Trip Reports

Hello whalewatchers:

(Many thanks to Rob Nawojchik for use of the above photo.) We started our day with sunrise at Punta Colorado on Isla San Jose. It was a wonderful way to start our day, but we decided to move to another place for a shore walk and snorkel session. We didn’t want to share this great spot with another boat. That decision paid big dividends since we had a spectacular morning with sperm whales when we might otherwise have missed them while going ashore!  We don’t always have the opportunity to observe these sperm whales. The conditions were perfect with calm seas and no wind, and we spent over three hours with several whales in the this group.

Sperm whale mother and calf at the surface.

There were multiple females and calves in the group so that was special, and we had tremendous looks. It seems to be a trend this trip–to be around baby whales.

We also saw loads of storm petrels, a few boobies and a red-billed tropicbird for the birders. We decided to go ashore on the peninsula this afternoon and have a snorkel session as well. A great day for everyone!

Capt Art and Team Searcher

Hello whalewatchers,

We had an action-packed day! A Whale Shark Encounter in the morning for everyone interested, then “cheeseburgers in paradise” for lunch, and with a humpback mother and calf visiting the boat. Then we observed three fin whales after lunch, including good looks at the white lower right side of the jaw, the chevron behind the blow hole and then the dorsal fin with the arch of the back for a dive. They were full size adult whales in the 60 – 70 foot range.

Fin whale dorsal @ Rob Nawojchik

Then we saw a few mobula rays jumping before our arrival to Los Islotes for a skiff ride and another snorkel session with sea lions and reef fish.

We finished the day with a great sunset and rack of lamb for dinner. Not a bad day!

Capt Art and Team Searcher

Hello whalewatchers,

Today was “humpback day” and we had good luck! We saw multiple humpback whales, and a highlight was a mother and calf pair breaching repeatedly. The weather was great with calm seas, light winds with sunny skies. The lighting was perfect for photos of the pair.

We also saw a few bottlenose dolphin mixed in with the humpback activity.

Gray thrasher @ Nigel Carter

We finished the day at Los Frailes with a beach walk and a snorkel session. Some of the birders added to their Baja endemic list with the gray thrasher as one of the sightings.

Capt Art and Team Searcher

 

 

Hello whalewatchers,

We had a great morning with good weather conditions, light winds, calm seas and sunny skies. In fact, extra sunscreen was needed today! We first saw lots of common dolphin starting at daylight, with black-footed albatross, Sabines’ gull, brown booby, storm petrels, phalaropes, shearwaters and frigatebirds for the birders.

Around mid-morning the boys on the roof spotted a whale and it was a blue whale. It was easy to follow staying close to the surface and when it came to the surface ,it was up for multiple breaths. Lots of people saw their first blue whale this morning! We have also seen loads of sea turtles as well.

We continued on and found another blue whale that was a little more difficult to watch but we had some great looks.
Headed southeast towards Cabo looking for whatever else comes our way.

Capt Art and Team Searcher

Hello whalewatchers,

We started the day with a trip to the mangroves for everyone where we found loads of male mangrove warblers and all the other usual birds. The trip was enjoyed by everyone. We had a quick break and then headed back out on the lagoon to visit gray whales. the conditions are great with no wind. Everyone had a close encounter with a gray whale this morning.
We had a great lunch and then went back out in calm conditions. Another close encounter for everyone.

The last trip was a beach walk/whalewatch so half the group went to the beach for a walk, and the rest went out for the last whale watch. The gray whales were active with lots of spyhopping and calves breaching. What a good final trip! Everyone was a little wet but happy.
We exited the lagoon and saw lots of mother/calf pairs in the surf.

Headed south tonight,

Capt Art and Team Searcher

Hello whalewatchers:

We arrived early to Laguna San Ignacio and were able to cross the bar at daylight! The pangas were ready to take us whalewatching when we got to the anchorage.

Everyone had a close encounter with a gray whale cow and calf on their first trip. Passengers were all smiles upon returning to Searcher. During lunch time we had a mother and calf gray whale visit Searcher so lunch was interrupted a bit….no one seemed to mind!

Capt Art and Team Searcher

(Many thanks to February, 2018 passenger Colin Barber for the use of his beautiful osprey photo!)

Hello whalewatchers,
We arrived to Islas San Benito before daylight today. We turned off most of our lights so the night-flying auklets and murrelets weren’t disoriented. A few that came aboard so we had a chance to get a good look at these birds before sending them back on their journeys safely.
We had windy conditions today and chilly temperatures–not feeling like “Sunny Baja” yet! The group saw Northern elephant seals–mostly pups/weaners, with a few females and sub-adults returning to molt–Guadalupe fur seals, and ospreys as well,
We are now travelling south towards Laguna San Ignacio and we have seen loads of shearwaters, Cassin’s auklets, and Scripps murrelets, and a brief visit from a laysan albatross.
Capt Art and Team Searcher

Hello whalewatchers,

We had a great day today with lots of wildlife sightings. We started off with about 1000 long=beaked common dolphin close to Islas Todos Santos.  We also saw multiple gray whales, most of them headed north, but one juvenile was headed south and we followed it for awhile and had a few good looks. There was another large group of common dolphins and plenty of sea birds: shearwaters, terns, black-footed albatross, fulmar, surf scoters, loons, and Cassins auklets too.

The further south we got the more wind we had, and several albatross visited us–mostly black-footed but also three laysan albatross late in the day.

We are arriving at Isla San Benito before breakfast tomorrow.

Capt Art and Team Searcher

Hello whalewatchers:

We all had a great day today starting with a good walk on Isla Santa Catalina–including finding the endemic rattleless rattlesnake! We offered a  “Crazy Coastal Cruise” and a snorkel session at this beautiful island as well.

We left the island and travelled west towards the peninsula hoping for some whales and dolphin. We were lucky again and found a single blue whale that was wonderful to watch. It dove for 10 minutes and was then on the surface for two minutes, all in the same area. We also saw a cow and calf blue whale to end this Baja-perfect day.

Laughing gull

We also found lots of bird life with elegant terns, Heermann’s gulls, brown pelicans, and a rare laughing gull.

We are having dinner on the back deck tonight with margaritas and music!

Capt Art and Team Searcher

Hello whalewatchers,

We had a very successful day starting with a great Baja California Sea of Cortez sunrise. Then everyone went in pangas to snorkel or observe whale sharks it was a great trip with lots of happy passengers. The weather was awesome and the visibility was clearer than normal so even the people that went to observe had great views. We left La Paz and travelled north. We came across a fin whale and the lighting was perfect to see the distinct lower right jaw. Great looks!

We ended the day at Los Islotes with a skiff ride and a snorkel session. We are headed further north tonight.

Capt Art and Team Searcher