Magdalena Bay (Mexico) | Mas Ballenas - Day 12

The surrounding views of Magdalena Bay are stunning. Puerto Magdalena is the last peninsula in Magdalena Bay before crossing into the Pacific Ocean. The mouth is where Grey Whales are known to congregate.

Before we head out, Gabino shows us the bucket of chocolate clams he picked up for the excursions last night. Chocolate clams are endemic to this region. I am told they are quite a delicacy. The clams are the size of baseballs and are eaten raw in the half-shell.

At 8 O'clock, we jump into the boat and leave Gabino's house. Our captain is Alisanda, a young Mexican who appears to be in his late 20s. The marina is only 5 minutes away. Climb into the boat that is in tow.

It is overcast and cold this morning. Once the boat starts moving, the wind is stiff. We have a 30-minute boat ride to Puerto Magdalena. Micha and Julia (below) spend most of the ride huddled together under the sleeping bag on the boat floor. My jacket and pants have wind-bloc materials, but I can still feel the cold air pressed against my legs. The large boat we have for the three of us is powered by a 175-horsepower outboard motor. The ride is smooth, fast, and enjoyable. It feels really good to be on the water again.

Once we arrive at Puerto Magdalena, we join the other boats that are gathered and begin watching the few Grey Whales that are present. The whales are rather shy this morning and are challenging to get near. Julia, who has the patience of a 2-year-old, wants to go somewhere else. She thinks she knows where the whales hang out. I shake my head and laugh as Alisanda tells her, "No verás ninguna bellana gris al norte (You won't see any grey whales north.)."

After another 15 minutes, the action slows down, and Alisanda drives the boat further into the Pacific Ocean. Within moments we intersect a massive pod of dolphins. There must be 40-50 individuals in the pod. We follow them and notice a juvenile sea lion porpoising with the group near the back. 

Despite their porposing, they are tough to capture in a photo. This is because they seldom get completely airborne, instead gently undulate in the water. 

We then head further out and spot a whale spray. This time it is a Humpback Whale. Soon the whale is joined by a second, and we spend the next 15 minutes watching the two adults courting in the water. Gently rolling and exposing fins when they come up for air. At one point, the two whales pass under the boat and surface about 8 ft (2.5 m) from the boat. Their playful nature is fun to watch. Then, in the distance, I notice two other whales breaching out of the water, the iconic Humpback Whale maneuver where they come crashing back into the ocean.

We leave the Humpback Whales and head back to Puerto Magdalena. Our trip is supposed to be 4 hours, and we are already at 3 1/2 hours. Alisanda pulls out a Tupperware of peel-and-eat shrimp, then hands it to us. "Chocolates," he asks. "Si, por favor! (Yes, Please)" I can't wait to try them. 

After 10 minutes of preparation, Alisanda brings the first half dozen to the front of the boat. I grab one, squeeze a little lime juice, and add a dash of Picante sauce. Then I place my mouth on the edge of the shell, and like a fresh oyster, I let the contents slide into my mouth. Oh my goodness, are these good! They are hands down the best clams I have ever eaten. They are very meaty with a beautifully delicate taste.

As we finish the Chocolate Clams, Gabino, taking a group of his own in another boat, pulls up alongside us. After some exchanges with Alisanda, he tells us, "You can look for Grey Whales southeast of here. It's about a 30-minute boat ride from here." Alisanda waits while the three of us talk it over. Our dilemma is that it is nearly 12 O'clock, and our scheduled tour is supposed to end soon.

Further, we still have a 4-hour road trip back to Todos Santos. Julia is flying to Cancun tomorrow and wants to be in San Jose D'el Cabo tonight, while Micha plans to go further to Cabo Pulmo. "It is your call, Micha. It's your car, and you are the one driving," I say. "Let's do it," says Micha.

So, we take off southeast, paralleling Isla Santa Margarita. This time we are entirely alone, with two Grey Whales. As we float idly with no motor, the two whales approach. Julia is now singing to the whales. It sounds like a combination of a coyote howling and whistling. She is convinced it helps draw the whales in. She even does it when the motor is running. I don't have the heart to tell her that the whales can't hear her when the engine is running. Plus, Germans are strong-willed, and she probably wouldn't stop.

Grey Whales appear to move through the water with more grace and gentleness than Humpbacks. Slightly smaller, the Grey Whale is impressive to watch. However, seeing these magnificent creatures glide through the water, I realize how vulnerable they are to whaling and what an unfair advantage whaling ships have.

Here an adult Grey Whale surfaces for air.

When the two whales are closest to our boat, in a classic Grey Whale move, one rises straight out of the water very gently, exposing its nose and eyes, then slowly glides back into the water. Wow! That was the moment I was waiting for, I told the others. 

We watch the two whales swim away in different directions. I glance down at my phone. "It's 130 pm. What do you guys want to do?" I ask my traveling companions. We should head back since the whales swim away from our boat. We all agree.

That lead foot of Micha's gets him in trouble. About halfway back down Highway 1, Micha glances in his rearview. "I think the police want me to pull over," Micha speaks fluent Spanish and has a friendly conversation with the officer. The officer clearly pulled him over for speeding. After telling Micha that he plans to give him a ticket he must pay in person at a town 100 km north of here, the officer then says, "Everything is ok. Be safe. No ticket." We have all heard stories of encounters with Police in Mexico, and most have resulted in some kind of bribe. This was an amicable interaction and better than many I have had in other countries.

As we pass through La Paz, the sky is on fire tonight. I took this photo from the passenger window and framed it perfectly between the building and the sign. What an incredible day! We spent 6 hours on the water, 2 more than we had scheduled and had some amazing encounters with these magnificent marine mammals.