Mar Cortez
Azure is the colour of her warm
breath...
As she breathed over my body.
Then she whispered...
In our solitudes...we find our hearts.
Phill Michael
May 2002
Tales from Secret Spot Baja
March 15th 2003
|
Mar Cortez Azure is the colour of her warm
breath... Phill Michael |
|
Notes
from the editor...
Fresh from an impromptu cat skiing/snowboarding trip in the
Kootenays of Southern BC (Click here to view
movie
clip of "Didi sprays the camera") and on the verge of a Caribou
hunt in
Canada’s sub Arctic zone, Baja seems like a distant, warm planet. This morning,
as I stared out the window at the snow and listened (over a crystal clear phone
line) to Michael Fishbach excitedly rave about swimming with a Blue Whale in my
beloved Sea of Cortez…I was reminded of why I do what I do…and why I wake up
each day thinking that I should probably try and live to be a couple hundred
years old…if not forever. That way, I might be able to do everything I want to
do …and meet everybody I need to meet.
Many thanks always go to those who support Secret Spot and I appreciate receiving their musings regarding trips of yesteryear. These communications make all my hard work a supreme pleasure. As I take a day to edit the submissions for this publication and compile relevant pictures, my heart soars and I dream of a the shape of things to come...as well as the incredible events that the future constantly delivers.
Editing the first secretspotbaja.com ‘newsletter’ was something I was looking forward to- as it provides me with time to reflect on adventures in the past…and plan well into the future.
Each person that has been good enough to join me on these expeditions provides me with inspiration to continue looking for the ultimate Secret Spot. The realization that one can not completely plan adventure…only live it…continues to make me wish I never had to sleep. =^)
'As per the intro to my 2003 calendar' (please email me at 2003calendar@secretspotbaja.com to get a calendar):
Despite the beautiful, and sometimes hellacious, times that the River of Life has provided us with over the last couple of years…we have managed to get through the rapids and find solace in calmer waters. In an age of political turmoil and tension, I still look at the world through rose coloured glasses and urge you to spend a week or three with me this year…or consider building your custom hideaway in an idyllic, tropical, self-sustaining community.
If you find the ‘end of the summer blues' start to get you down…make your way to the Rancho Macho and join us for the harvest work and post harvest Bacchanalian festivities.
I hope you enjoy reading the first of many our newsletters, which will be published quarterly. If you ever have the desire to add to these writings, join us for some enlightening activity, or just feel like communicating…don’t even hesitate for a nanosecond, and email me at phill@secretspotbaja.com.
Hasta Muy Pronto
Phill =^)
|
The marina in Loreto is absolutely wild with diving
birds this year. Pelicans are
plunging into the water at times by the hundreds inside the marina and
they often miss boats by less than a foot.
Blue footed boobies are diving en masse usually just outside the
marina, and cormorants are swimming all over the place and coming up with
fish. We began the season of looking for whales in early
February. There were finbacks
around and quite a few of
them had calves. Also,
several blue whales could usually be seen between 1 and 3 each day.
There was one very special cow/calf pair that were easygoing and
great to view. The cow always lifted her huge fluke when diving.
They have been around for a full month now. The most exciting spectacle of February was a pod of 40
false killer whales. These
fierce predators were followed for hours, and once hundreds of fish
erupted from the sea just in front of them.
They breached many times and I am looking very forward to seeing
pictures that I took of them.
The males were almost 20 feet long and weighed about 2 tons. As February came to a close, more and more blue
whales began to appear as did lots and lots of manta rays, which could be
observed jumping into the air every day.
This season could also be the best ever here for humpbacks. There
are many here already, and usually we observe just 3 or 4 in a season.
We have seen the humpbacks breaching --an awesome sight! There have been some fantastic blue and finback whale
surface feeding displays, and in one location north of Loreto, 30 whales
were seen in one bay, with most of them surface feeding. This was one of the most incredible sights I have ever
witnessed in my 11 years at sea. There do not seem to be as many dolphins around as
usual, but still they can be observed every day.
They have not been jumping as much as in past years.
We have also been twice graced with the presence of pilot whales,
huge melon-headed, big toothed predators, which gave us very close views of
their massive odd shaped dark bodies. At present we expect to see at least 15/20 whales
each day we go out. Yes, it is a fine season, not very windy in February,
and a little bit more moody with wind here in March. It should be mentioned that it rained 4 times in one week in February and the desert has more wildflowers on the ground than I have ever seen. Also, the canyon fresh water swimming is fantastic this year. We observed 3 rainbows one day while at sea-- a record here. All the very best from the field ! Michael
|
|
Report
from the field |
|
Hello Family and Friends!
Today finds all of our family doing well here in Baja California.
The things we are seeing on the water this year have taken on an almost
unbelievable form.
In the past 3 days we had one day with 15 blue whales and a
breaching humpback, another with 30 surface feeding finback whales all very
close together plus another breaching humpback, and yesterday with the whole
family aboard, we saw 20 blue whales including 4 mother-baby pairs and had one
friendly whale that we were able to easily get into the water and swim with.
For me, this was a dream come true. This
is a very unusual event to
have happen, but we had a very large and curious calf, probably almost 45 feet
long and I was able to spend 20 minutes in the water with it.
To see its body - the whole thing - again and again; to see the movements
and the coloring; the way she powered through the sea and then became so
calm; the way she seemed to flick her huge tail and disappear and then come
back; look at me and glide below me; then erupt to the surface to breath... was
fantastic! I almost had to throw Heather in the water, as she was
intimidated, but she finally went in and had a minute or two of seeing this
fantastic whale. Sather ducked his
head over the side with a mask on and saw her, and Delphi screamed with joy as
she watched from the deck, announcing where the whale was to all of us as she
followed it by its coloration visible through the surface. The
day before we had 10 finbacks approaching our small boat at one time from every
direction, all within 100 yards of us and there we sat, engine off. Wow! It was a
fantastic experience. The surface feeding has been incredible! Many
times we have seen wide open mouths, moving through krill patches just at the
surface, and many times we have seen swollen ventral pouches up above the
surface at times pink with surface blood. The
pictures and memories from this past week are very, very special for me and to
share yesterday with my family, was great.
The dolphins have been fantastic as well, with their daily
displays of bow riding and jumping. We have discovered some great new beaches
here, one with 7 rock arches, including a room with 4 exits to the sea.
My lasting memory of this season in Baja
is of great old friends, great new
friends, and a sea so alive that it seemed as if I were alive hundreds of years
ago before humans began to take the lives of so very many of these magnificent
creatures that I am blessed to see many of each and every day the wind does not
blow.
Love and peace to you all from this place where the news of
the day is what is going on in the natural world.
Michael
Michael Fishbach
Marine Mammal Specialist for Secret
Spot SA de CV
TALES FROM A SECRET SPOT by Paul Dalgliesh
|
As I sit here in my favorite coffee shop in the center of Montreal, peering out at the whiteout caused by a sudden, January blizzard, I am reminded of warmer times, spent in the company of Phill Michael and his Secret Spot Adventures. My name is Paul Dalgleish, and I have had the distinct pleasure of being a close friend of Phill since he was a wee lad of 13.
|
|
| During this lengthy span of time I
have also had the opportunity to share many adventures with Phill, both
informally, and as a paying client. (One day I’ll tell you about his attempts
to teach me how to snowboard, which only resulted in my sustaining a concussion
once, and blowing out my left knee another time.) Now that Phill has gotten
organized with this website, I will attempt to periodically regale you with some
of these adventures, in hopes of not only entertaining you, but also of giving
you a closer glimpse into the complex genius that is Phill Michael. (He promised
that if I said nice things about him, he’d give me a deal on my next
adventure. Kidding!) My
girlfriend, Vanessa, and I have recently returned from a 365 day trip around the
world. (In a shameless attempt at self promotion, you can also read about our
adventures on my website at http://www.telusplanet.net/~rmanke/dogdish/.)
I believe this recent experience, and many other past trips, qualify me to make
certain judgments and comparisons with regards to my trips with Phill.
Certainly, they rank at or near the top of my travel experiences. Phill’s
bottomless energy levels, his twisted sense of humor, as well as his positive
perspective on life, almost always equals a memorable time for anyone traveling
with him. That’s not to say that he doesn’t screw up sometimes! ( I’ll
spill the beans unless I get that deal, Phill!) One
of my first Baja adventures was a solo trip with just Phill and I wandering the
southern portion of the Baja Peninsula for 10 days, racking up thousands of
often-grueling kilometers, all the while trying to sample as much as this
remarkable land had to offer. One
of our first stops was a small uninhabited island a couple of kilometers offshore
on the Sea of Cortez. We drove to a large, mostly deserted port south of Loreto,
arriving late in the evening. Apparently it had been constructed years before by
the Mexican government in hopes of developing a large, vibrant port in this
ideally suited bay. But the money well ran dry, and a successive government
abandoned the project, leaving only partially constructed concrete piers, break
walls, and buildings. Now they were left untended to slowly disintegrate under
the unrelenting elements: the sun, wind, and salt water; a proverbial ghost
port. With
only a partial moon, and the trucks headlights to light our way, we laid out our
foam pads and sleeping bags at the end of one of
the docks. We needed to get some shut-eye before setting out for the
island in the morning in our 2-man kayak. Since this was my first experience in
the Baja, I was a little nervous at being so exposed, lying there staring at the
stars, with no cover from the elements or from strangers. I took some comfort in
the fact that Phill didn’t even bother to lock the truck, which told me that
he considered the area safe. As well, we hadn’t seen a soul since we had
arrived. With
the rising of the sun, I awoke from a surprisingly deep sleep to the sound of
movement around me. I opened my eyes and was surprised to see a number of
Mexican fishermen gingerly stepping around the prone shapes of Phill and I in an
attempt to get their boats and gear into the water, without disturbing our
slumber. They seemed not the least bit surprised at the sight of two gringos
sleeping on their dock. I think I was the only one taken aback. As I quickly
stepped into some shorts, and rolled up my kit, they mostly ignored us, more
intent on getting to their fishing spot by feeding time. We
pulled out the kayak, packed our food and supplies, and soon set out for the
island. In the protected harbor, the water was dead calm, and the paddling
effortless. As we got out into the open sea however, the water got choppier, and
soon I was sweating profusely, despite the early morning chill. Unaccustomed to
paddling a kayak, I was getting pretty uncomfortable. Phill never even blinked;
this was second nature to him. As we approached our destination, my whining was
suddenly interrupted by a large sea lion, who popped up unexpectedly right
beside the kayak, and proceeded to bawl out what must have been a stream of
obscenities in sea lion talk, perhaps for us having invaded his turf. While I
nearly peed myself in surprise, Phill seemed unimpressed. He assured me we had
nothing to fear from the sea lions. He said being rammed by a whale was of much
greater concern. I wasn’t sure if he was kidding or not, but I did shut up and
redouble my paddling efforts. Our
chosen secret spot was a tiny island, maybe a kilometer around, consisting
mostly of rock, scrub brush, cacti, and a few trees. A secluded lagoon, with a
small, sandy beach provided a cozy sanctuary from any passing boats. For all
intense purposes, it was just Phill and I for a couple of days of total peace
and quiet. The first thing Phil told me to do was take off my watch. I wouldn’t
need it here. I soon stopped worrying about the time of day, and let myself
relax completely. One thing I learned quickly about traveling with Phill…you
had better not be in a hurry. You’re on Phill time now! During
the daylight hours, we passed our time reading, snorkeling, swimming, sun
tanning and exploring the rest of the island. We lay on the beach staring at
passing clouds, often conjuring up the same images. Phill was a real trooper for
trying to teach me how to spearfish while snorkeling. Of course, I caught
nothing, and consider myself fortunate that I didn’t impale myself on the
sharp spear, or worse, mistake the portly, wetsuit clad Phill for a potential
tuna steak dinner. I marveled at his ability to free dive to amazing depths in
search of game. Long after I took refuge from the chilly waters, Phill remained,
repeatedly diving and resurfacing. The tropical fish he caught for dinner didn’t
look very appetizing, but inevitably became mouthwatering, culinary delights in
his skilled hands. I was impressed with the elaborate meals he could concoct
with only the limited spices, vegetables, and canned goods we could cram aboard
the kayak. Darkness
came shortly after six. After eating and some fireside chat, there was nothing
else to do but go to bed early. As the fire burned to embers, but for the
starlit sky, there was utter blackness. Lying on the soft sand, curled up in a
down bag to protect against the cool, desert night, I fell asleep easily.
My last thought before dozing off
was that this was the perfect antidote for the hectic, manic, lifestyle
that I was leading at the time. Time
passed and all too quickly, it seems we were paddling away from that little
piece of paradise. We were sad to leave, but at the same time, eager to move on
to new adventures. We were not disappointed. Symbolically
perhaps, as I finish this tale, the blizzard has suddenly stopped, the clouds
have parted, and the winter sun is shining brilliantly on the freshly fallen
snow. Hmm! To
be continued….
|
|
A PLEASANT SURPRISE by Tom W
|
I
pictured my first Baja sea kayaking trip with sweat constantly pouring down my
face and the salt water stinging my eyes as I tried to paddle, just to move a
few meters a minute,
into the blowing headwind. I thought that after unloading the kayaks,
with the flies constantly on red alert, the tents would be quickly
put up just to find shelter from the sun and wind.
I imagined picking the beach particles out of my dinner as the only
constant adventure and that the Secret Spot was really just the best place to take a
dump without walking too far. I expected the sun to bake me alive at 7am in the
tent and envisioned myself dreaming of a warm shower, soft bed and a cold beer. When
Phill met me at the airport in Loreto, I was in for a surprise.
|
|
| The
Baja adventure was unbelievably beautiful!
Snorkeling in crystal clear coves, paddling with dolphins, and nightly
feasts on the beach (including ingesting a tasty fish that I caught). Phill
took care of everything-- from food to daily activities--with endless
enthusiasm. His ability to make the trip a relaxing one was great. Just what I
needed! Highlights?
The comedy of the posing
‘muscle woman’? A sea of glass with the moon and stars mirrored upon
it? Naked women in the pool after the kayak trip? The jugs of margaritas at
Phill’s favorite restaurant in the World? Hmmmm… The trip was one of the most relaxing and fun I have ever had the chance to be on and I would go back in a heartbeat. |
|
|
KELLY'S
SECRET SPOTS |
|
The secret is not to tell too many people about it or you will find everyone going there! The spot itself may not be so secret, but the experiences you choose become your own. They will forever be imprinted on you mind as yours alone!
I had never been on a plane in my life - except to jump from one - so the plane ride alone was a thrill. I had never been outside the Great Canadian border; this was my first opportunity to experience Baja and, of course, The Sea of Cortez.
The first day was amazing, even before I had touched the water. The small town of Loreto, with its tiny shops, offered food fresh from the ocean plus great tasting margaritas and beer. Both the culture of the small town and the local people were accommodating. There is even interesting history there. The hotel offered all that you could want in any fancy resort. To be viewed right from the beach were the most amazing sun rises - the pictures do not do it justice. However, you had to get up really early to catch this at the perfect light.
Perfect Light
The ocean itself holds a lot of secrets and fabulous spots. I have never before experienced the same feeling of awe for anything. It was a mixture of fear and respect for everything around me. This was all caught in moments of reaching for something as innocent as a shell that moves at your presence and exposes nothing of itself; looking at the bottom of the ocean and realizing that all you see is living; watching as the sting ray that hide under the sand and move as your shadow falls across its back lifting and scattering the sand as he moves a few feet and then reburies himself; and the grinning of the moray eel - like a Cheshire cat with fangs - from a coral reef. All around were other wonderful sights! The star fish have more than 6 arms as we so often see in the story books, and the colors are not just red , but different shades of pink, orange, red and white. The stone fish lives up to his name and looks as a stone but, there could be a painful consequence if you touch it. The parrot fish move with the waves in a rainbow of colors.
Kayak Camp
Trying to find the names of all the creatures that occupy one tiny cove would leave the mind exhausted, but just to admire the beauty leaves an indelible impression. Dolphins dive and feed in circles around your kayak and large sea turtles feed on squid as your kayak hovers inches above their massive bodies. So close to are you that you can see the battles won and lost as they nibbled on the giant squid. To experience the appearance of a whale fluke off the bow of your boat a hundred meters away is an awakening to the power that the ocean, or at least its inhabitants, hold.
Waking up on the beach
My personal fascination was the hermit crabs (Click here to view movie of "Tasty Breakfast") that occupy the left over shells of another species. To see a shell of any size slide only a few inches and stop, then skitter sideways was as much of a surprise as the tiny occupant of the shell. As they become upset with you for even thinking that you can handle them, their tiny well-shaped claws reach out and attempt to pinch you. The amazing thing that I learned was the ways of survival inherent in all things and I found a new respect for the vast world below the water once ventured into and not just traveled on. I truly hope to return again to my secret spot.
A BUDDING SPEARFISHERMAN by Tom H
I am sitting here trying to conjure up a single adjective that embodies the essence of my time with Phill in the Baja. The conclusion that I have reached is that there isn't one! I had the honor of experiencing a remote, beautiful and warm secret spot of the world that is teaming with life and culture. I also was able to experience all of these things in the company of family and friends. Secluded dives sites and a three-day mule trip (Click here to see the movie 'A Boy and his Mulla') into a spectacular canyon were two of the highlights of the trip. Also, the opportunity to 'chill' in a rural Mexican town experiencing day to day life, learn a new language and cruise at over the desert in the Toad Mobile were the more intimate details that made this trip complete.
Allow me to start with the diving. My first look at Baja was on the morning after we arrived- a drive to Phill’s seaside spearfishing hut- where we staged my first Secret Spot dive south of the 49th parallel. The paved road soon ended when we turned to an off track route to where our private panga lay in wait for our arrival. We arrived at the beach and were welcomed by a local fisherman named Antonio. He divides his time between living in the town of Loreto and bunking in his little house on the beach. Here, we loaded all our gear into the boat and were off to our first dive site. For the next few days, we dove some of the most amazing spots I have ever been. Hundreds of parrot fish, along with a great diversity in vegetation surrounded us in the warm water. Phill would always carry his trusty spear gun for some fresh fishes. Then came the day when, at last, I was given the role of spear fishing apprentice and allowed to carry a gun on dives. This was very exciting; however, it proved to be much more challenging then I had originally expected. It seems that the fish have extra sensory perception when it comes to spears; they avoid them at all costs. Even when I did get close enough to one to fire, something would go wrong. These situations would usually end in me promptly shooting a rock. I shot many rocks. The rocks feared me, but the fish just seemed to laugh. Nevertheless, such dives held a magnitude and variety of fish such that I had never seen. Phill managed to harvest a ton of Parrot fish, that we gave to the locals and dined on for days. "Click here to view Movie 'I got that one'."
Phill with the Parrots
Next on our adventure, we departed from Loreto on a four hour drive north under the blazing Mexican sun. On our way, we happened across a small town centered around a beautiful Catholic church. A short stop to gain hydration, stretch our legs and poke around this wonderfully isolated town and we were one our way! We arrived deep within the mountains where our sure-footed mules awaited. We loaded up our respective mules with gear and provisions, including lobsters caught on the dive the previous night. The lobsters resided in the DC twelve-volt cooler that was comically strapped to the back of a burro. Once rigged with gear we departed on our slow and steady journey into the depths of the canyon (Click here to view movie of 'Do the donkeys have names?'). . How thankful I was of confidence and amazing abilities of the mules; they never faltered. There were many sections of our descent of the canyon that I would not undertake on my own two feet. We tempted gravity as we slowly made our way along the edges of the canyon wall. The occasional shout to the burros, a distant eagle call, and having to steer around eight foot cacti all add to the surreal atmosphere.
| The next day we were woken by the cries of the canyon birds. I poked my head out of my tent to see a few geckos scuttle away underneath what looked like the forming of a perfectly clear sky. Later that day we walked along a dry riverbed along the canyon floor, the towering walls funneled us down until we reached a steep incline. At the top we gasped at the sight of ancient cave paintings done by indigenous tribes of the area hundreds of years earlier. |
|
They were magnificent. Many were ten or twelve feet high depicting animals, people and hunting scenes. They were beautifully coloured and had wonderful detail considering the primitive methods of artistry of the time. I sat on the edge of a cliff backed by the paintings and looked down the length of the canyon.
Tom reflects at canyon's edge
The tops of the palm trees wrestled with each other as the wind passed through them; a time to sit and reflect. At that moment I felt totally secluded, happy and in synchronicity with nature. It was a feeling I have since fallen in love with and search to duplicate.
My time spent in the Baja is difficult to sum up in words. All I may offer is my best descriptions of the most amazing things I experienced. The opportunity to experience such things in an interactive and adventurous manner, as well as share the trip with family and friends, is rare and valuable. The people I met, the culture I was exposed to, and the natural world I briefly lived in, all created an adventure I will always remember fondly.
|
|
||
|
The canyon trip was actually as exciting as our sea kayak adventure in the the Sea of Cortez. After waiting for a bit of rare afternoon wind to die down, we set off in our double kayaks in relatively calm water- with our headlamps to light the way and locate our fellow crafts. When the wind returned and the breakers started to form near shore, we all headed in, surfing three boats abreast. With tremendous speed you guided us onto a sandy beach by the light of a bright, protective Mexican moon. After that wondrous experience, the fire we dried ourselves off with on shore was a great way to end another fun filled day. More Next Time...
|
|||
BAJA TRIPPING WITH A COBRA by Kevin L
|
|
|
| Discovery was simply a few feet
away, in any direction. The warm waters of the Cortez and the beautiful marine
life allowed for endless hours of underwater euphoria.
The backcountry hikes were an oasis of adventure and discovery far
separated from the busy city life. I have had the pleasure of being on 6 trips
with Phill. From ice climbing (Click
here for movie of "What's up with Kevin") to
scuba diving ( Click
here for movie of "There goes Kevin"
), many extreme elements have been challenged. The secret spot
adventure will continue - the Baja beckons. (Click
here for movie of "Excellent Bahoovian day")
|
||
ONE OF A KIND by Matt G
| I first met Phill in the early 90's, and it was soon evident the he was a competent and adventurous outdoorsman, who each weekend would head off in a different direction looking for the elusive high that comes only to those with the will to find it. It wasn't long before we both lived in Calgary (too close to one another to get any real work done) where we attended classes at the University of Calgary and generally got into trouble whenever we could. At every opportunity, Phill was coercing me in his own special way to go snowboarding, ice climbing, or winter camping, things I had never tried before, but now love to do. |
|
| As Phill's horizons broadened, so did his desire to leave northern winter behind (for a while) and be on or near the water; soon after Phill & I were horse-trading our way to Baja Sur, were my future wife and I enjoyed a week on the Sea of Cortez paddling, snorkeling, spear fishing with Phill as our guide. I had no apprehension about going on this first of many trips as I knew Phill would have everything covered and would ensure our enjoyment. As my family grows and our desire to participate in unique vacations increases, I have no doubt we will be spending more time with our friend Phill - he is one of a kind! | |
JUST A TYPICAL DAY IN BAJA
by
Mark W
As I awaken to the sounds of silence, a faint breeze barely flickers the curtains above my head. The peace and solitude the city of Cleveland can so rarely offer is but a “typical” morning in Baja. Perhaps 5…10…30…whatever minutes goes by (not that it really matters) and a faint “Mark? Mark, it’s time to get up.”
The reply “Up! Just chillin’!”
And so, the day begins…not an ordinary day, but a highly anticipated day of fun filled watery adventures with Phill and Michael. Oh, breakfast? A quick bowl of cereal and half a pot of “Coffee Combate” with Phill. Best of all, (again, I’m a Cleveland boy) mangoes and freshly squeezed orange juice…so fresh… the pulp was still dangling from the press as I consumed my first glass. Finally, what morning would be complete without a quick and thorough Cribbage trouncing of Michael and Phill (sorry guys…but you did lose A LOT!)
The trek to the boat was interesting as the “gringos,” strolled to the marina, arms packed with black and gray Pelican cases filled with cameras, film, and data sheets; and we couldn’t forget our cooler complete with local delicacies and miscellaneous left over from last night’s dinner. My particular favorite was fresh tortillas (warm and fresh - as Michael biked into town regularly to pick them up) and cheese with avocado and garlic. Phill met up with Michael and I with complete dive gear and his share of Pelican cases. We were quite the spectacle, I’m sure.
We’re off! Phill and I ensembled in shorts and t-shirt attire; Michael draped in wind pants, wind breaker, hat, gloves; mittens (ok… no gloves or mittens). Poor Michael, a world traveler, but a North Carolina resident; a victim of warm weather acclimation, he began each morning wrapped like an Eskimo in the Arctic… wimp! Hah! (I believe it was snowing back home that day.)
(Click here to view movie of "Walk with the Animals")
Perhaps 30 minutes transpires and our first meeting of the day includes a mother and calf fin whale pair. Michael pulls close to observe any potential scars that would help identify either animal; fins rarely scar so we record the sitting on our data sheet, get our GPS co-ordinates and BANG! No, WHOOOOSH. A bellow off in the distance… deep and long…it could only be a BLUE WHALE. We float…each of us scanning the horizon for a blow, as the mighty whalers of the past did; however, our goal – to identify the creature. Michael has been doing this so long that he recognizes vast numbers of individuals by their fins or flukes. Ten minutes transpire and another blow! I quickly pulled the engine cord and Michael jets us off in the direction of the leviathan. Remarkably, the whale doesn’t dive as Michael cautiously steers us next to the creature.
AMAZING… what an incredible display of muscle! The creature was easily twice the size of our boat yet swam so gracefully; it’s all quite mesmerizing. The funniest part of the approach is the silence we all shared as we paralleled the creature for quite some time. (Quite amazing that we were so quiet, as none of us is ever at a loss for words.) Another blow, the mist hanging in the air as we drive by…a quick glimpse of a rainbow emerging in the haze… I don’t think I should ever forget my first encounter with whale snot… not gross, but awe inspiring. We were so close, I could simply reach out and touch the animal. This is what it was like throughout most of the day. Some approaches were not so ideal, but captivating nonetheless. Michael would take his photos as would Phill and I. Data were recorded and we moved on.
(Click here to view the movie "Woooow")
Lunch on the boat is unmatched by anything I could possibly do back home. The three of us sprawled out on the boat- munching, talking, and listening to nature. No tape or CD I’ve heard could ever compare to the few sounds of water gently beating against the boat, birds calling, and whales blowing. WOW!
Again, we’re off! This time we find ourselves amongst a rather larger pod of bottlenose dolphins. This group was huge and just seemed to keep growing. The aerial displays were those I had only seen at Sea World of Ohio. There we were, in Mexico, surrounded by hundreds of dolphins - each of us snapping photos and gesturing or shouting “There…No there… Oh my god…did you see that one.” Dolphins leaping, wake riding, bow riding, frolicking - without a care in the world it seems… must be a Baja thing.
Late afternoon, and the sun had all but cooked us. We headed toward land and decided to go for a swim. Michael and I snorkeled…while Aquaman Phill quickly dressed himself and was off fishing. The water was remarkably refreshing and full of sea life. Fishes, star fish, miscellaneous coral, and other tiny invertebrates are in abundance in these waters… in fact, sea lions are too, but that’s another story. We made our way back to the boat, stowed Phill’s gear and the fish he shot- that would become that night’s dinner –then headed back to our photo grounds.
Our final sitting was a humpback whale, an interesting, yet elusive creature. As Michael attempted to keep us near, this fellow was obviously not interested in being photographed. (Or, maybe he was simply playing tag with us?) The sun was beginning to fade as we decided to head back to our little home in Loreto. I was entirely prepared to be escorted back by the hundreds of common dolphins which usually appeared as we drew nearer to town. Ultimately, I would not be disappointed. Suddenly we were amongst 300-400 common dolphins. They were everywhere… not matter where you looked… all one could see were dolphins surfacing, ‘porpoising’ or jumping. I believe we all have several pictures of dolphin silhouettes in the setting sun. The image is so vivid...
(Click her to view the movie "One or Two Dolphins")
Common Dolphin
Our trip completed, we unpacked our boat and headed towards home. Dinner was incredibly fresh and tasty. A smorgasbord of fresh fish and Mexican delights. And finally, what night would be complete without another game (or 10) of cribbage. (Mark 8, Phill 2). Just a typical day in Baja!
If you would like to contribute to our newsletter please contact us at
newsletter@secretspotbaja.com
. Our next newsletter will be posted on July 15th, 2003 and the deadline for
submissions is May 17th, 2003.
