Recently, while having breakfast, we were wondering why we love this journey so much? What is triggering us? The following highlights we are phrasing in a more easy way, uncensored:
Susanne:
I love Baja California because of the lightshows during sunrise and sunset! (Nobody will understand that unless one’s experiencing it).
Nowhere else the scenery of sunrise and sunset is so colorful and fantastic. I haven’t seen that so far anywhere in the world. When the colors are mirroring at the surface of the sea: it’s really Soul food!
The journey starts in San Ignacio. The place where we stay is situated right next to a calm river. This is the playground of rich bird wildlife. Last time I was on a stand up paddle in the midst of the river. Silence, no movement, peace itself!
Here we prepare ourselves for the real highlight, the gray whale camp. Over there we have some nights in simple huts (with beds!) made from wood. And sometimes when I need to go to the outside restroom in the night I’m thinking “oh no”! I don’t like to stand up from the warmth of my bed to the cold dessert night and the pacific sea breeze. But sometimes one’s need to be forced to fortune (travelling is real life). I opened the door and this gigantic starry sky boosted me. That we hardly know anymore, a firmament without of the bright city lights. Really enchanting. What a surprise this stunning sight – at least for me.
And then the gray whales, what we are here for. It makes you addicted. THEY are looking for contact to the boat. Actually you don’t know what’s happening when a whale of 30 tons is gently scratching his body at the boat. Amongst the guests there is astonishment, laughter and a squeal with glee. The whales show quite different behaviors. Sometimes you have the chance to touch the skin and pet and scrub the animal – even people of position behaving like children but every excursion is different and new. It is like a shower of love and defenitely goes under the skin. Pretty great. It is comparable to the experience when swimming with dolphins, this frequency of heart warmth and unconditional love. It is like the feeling you get when your grandma pushes you affectionate against her big breast and you know deep insight: everything is good and was always good!
The setting in the Camp is very simple, so the food but I love it. Actually who am I without mobile and web? Is that still possible? On this small Pacific lagoon, where I met a coyote at the beach I know that I will support the local community with my visit.
Moving further on to “our bay” I feel touched by luxury. A very obliged crew will treat us with delicious food, a fantastic view over the bay to bizarre rock formations surrounding us.
Next stop Loreto. A charming village at the shore of the Sea of Cortez. I love this little town with the view to the sea with mirroring lights knowing that out there we will encounter Blue whales just besides other interesting animals.
La Paz – back to Mexican activity. I love our accommodation right next to the harbor. Now we know our ways about the place, where I get a fresh carrot juice and where I find the organic food market on Saturday. And what’s up here? Since a few years whale sharks have been showing up, the biggest fish in the ocean. Halleluljah!
Cabo San Lucas – party zone! Not so for us. Out in the sea, where Sea of Cortez and Pacific Ocean is meeting there are humpback whales, gray whales and dolphins. With our Whale Watching partner we will see those cetaceans in their own habitat according to the regulations of respectful Whale watching. Our little boutique hotel is an oasis in this American pub and Viagra zone not far from the city center. Each guest will be warmly welcomed with a hug to the surprise of some: “Do they know each other?” Now yes!
Mana:
What a highlight to experience and touch such a 12-15 m large gray whale right next to the little fishing boat. Strange how the boundaries of the expressions “animal” “creature” and “being” are getting blurred. I have the feeling to meet “somebody” and it seems there is an exchange on an energy level with this 35 tons hulk and the beings in the boat. Both having fun and enjoy each other. Simply incredible that sensitive behavior while coming up and looking into the boat (spy hop). Goose-flesh.
Another WOW feeling at the next stop. Our bay, only for us. A fantastic vista from the Lounge terrace to the bizarre rock sculptures in between the calm waters of the Sea of Cortez with screeching birds around. And then this light and color show of the sunrise or sunset, a movie like scenery
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Actually you wouldn’t want to move, if there won’t wait some fantastic impressions for you. Not far from here Loreto is the next charming village at the shore line with many little Restaurants. But not only is the food interesting. From the harbor we start with little boats to find the biggest mammal ever lived on earth, the Blue whale. From far away one can see the large mist of the blow. So the boat is speeding up to reach closer. Mostly the whale comes up 4 to 5 times before the next amazing “fluke-up-dive”. Then it takes about 6-10 minutes until it shows up again. After that absolute silence surrounds us even amongst the intended guests on the boat. I love these moments. Where does it come up? The calm sea chops against the fore and the silence is in someone’s grasp, everybody is in the moment and watches out over the surface of the sea, camera ready for a good shot like a hunter. And there it comes up with a big spit and blow, the massive body, which goes almost endless through the water, 25 to 30 meters. And this goes on and not only the synthetic memory cards are loaded with majorly moments.
For lunch we are going to arrive at a wonderful beach like in a dream, white sandy beach, clear and turquoise water under the sun with the bizarre volcanic landscape of Loreto in the background. Once more caught in paradise.
La Paz, Mexican activity and Cabo San Lucas, American party zone, getting us back to real live again. Here down in the south at “world’s end” Pacific Ocean and Sea of Cortez comes together and perhaps with some luck a breaching humpback whale says “good bye and see you again” before we depart. The world is not ending here.
