This remarkable young sea is thought to be around five million years old and home to nearly 900. The spectacular array of marine wildlife in the sea of cortez is so diverse that the french explorer jacques cousteau called it the worlds aquarium. Explore the best of both baja, mexico coasts on an oars baja sea kayaking and whale watching adventure. Sea of cortez baja california 2020 all you need to. The sea of cortez is frequented by the largest and most varied population of whales in the world. Whale watching, sea of cortez, mexico whale tours dive. Not only is this the best time to view a variety of sea life in the sea of cortez, it is the best time to view gray whales and their babies. A truly special event, head out onto the sea of cortez to swim alongside the worlds largest fish, the mighty whale shark. Humpbacks and gray whales are the most commonly sighted. We also saw blue whales, seals you could snorkel among them, mobula rays, dolphins, and a myriad of. The course will also overview whale shark research and conservation worldwide. You can download general humpback whale information on this page kindly.
Whale shark speciality cortez expeditions scuba diving. We also visit the beautiful sea of cortez for whale watching on this weeklong. Mexico scuba diving holidays and liveaboards sea of. Humpback whales in cabo san lucas whale watch cabo tours.
With a shallow draft and small size, she can easily reach places inaccessible to larger ships. The sea of cortez is exceptionally nutrientrich, especially around islands. Close encounters with bajas gray whales oceanic society. The gulf of california also known as the sea of cortez, sea of cortes named for spanish conquistador hernan cortes or vermilion sea. The range of species in the sea of cortez is very impressive.
Our 9day midwinter kayaking adventure in the sea of cortez with whale watching in magdalena bay, offers the experience of a lifetime for kayakers, bird and wildlife lovers, whale watching enthusiasts and outdoor adventurers. The vaquita porpoise, one of the worlds rarest marine mammals, is found only in. In addition, whale watching is becoming more common in the sea of cortez. We spent our first two days in the spectacular sea of cortez, surrounded by granitic mountains, blue skies, and rich, blue waters. Grey whale watching in magdalena bay was a highlight. Balaenoptera musculus blue whale expert dr diane gendron believes that, what you do in your every day work is the most important thing in life, so find what pleases you the most, and do it well. Then the whale begins its dark descent, up to 500 meters below the surface of the sea. Admire the rays as they glide along the surface of the sea accompanied by dolphins and whales, in a wonderful exhibition of life in this underwater world. From december through april, our warm baja waters beckon some of the worlds largest, most majestic mammals. This season applies to whale watching in the sea of cortez, as well.
Other whale and dolphin species can be seen at this time or take a combined trip when the grey whales visit. We also visit the beautiful sea of cortez for whale watching on this weeklong adventure on mexicos baja california peninsula. The area is known to be a spot for blue and fin whales, which will be in the area to calve. This is a great time to travel before high season crowds arrive during the december holidays. Orcas killer whales in cabo san lucas whale watch cabo tours.
National geographic sea lion is a tried and true expedition ship that plies the waters from alaska, to the columbia and snake rivers, to baja california and the sea of cortez. You can only go out with a licensed tour operator like the cortez club. Sep 04, 2008 the sea of cortez, also known as the gulf of california, is a unique corner of the pacific ocean. The blue whales of the loreto marine reserve, baja. She can venture into fastmoving channels where whales come to feed, transit a series of locks in the pacific northwest, nose.
Humpback whales, blue whales, gray whales, sperm whales, fin whales, and other species have been seen in the sea of cortez, but near loreto, the most. Best of all, the animals here can be seen almost the whole year round. Gray whale watching tours in baja california on the sea of cortez. Blue whale expert dr diane gendron believes that, what you do in your every day work is the most important thing in life, so find what pleases you the most, and do it well.
Blue whale research in the sea of cortez the blue whale. You can download general orca killer whale information on this page. Blue whale tours, loreto sea of cortez loreto sea and land tours. Apr 07, 2015 then the whale begins its dark descent, up to 500 meters below the surface of the sea. The nutriments are affected by different currents and movements throughout the sea, keeping the fish population very well fed and very happy to be in the sea of cortez. Adventurous travelers seeking a rich diversity of wildlife can find what they are looking for in the sea of cortez. Experience magical, close encounters with the friendly gray whale mothers and calves of san ignacio lagoon, a unesco world heritage site. The season officially runs from december 15th, 2011 to april 15th, 2012. All our baja fishing, whale watching tours, baja surfing and baja whale watching trips in the sea of cortez begins and ends conveniently in san diego. In true expedition style, experience the luxury of a flexible itinerarybut on a very beautiful ship, complete with a hot tub and sauna. This ensures everyone enjoys their interactions with whale sharks with no adverse effects on the creatures, their habitat, or their behavior. Sea of cortez, mexico offshore outpost expeditions.
After the sighting of a humpback whale, hundreds of common dolphins escorted us towards four blue whales. Jacques cousteau famously described the sea of cortez as the aquarium of the world. Whale watching in cabo sea of cortez aries water sports. If youre here just for the sea kayaking, the best time to visit baja is the end of octearly dec, as well as marapr, as the wind drops and the sea of cortez is clear and calm. Sea of cortez baja california 2020 all you need to know. Baja california, the sea of cortez, and whale shark tagging sites at. Experience the unforgettable discovering the sea of cortez. Its sea lions and whale sharks are present yearround. Plan your trip to coincide with the cabo san lucas whale watching season, and youre in for unforgettable gray and humpback whale encounters. Bbc oceans the sea of cortez sperm whales of san pedro. Don a mask and snorkel for a swim around the rocks and inlets of the islands and you will see why. The orcas we encounter on cabo san lucas whale watching tours are.
Kayaking, paddle boarding, snorkeling, scuba diving, kite surfing, fishing and. Among the great whales you can whalewatch in a number of places. Whale sharks are the oceans largest fish and frequent a number of locations in the sea of cortez the largest confirmed individual had a length of 12. Mexico scuba diving holidays and liveaboards sea of cortez. The gray whale is the most common in the sea of cortez especially in the. Twenty different whale species have been seen around bajas sea of cortez and bajas pacific coast. Embarkation was in puerto penasco, known locally as rocky point. We encourage our travelers to not only experience the sea of cortez, but also learn about the magnificent flora and fauna, both land and sea, by interacting with researches, scientists.
The sea of cortez offers great diving, but it is important to note that, as the sea is situated quite far north of the equator and is strongly influenced by the adjacent pacific ocean, water temperatures from december to march are distinctly cool compared with more typical coral reef locations, dropping as low as 1821c during january and. We recently returned from a small ship 11 day cruise on the sea of cortez. To see the whales you really need to take an organized boat trip or a private boat charter operated by an experienced skipper who knows where the whales are and how to approach them in the vessel without scaring them off. On an aries water sports small group whale watching tour, youll enjoy upclose views of these massive creatures while visiting the most popular cabo san lucas attractions. The vaquita porpoise, one of the worlds rarest marine mammals, is found only in the northern reaches of sea of cortez. Whale sharks are the largest fish on the planet and can easily reach more than 40 long and live up to 70 years. We provide our tours on traditional mexican pangas with new motors, radios.
This results in a high diversity of smaller species, but have no fear, there are some large species spectacles as well. Gray and humpback whale season begins with most whales arriving by late december. Aug 28, 2017 my cortez dream begins on a tarptopped panga fishing boat with four other visitors from the u. The sea of cortez in mexico is unlike most of the other dive sites in this area of the pacific ocean, the reef here is flourishing and incredibly colorful. We also see fin whales, humpbacks, dolphins, mantas and other wildlife on this tour. These include blue whales, fin whales, brydes whales, minke whales, and sperm whales. San ignacio lagoon and sea of cortez oceanic society. Commune with monoliths of the ocean, california gray whales, as they breed and birth their young in the sheltered baja waters.
Fly in to our camp, get up close with the friendly gray whales. Combination gray whale trips plus whale watching on the sea of cortez for the very largest whales, blue whales and gray whales. Get up close and personal with two marvels of nature on this mexico adventurebaja whale watching in the sea of cortez and copper canyons stunning scenery. Half day whale watching in the sea of cortez, mexico. On an aries water sports small group whale watching tour, youll enjoy upclose views of these massive creatures while visiting the most.
Gray whale watching tours in baja california on the sea of. The blue whales of the loreto marine reserve the aquarium of the world is how the great jacques cousteau referred to the sea of cortez. Humpback whales are spotted in the winter, spring, and summer, and the dwarf sperm whale tends to make an appearance in the fall. The blue whales of the loreto marine reserve, baja california sur. Jul 29, 20 whales in the sea of cortez natgeoexpeditions. Spot whales and dolphin pods, kayak waterlevel caves teeming with sea life, and visit santa rosalia on an 8day wildlife cruise through the sea of cortez. Cabo san lucas whale watching season begins baja mexico. Enter the california gray whale birthing lagoons of bahia magdalena for close encounters with these gentle giants, a rare privilege in the natural world. Blue whale tours, loreto sea of cortez loreto sea and. The padi whale shark awareness distinctive specialty course introduces divers and snorkelers to the worlds largest fish, while teaching proper techniques for minimal impact recreational diving. Whale watching in the sea of cortez safari endeavour. Best time to visit baja california responsible travel. Youll learn to recognize the importance of whale shark monitoring activities and be provided with an opportunity to participate in whale shark conservation through. Whales worldwide and whale watch west cork run tours to baja and the sea of cortez every february.
If closeup encounters with the worlds great whales is your thing, then look no further, this holiday is for you. Whales that winter further to the south or in the sea of cortez. Plus explore the islands dotting the azure sea of cortez, one of the best places to see marine mammals. The east coast of baja is bordered by the sea of cortez, supporting the largest and most varied population of whales in the world, as well as one of the last sanctuaries for the endangered finback and blue whales, the largest of the cetaceans twice the size of gray whale. Baja whale watching cruise copper canyon mexico apex. Youll learn to plan, organize, and execute a divesnorkel with whale sharks in a safe manner. Local apparent abundance may be related to seasonal availability of. High season in the sea of cortez runs from midjanuary to april because thats when migratory whales arrive in the area after their sojourn from arctic. My cortez dream begins on a tarptopped panga fishing boat with four other visitors from the u. Download scientific diagram baja california, the sea of cortez, and whale shark. Other whale species that frequent the sea of cortez include the sperm whale, minke whale, fin whale, and more. Fall in baja and the sea of cortez marks a return to pleasant temperatures and the beginning of the small ship cruise season. We specialize in biologist led, noninvasive interactions, while introducing cabo san lucas visitors up close to the over 600 humpback whales that frequent the southern sea of cortez during the whale watching season.
Enjoy the ride as an experienced captain transports you to where the whale sharks are swimming. Today you will head out of loreto by small motorboat to spend approximately 4 hours looking for whales in the sea of cortez. Santa rosalia was the former base of a french copper mining company, with. Baja sea kayaking tours sea of cortez baja whale watching trips.
When to go the sea of cortez can be a completely different place depending on the season. Apr 24, 2014 blue whales filmed by nic slocum of whales worldwide in the sea of cortez during the tour in 2014. Close encounters with blue whales in the sea of cortez. Baja airventures tours and ecolodge understands that there is a lot of uncertainty around your travel planning right. Baja adventure travel, baja whale shark, baja whale. She says this with a knowing smile on her face and with her being an expert in her field, leading a fulfilled life after 20 years of research work in baja california, as sarah markworth found out. The beautiful blue seas and desert islands of the sea of cortez provide a memorable backdrop to day after day of amazing whalewatching. The magnificent blue whales, the largest living creatures on earth, come to the sea of cortez each year, as do humpback whales, sperm whales, finback whales, minke whales, orcas, schools of dolphin and pilot whales, and many other creatures of sea, land and air. Wed had a very productive time in baja mexico but we wanted to put the icing on the cake we needed to further validate snotbot as a scientific tool, and to do that we needed to fly with at least one more species of whale and this was the last day on the water, the last day.
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