Blue
Whale Watching in Mexico
This whale watching tour = 100% success rate
since 2005
Winter
Blue Whale watching Schedule
We
are currently offering Blue Whale watching in the Gulf of California
as part of our Combination Whale watching trips.
Combination Blue & Gray whale trips
Our most popular whale watch tours:
February 10 - February 17 • 8-day trip
Our most popular whale watch tours:
February 10 - February 17 • 8-day trip
February
10 - February 20 • 11-day trip
February
10 - February 21 • 12-day trip
To view
guide logs and diaries from past Blue Whale trips click the
links below.
Click here for Gray whale watching information
Click here for Gray whale watching information
This
Blue Whale
adventure begins when we meet you at the airport in Loreto,
Baja California Sur, Mexico. Included are most meals,
lodging, transportation around town and of course the whale
watching.
The
combination blue and gray whale trips involve whale watching
on both sides of the Baja Peninsula. The blue whale watching
takes place on the Sea of Cortez near the town of Loreto. The
Gray whale watching takes place on the Pacific Ocean side of
the Peninsula inside an enclosed and protected bay known as
Laguna Ojo de Liebre.
We
will see many other animals besides Blue Whales. The Gulf
or California is well known for its abundance of marine animal
life. Birds, dolphin, several other species of large whale
are all likely to be observed on our trip.
During
the day we will stop and enjoy a leisurely lunch time picnic
on one of the secluded sandy offshore island beaches.
There are many interesting animals and things to see during
our brief time on shore each day.
Blue
Whale Quick facts:
Length:
currently up to 90 feet. Before whaling probably up to
120 feet. Weight up to 140 tons, but in the past maybe
20 to 50 tons more than that.
Blue
whales are baleen whales, who eat krill and other small pelagic
marine animals. They have two blow holes. The heart
of an adult blue whale is about the size of VW Beetle.
The carotid artery is about 12" to 18" in diameter, compared
to 1/4" for humans. The internal temperature is about
98 to 99 degrees fahrenheit. The heart rate at rest is
5 to 10 beats per minute compared to an average human heart
rate of 60 or 70 beats.
Blue
whales are semi-deep divers going down as deep as 600 feet in
search of the 1 to 8 tons of krill they consume in a single
day, depending on location and season. The Blue Whale
typically dives for periods averaging 5 to 10 minutes.
Baby
Blue Whales
The
baby blue whale weighs about 2.5 tons at birth. This compares
to about 1/2 ton (1000 pounds) for a baby gray whale.
The baby is nursed on 50% fat enriched mothers milk, consuming
about 50 gallons (roughly 400 pounds) a day. The baby
will gain 200 to 300 pounds a day in body weight. Current information
that I have indicates that Blue whales are known to give birth
to twins. This is said to occur in 1 in 100 births.
The
largest animal in the world at 100 feet in length and up to
140 tons. With less than 11,000 remaining in the world,
few people experience the thrill of seeing them. A baby
blue whale is about the size of an adult Gray Whale! We
also expect to see many Fin Whales. The 2nd largest animal
in the world. At about 70 to 85 feet these are really
big animals too. If dolphins get you excited, you will
be in for a real thrill should we happen upon a pod of 200 to
1000 dolphins. We also expect to see humpback whales,
sperm whales and more. Last year we had wonderful views
of a humpback as it dived and swam near us. Part of the
adventure on this trip is not knowing just which animal we will
come upon next. There are birds by the thousands and fish
by the millions. And of course having the opportunity
to do some beachcombing while we eat lunch each day on a
deserted island is just an added bonus.
Migration:
Blue whales spend the warm summer months feeding in the
cold arctic or Pacific waters. They consume one
to 8 tons of krill and other small pelagic marine arthropods each
day. As the weather turns cold the most large whale species
begin migrating south to warmer waters. Humpbacks from the
north congregate near islands such as Hawaii. The gray
whales migrate south, swimming close to shore, frequently within
view of landbased spotters. The Blue whales are solitary
animals who swim further offshore. Their migration is not
documented, but is known only by observation of the animals who
return to certain warm waters year after year. In the Loreto
area each year will see a population of 30 to 100 blue whales
congregate near the islands just offshore. This is our
destination and the reason we can confidently set out to observe
this, the most elusive of the large whales.
A Blue Whale Trip Log