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6 Day Bus Trip Guide Report: March 16-21

Six-Day Bus Trip • March 16-21, 2011

By:  Linda Ayers

2011 will go down in the books — at least my book— as the most amazing whalewatch season ever. Guests on the March 16-21 bus trip were treated to excellent weather in Baja and even more excellent whales. With San Ignacio Lagoon still occupied by lots of moms and babies, there was ample opportunity for some real quality whale-petting and, yes, whale kissing! A number of single whales were still in residence, so not only were the cow/calf pairs super friendly, but we also observed some enthusiastic mating. (Let’s hear it for the “Pink Floyds!”)

Our group of 12, plus guide, met in San Diego. We were then transported aboard comfortable shuttle vans across the Mexican border and directly to the Central Tijuana Bus Terminal. After reserved bus tickets were purchased, my guests and I obtained tourist cards and then settled in for a short wait until departure time.  At the appointed hour, bags were checked and we boarded the ABC bus for San Ignacio.

The bus trip south had few interruptions and I believe most of our group was able to catch a few “winks.” At regular inspection stops, the ever-polite Federales checked all passengers and the bus was on its way. Morning found us in San Ignacio where our local transport waited. After a great breakfast at San Ignacio Springs B&B and a brief stop in town, we were off to the lagoon.

Campo Cortez was a welcome sight as always with Maldo Fischer, “father” of the camp there to greet us. After a brief orientation, cabins were assigned and everyone made themselves at home. Following lunch it was time for the first trip out to visit the whales. Even after six seasons I still get excited about the first encounter, and the whales did not disappoint. The entire time at camp was filled with nature walks, lagoon treks, birds, coyotes, dolphin and of course the very friendly whales. Good food and conversation were plentiful.

It’s always hard to say “Adios,” but eventually that time came. We packed up our gear and photo treasures, said good-bye to our hosts and headed back to town for a little “decompressing.” Dinner was waiting for us at the B&B and then it was time to board the northbound bus for the border and then San Diego. We all started out as strangers with similar interests and ended up as friends with similar memories.

How fortunate I am to be able to guide guests to this magical, yet fragile environment. I hope everyone goes home with the same lovely stories as I do and spreads the word about San Ignacio Lagoon, Campo Cortez and the Fischer family who keep it going.

Grocery Shopping for whale camp

Maldo's Grocery Run to Town

As in all things at the camp.....this is a most interesting photo journal. Maldo has to drive to camp every 4 to 5 days to reprovision our camp supplies which include these items:
*food
*water
*ice
*sodas & beer
*kitchen supplies
*gasoline for the pangas
*auto supplies for repairs




There's SO much that goes into running an operation like this that this is only a HINT of what we do. I always tell my friends that it's like moving a regiment of marines through the desert during a WWII campaign and we have to keep our supply lines going and as the season goes on it's harder on all of us at camp since we have been running at 99% every day.

In Maldo's words below:

Esta foto es del mercado San Ignacio donde compro casi todo

lo nesesario para el campo como, vejetales,frutas, avarrotes etc.esta

a unas 45 millas de Laguna de San Ignacio con un camino de terraseria

en no muy buenas condiciones, al viajar se hacen aproximadamente dos horas

de ida y dos de regreso mas el tiempo en las compras.

Translation:

These photos are of the San Ignacio Market where we buy almost all of our necessary thigns for the camp such as vegtables, fruit, general supplies etc...  It is 45 miles from San Ignacio Lagoon on a washboard, dirt road that takes us there in very good condition. It takes me about two hours to get to town and two hours to return plus the amount of time that it takes to purchase supplies. 

*Basically it takes Maldo a full day when he leaves camp at 7am and returns around 5pm. When Maldo goes to town, he has to buy more than just food. It's fuel for boats and a whole laundry list of things for every one of the folks that work at the camp. 

March 13 & Final Guide Report - Tom & Patti

Reflections of the Showermaster, March 13, 2011


“Fantastic!”; “That was incredible!”; “I feel like a different person!”


These might be the excited exclamations that you would expect after a great whale watching outing, but actually these are the rewarding comments that guests share with me when they emerge from their hot afternoon showers. Of course I love the whale-watching, the birds, the intertidal life and the stars, but an unexpectedly rewarding part of my job as assistant guide at Campo Cortez is my daily role as “Showermaster”.

A hot shower in Baja California is hard to come by, and in the remote desert of San Ignacio Lagoon it is a true and unexpected luxury. As Showermaster I prepare the showers and let our guests know when their turn has come. “Hot, warm-hot, warm or cold?”, I ask as part of the orientation. “There is a changing room, and then in the shower you just flip the switch and you’re off. Give a yell if you need it a little hotter or colder, but don’t say anything that you don’t want us to hear outside the shower! You can sing commercial jingles but no arias, in the interest of water conservation.

Any problems, just holler.”
“Ooooh“, “Perfect”, “Wow!”. “Heavenly!” . . . These are the comments I love to hear when the water begins to flow. And you wouldn’t think of it, but Showermaster is a very sociable job, with a lot of nice one-on-one conversation with guests about the day, the whale-watching, and their time at the camp. And when they emerge from the showers with satisfied smiles and hugging their towels, well, that’s the kind of gratification that keeps us all going here at Campo Cortez.







By Tom O’Brien, Assistant Naturalist Guide, Campo Cortez


Photo A: “Hot Shower Anyone?”
Photo B: Shower Sign Up

March 05-09 Guide Report

Guide Report
San Ignacio Lagoon
March 05-09, 2011
By Tom O'brien

Strictly Business

“This just became a business trip!” blurted Mel gleefully while the rest of us tried to recover from shock and awe. Mel is a urologist who had just witnessed and photographed the legendary “Pink Floyd”, or the impressive male organ of the California Gray Whale. San Ignacio is an important place for Gray Whale females to give birth to their young, but it is also a very important and active mating ground for next year’s mothers. We had all been a little worried about the numbers of whales that would show up this year after the low numbers and malnutrition of last year’s El Nino year, but 2011 has turned out to be a record year for calving mothers and numbers in general. One of the things that we’ve been witnessing has been a lot of high-action, high-energy mating going on throughout the lower lagoon.

Gray whale mating generally involves three whales: two males and one female. The groups travel and roll around together for days, often swimming notably more quickly than the other whales, then swirling into a splashing, thrashing tumble of body parts. It’s hard to distinguish fluke from flipper and one whale from another as we watch from cautious distances, because mating is the one time that the whales abandon their otherwise precise spatial awareness of their peripheral body parts. The males cooperate more than compete, with one mating while the other supports the female as a “bolster pillow”. They then switch roles and take turns with the consenting female.

What we see on the surface is a turbulent confusion that is both chaotic and graceful at the same time. Finally a huge tailstock will rise up from the sea surface, seemingly defying gravity, then another with an emphatic slap and splash, then the whole group submerges for an anxious moment. “Now keep an eye out for the Pink Floyd when they surface . . .” we warn in anticipation. A head surfaces with a snorting blow, then a pectoral fin, edge of a fluke and rolling, rolling, rolling. “Oh my God, there it is!” everyone cries with excitement. Our urologist smiles with satisfaction, confirming in his camera screen that this one will end up on his office wall.

By Tom O’Brien, Campo Cortez naturalist guide.

Photo A: “What a Big Head”, by guest Jonathan Muller

Photo B: The Pink Floyd, by guest Krista Billinghurst (March 9 – 13 trip)

February 25 thru March 01 Guide Report

Guide Report
San Ignacio lagoon
Period:  February 25 thru March 01, 2011

ALL WHALES THAT ENDS WHALES

The following verse was written and presented on the final evening by guest Robert Dyer. In addition to a comprehensive overview of his Campo Cortez experience, he elaborates on an unfortunate but comical incident he had with a flawed “chamber-pot”. Enjoy!

ALL WHALES THAT ENDS WHALES

We came to Baja – we number nineteen

From both coasts and in between

A common purpose – to visit the whales

To observe them from noses to tails.

Campo Cortez was our home base

Turned out to be a most special place

Met Pati and Tom, who sure know their stuff

Two gracious people we can’t thank enough.

We met Maldo, the owner and his family

As nice a family as you’ll ever see!

His wife Katalina, a.k.a. KATY ONE

Her cooking skills are second to none.

Her sister–in-law Elsa is cook number two

Katy I and Elsa’s food is great it is true!

And our great skippers, skilled on the water

Around whales, they do what they “otter”.

Cuco, Maldo’s brother and Paco and Roberto

Team Fischer – three muchachos “muy bueno”!

They can spot whales – beyond belief

With them at the helm, instant relief.

And all of you whale watchers – you’re really great

Even if you’re not from the greatest state!

Congenial and personable, and smart, as well

Your concern for the earth, it’s easy to tell.

We’ve learned a lot, about mammals, it’s true

I didn’t realize how little I knew

For example, the barnacle is really endowed

When it comes to mammals, he “sticks” out from the crowd.

Or that baby gray whales find it tasking

When “who’s your daddy” others are asking

Or how indoor plumbing which we really like

How much we miss it when we have to hike.

Speaking of plumbing – I’d like to state

An experience this morning that wasn’t so great.

At 3:00 a.m. I got a call

It was nature saying “get up y’all”

To the banos you need to trek

But, because of the cold, I said what the heck

I knew how many of you when you had to go

Stayed in your cabin and went with the flow

I made the decision I’d do like you

Take care of business in the cabin like you

I took the pitcher and into it did pour

When something strange happened down on the floor

A puddle was forming down by my feet

Which was warming, but, not really neat

You might ask, as I, why the pitcher was not filling up

Turns out I was using a ordinary dribble cup!

A hole in the bottom was the matter

Causing my feet to absorb lots of splatter

Quick thinking by me solved the riddle

I’ll now be more careful when I start to piddle

Well, thanks for listening to my verse

If I keep going it’ll just be much worse

Oh, I meant to mention the “pink floyd” thing

In California, it’s referred to as the Charlie Sheen

Have a safe trip home where’ere it be

Thanks to your staff for great hospitality

To everyone you’re my new mates

You’ve just spent time in “dyer” straits!

Written by Robert Dyer - Guest

Photo 1: Doug’s Glowing Smile, by guest Susan Silberman

Photo 2:  Last Chance Bano, by guest Miriam Bauer

Tsunami Hits Baja Coast: March 11, 2011

Satellite View San Ignacio Lagoon

As a notice to all that have been asking about the Tsunami that was scheduled to hit the West coast and in particular the San Iganacio Lagoon area....you can all be at ease. We have had several Tsunami warnings in the past and we are used to them. We experienced only a slight rise in the water of about 4-5" while the tide was near a low tide. There is also a barrier island in front of San Ignacio Lagoon which protects us from such incidents.

So know that if you have friends and relatives at the lagoon this week ALL IS FINE.....in fact we are back to whale watching. Nobody or nothing in the lagoon was affected and everyone is enjoying the whale watching as of noon yesterday.....

Thanks,
Johnny Friday

Baja Birthing

Not only are the Gray Whales experiencing a big year, but many mammals along the entire coast are having a harvest year of birthing. Here are a few pictures from more video i took this year along the coastline of Baja Ca. Sur. Mexico.

Photos by Johnny Friday

Baja Productions

www.bajaproductions.com

Schooling Sunfish Off Coast of Baja

So here is a group of sunfish I came across while out filming for a documentary recently this year. Again, this has much to do with the cooling water trend this year--the "La Nina". I have NEVER seen this before. These are groups of newborn or juvenile Sunfish or Mola Mola's. I shot this on a high definition camera underwater video camera and grabbed these still pictures off of it.

Photos and Report by:  Johnny Friday
Baja Productions:  www.bajaproductions.com

Maldo's Photo Report: March 03

From Maldo:

In Maldo's own words.....

Customers are noting an octopus with low tide in Campo Cortez, all are very happy and prefer back once more because it was a formidable stay.

escrivio Maldo Ficher

Maldo's Photo Report: Feb. Trips

 This is Maldo's first go at editing photos for the web. All of you that know Maldo, will know what a wonderful man he is and incredibly thoughtful and respectful. Maldo is also completely new to the internet and I'm going to post his pictures for now and a bit of text until he builds up the confidence to do it on his own. I think all will enjoy hearing direct from Maldo even if there is a bit of a language barrier. We all know Maldo's character and spirit...Here's Maldo's first photo report:

Feb. 2-7 Bus Trip Report: by Linda Ayers

 FEBRUARY 2-7, 2011 BUS TRIP

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