It’s always nice to get back to the beauty and serenity of Campo Cortez and San Ignacio Lagoon. This time was no different. With great guests and an attentive, caring staff, our mission was to appreciate the natural wonders of the Pacific gray whale in a setting unlike any other.
After a stop in the picturesque town of San Ignacio — time for photos and a bit of shopping — it was out to the lagoon. Campo Cortez has the distinction of being one of the “greenest” sites in Baja. Great care has been taken to minimize the carbon “footprint” of human population. Every cabin and the main “palapa” (where guests gather for meals and socializing) have solar panels. Wind provides another primary source of power. Seawater is pumped in for the “baños” and everything recyclable IS recycled.
Although our first boat ride was scratched due to excessive wind and choppy water, subsequent trips easily made up for it. We were befriended by pods of bottlenose dolphin — clearly as curious about us as we were enchanted by them. As for the whales, there was spyhopping, breaching and mating activity aplenty. Moms brought their calves near the boats and several adults gave us the opportunity to touch. One pair even decided to use the bottom of our boat as a back-scratcher! They simply took turns passing beneath us, ever so slightly lifting the “panga” so that we could actually hear the sound of barnacles against the hull. Amazing!
Our four-day lagoon visit at an end, we returned to town for a little rest and dinner at the B&B. Then it was time to catch the overnight bus back to Tijuana, meet our van shuttle, pass through US Immigration and Customs and head back to San Diego.
Seeing gray whales up close and personal with others who care about the environment is a wonderful experience. I highly recommend it!
–Linda Ayers, guide
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