you are really lucky, bioluminescent dolphins! The bird life is spectacular, the islands support a large number of tropical birds including Blue-footed Boobies, Magnificent Frigatebirds, Red-billed Tropicbirds and a variety of hummingbirds including the endemic Xantu’s. On some islands, giant cacti such as the Cardon reach a height of over 65 feet (20 metres) and tower over a host of curiously shaped succulents. This is the territory of some intriguing bird species such as Cactus Wren, Grey Thrasher and Gila Woodpecker, as well as many other specialised desert inhabitants including various lizards and the endemic Rattleless Rattlesnake (which are harmless).

 

Our transition from temperate to tropical waters makes this an extraordinarily rich and varied expedition. These are days packed with more superb whale and dolphin watching, shore walks to investigate spectacular forests of cacti, tide pools and mangroves, some excellent bird watching, and snorkelling with colourful fish and inquisitive California Sea Lions.

 

Mike and Brian, the skippers, the vessel and its crew combine with our leaders to make this, for many people, one of the best natural history trips. “Mind blowing”, “Brilliant”, “Fantastic”, “Best wildlife encounters I have ever had anywhere in the world” are just a few examples of the post-trip comments we have received from previous clients. Our leaders have travelled on this amazing journey many times, Scot “Sharkman” Anderson and David Wimpfheimer are both superb all round naturalists with David having a special leaning towards birds. We pioneered this incredible voyage on this amazing vessel back in 1998 and have run it every year since.  Baja is truly a life experience you cannot afford to miss.

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Holiday Information

Dates:  25th March – 7th April 2011

Naturalists/guides: Scot Anderson and David Wimpfheimer

Cost:  £3549         

Max no of participants: 26

Deposit:  £500 per person

 

Price includes: Economy class flights including pre-paid taxes.  Overnight hotel accommodation in San Diego in rooms with private facilities, on a room only basis. Travel and accommodation aboard the Spirit of Adventure, an 88-foot long, U.S registered boat, air-conditioned with mostly twin (two triple) cabins. Cabins are small (for sleeping and changing), with limited storage space only. There is a spacious salon for relaxing, socialising and eating. Four toilets and three hot freshwater showers. Three sturdy 22-foot long Mexican pangas operated by local fishermen are used for close encounters with Gray Whales in San Ignacio Lagoon (the Spirit of Adventure’s skiffs are used at all other times).  All meals aboard the Spirit of Adventure, all transfers, services of leaders, shore excursions as described, lagoon permits, Mexican visas, WildOceans pre-trip information pack plus cetacean and bird checklist for use on tour. (Costed at £1 = USD1.5)

 

Price excludes: Meals in San Diego, drinks, crew gratuities aboard vessel (we suggest $10-15 per day), panga boatman tips ($15-20 per person) and other items of a personal nature and travel insurance.

Single room supplement in San Diego £55. Optional birding excursion in San Diego £75.

 

NB: We can also offer places on the Spirit of Adventure on her similar 11- 21 March 2011 trip (£TBA* per person twin share), and the Searcher, 23^rd January – 3^rd February, 24^th March – 4^th April and 8^th – 21st April 2011 (£2679* per person twin share), vessel dates only. Please ask us for more details. (* These are voyage only, exclude flights and pre-voyage hotel which we can arrange for you, and will not include an escort pre/post cruise or optional birding excursions in San Diego.)

 

2012: 25th March – 7th April, you may advance register now for just £50 per person.

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WildOceans Baja California Selected previous trip sightings:

Gray Whale

Minke Whale

Sei Whale

Bryde’s Whale

Blue Whale 

Fin Whale

Humpback Whale

Sperm Whale

Dwarf Sperm Whale

Pilot Whales

Orca

Long-beaked Common Dolphin

Bottlenose Dolphin

Pacific White-sided Dolphin

Harbour Seal

California Sea Lion

Northern Elephant Seal

Guadalupe Fur Seal

Pacific Green Turtle

Loggerhead Turtle

California Flying Fish

Humboldt Squid

Manta Ray (Moghula)

Various sharks

 

Selected seabirds: Laysan Albatross and Black-footed Albatrosses, Pinked-footed and Black-vented Shearwaters, Black and Least Storm Petrels, Red-billed Tropicbird, Blue Footed and Brown Boobies, Brown Pelican, Brandt’s Double-crested and Pelagic Cormorants, Magnificent Frigatebird, Pomarine Skua, Heermann’s, California, Yellow-footed, Western and Sabine’s Gulls, Caspian and Royal Terns, Xantus’ and Craveri’s Murrelets, Cassin’s Auklet plus shorebirds such as Surfbird, Wandering Tattler, Black Turnstone and Willet, land bird endemics such as Xantus’ Hummingbird and Grey Thrasher.  Landing on various desert islands, we also expect Gila Woodpeckers, Cactus Wrens and Phainopepla and many more species ashore.

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Itinerary

Day 1: Fly from London Heathrow to San Diego via Houston, transfer to hotel, overnight.

Day 2: Optional birding excursion by bus (6 am- 4 pm) or day at leisure, city sightseeing, shopping etc.

Early evening board the Spirit of Adventure and sail

Day 3:  Isla Todos Santos for nesting seabirds and Harbour Seals

Day 4:  Isla San Benitos to view a Northern Elephant Seal rookery, California Sea Lions, Ospreys and desert plants and on the west island of San Benitos to seek the very rare and endemic Guadalupe Fur Seal.

Days 5-6: San Ignacio Lagoon for close encounters with ‘friendly’ Gray Whales

Day 7: Magdalena Bay area for more Gray Whales, as well as feeding Blue and Humpback Whales further offshore and around Cabo San Lucas.

Days 8-12: Whale watching, bird watching, snorkelling and other activities in the Sea of Cortez

Day 13: Expedition concludes at Cabo San Lucas, transfer to airport and depart for home via Houston.

Day 14: Arrive London Heathrow.

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Tour Leaders

Scot Anderson ‘Sharkman’, Scot Anderson conducted research on seabirds in Hawaii and Alaska for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and works for the National Park Service near San Francisco. He is an independent wildlife researcher and since 1987 has worked for the Point Reyes Bird Observatory on the Farallon Islands White Shark Project, developing photo-identification techniques. He also studies salmon sharks in Alaska. Scot is an experienced wildlife photographer and has led many trips since 1987, to Baja California, Belize and Midway Atoll.

David Wimpfheimer is a naturalist and biologist with a passion for the birds and natural history of the Western United States. His esearch and studies have taken him from seabird rookeries in Alaska to the forests of the Sierra and deserts of the South West U.S. and Baja California. David's extensive knowledge of the natural history of California is incorporated into his customised birding tours as well as with groups such as the Smithsonian Institution, Point Reyes Field Seminars, California Academy of Sciences, Oceanic Society and the National Audubon Society.