Captain's Blog

Hello whalewatchers,

What a great morning at Isla Santa Catalina! The arroyo is green as the plants have leafed out from fall rains. Read all about the majestic cardón cactus here: Spotlight: Cardón cactus.

Everyone enjoyed the walk with the highlight being two endemic rattleless rattlesnake viewed from the trail.

There were “Captain’s Crazy Coastal Cruises” offered for those interested, and a snorkel session with great visibility and 68 degree water.

More later, Capt Art and Team Searcher

Hello whalewatchers,

We headed over towards the peninsula this afternoon hoping to find a blue whale, and we found four! We followed one for a couple of hours that fluked occasionally. Everyone joined that special club of observing a Baja blue whale.

We ended the day with a spectacular sunset and our traditional back deck BBQ dinner with margaritas.

We are headed south tonight for our last day.

Capt Art and Team Searcher

Good morning, whalewatchers:

There was a a beautiful sunrise on the cliffs at Punta Colorado, Isla San Jose this morning. It’s always a great way to start the day. Our photo is of good friend and naturalist, Paul Jones, enjoying his favorite morning beverage with his favorite place on Earth in the background–Baja California!

Passengers enjoyed a nice arroyo walk on the island as well. We have good ocean conditions today with calm winds and smooth seas, so we’ll be on the watch for seabirds, whales, dolphins, and more this afternoon.

More later,

Capt Art and Team Searcher

Hello whalewatchers!

We started our day in Bahía La Paz. Jesus from Chicalera Tours, the local business owner with proper permits to offer snorkeling in the Whale Shark observation zone, met us at Searcher. Everyone had a great trip with plenty of opportunities to view a whale shark.

We left there and travelled north in the bay looking for wildlife and came across a group of bottlenose dolphin.

We visited one of the bays at Isla partida for its gorgeous scenery.  We saw blue-footed boobies, osprey and a peregrine falcon in the bay. Then we arrived to  Islas Los Islotes for a skiff ride closer to the shore looking at boobies and sea lions. A snorkel session with the sea lions is next!

Our skiffs at Los Islotes, watching wildlife.

Team Searcher

Hello whalewatchers!

We enjoyed spectacular humpback whale watching today around the Gorda Banks area. There were lots of whales and lots of acrobatics that make humpbacks famous–plenty of breaching, flipper flapping and tail lobbing. It was one of those days we hope to have on these trips.

Humpback breach @Nigel Carter

We are headed to Los Frailes for a beach walk and snorkel for the first time this trip.

Headed north tonight.

Team Searcher

Hello whalewatchers:

Humpback whale flukes off Searcher’s bow

What a productive morning so far offshore Bahia Magdalena! We’ve seen 25-30 humpbacks, bottlenose dolphins, masked and brown boobies, sea turtles, shearwaters, frigatebirds and gulls. There has been plenty to keep us busy today.

The weather is awesome with light winds, no swell and sunny skies.

More later, Capt Art and Team Searcher

Hello again,

We had a great afternoon. Our beautiful weather continues and we’ve seen loads of sea turtles. We came across a sea turtle that had a white plastic bag wrapped around it. We positioned the boat to get the bag off with a gaff, but that wasn’t working. Capt Mike jumped over the side and as the turtle started to surface, he dove down to release the bag.

Abundant sea turtles offshore Bahia Magdalena

The turtle was startled and sped up away from Mike, and the bag came off the turtle.  Mike got a gaff and dove down and snagged the bag. So Mike got the “Hero Award” today for saving the turtle and retrieving the bag. Way to go, Capt Mike!

Our day ended with a gorgeous sunset.

Capt Art and Team Searcher

Hello whalewatchers,

It’s another great day in Laguna San Ignacio!! We starting with a gray whale visiting us before we went out in the pangas. It was very interested in the pangas! This panga is tied up to the boarding ladder and we are in the process of loading passengers.

The weather is great with very little wind and overcast skies. The sun is just coming out now.

We all enjoyed “generators off/lights out” last night so we could view stars in the clear skies and listen to whales spouting.

Afternoon update:

We had great afternoon today with loads of whales close by the boat. The lagoon was calm all day. Everyone had lots of panga time, with a trip to the beach for those that wished. Lots of fun was had by all during our stay in Laguna San Ignacio.
As we exited the lagoon, the whalewatching was phenomenal with lots of whales out towards the entrance.

Capt Art and Team Searcher

Hello whalewatchers,

We arrived to Laguna San Ignacio this morning and saw multiple gray whaler after daylight outside the lagoon. There are loads of whales at the entrance and inside as well. The census on 5 February was 149 whales: 111 singles and 19 mother/calf pairs.

The weather is tremendous with no wind and sunny skies. There have been a few close encounters this morning and I’m sure the group is having fun.

There has also been great whalewatching from Searcher all morning while we are at anchor.

More later, Capt Art and Team Searcher

Hello whalewatchers,

We had a beautiful day at Isla San Benitio! There was a nice cool breeze, sunny skies and a perfect day for a walk.

Small fishing village at the landing cove

As you enter the cove to go ashore there is a osprey on the nest and some male northern elephant seals on the beach. The camp is busy with fishermen diving for abalone and harvesting red algae. Walkers reported plenty of action on the elephant seal beaches and a Guadalupe fur seal (click the link to read about these fascinating seals).

Everyone had a great day and we are now headed to Laguna San Ignacio, but first there are dolphins on our bow right now!

Capt Art and Team Searcher

 

Hello whalewatchers:

We had a nice ride down to Ensenada last night, and after clearing customs, we traveled out to Islas Todo Santos to look at pelicans, gulls and cormorants. And we found a pair of peregrine falcons on the highest peak of South Island.

There were 13 female northern elephant seals with pups on the beach and one large male. A few harbor seals and sea lions were hauled out.

Traveling south we have seen about 20 gray whales, some southbound and some northbound. Here is a photo of a distinctive “heart-shaped” gray whale spout off the bow. Note the calm seas and sunny skies, which we are enjoying!

More later,

Capt Art and Team Searcher