Have you ever touched a whale? You might be able to if you go whale watching gray whales in Magdalena Bay (Baja California Sur, Mexico). Usually these playful gray giants seek out human contact and you might be able to touch them. Surprisingly curious and social, they came up to our boat and we were blown away by our close up encounter with a mother and a baby.

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Meet the Whales of Magdalena Bay

The Magdalena Bay whales are Gray whales. During certain times of the year, they travel to the bay to have their babies and raise them until they are old enough to join their yearly migration North to Alaska.

What is a Gray Whale?

Although some sources say the Gray whale was named after the zoologist John Edward Gray, most state it is simply the description of its color. Both “gray” and “grey” whale are used, in addition to devil fish and mussel digger.

The gray whale is a medium-sized baleen whale averaging 49 feet (15 meters) in length and weighing an average of 72,000 lbs (32 tons), though some can grow to be much heavier. (For comparison, the average elephant weighs 5 tons) Gray whales can live between 50 and 70 years.

Even if their main color is gray, they usually are covered with parasites and barnacles that give them a very crusty appearance. They won’t easily win a beauty contest.

During the summer, one population of gray whales lives in Alaskan waters enjoying an abundance of food. When winter arrives, they swim 6,000 miles (10,000 km) South to Baja California, including Magdalena Bay. This migration is one of the longest in the animal world.

When they arrive at the Bay, they are well fed and ready to enjoy the tropical climate. They use their “vacation time” to mate and be merry. This also is the perfect time and place for pregnant moms to give birth to their calves.

Soon after mating season is over, most of the pod (group of whales) starts their return journey to Alaska, but mothers with newborn calves stay in the safety of the lagoon for a few more months.

Our Experience with these Gray Whales in Magdalena Bay

When we were staying in Loreto (Mexico), we discovered that we could make a day trip to Magdalena Bay to go whale watching. Since whale watching is one of our favorite activities (boats, birds, sometimes even whales!) and it was my birthday, we booked this trip.

Because Loreto is on the East Coast of Baja California, we had to make a long but scenic bus trip through mountains and deserts to Magdalena Bay on the West coast. Soon after arriving, we boarded a small whale watching boat, called a panga. It didn’t take long before we started puttering around and waiting for whales to show up.

And oh my! Did they ever!

Not only did they show up, but a mom and her baby actually swam up to our boat and seemed to invite touching her. What an experience! Never had I expected to touch an a whale. Now they came and sought us out.

Funnily, we had just gotten a big zoom lens to use for whale watching during this vacation and the whales came too close to use the zoom lens! Our best cameras were simply our phones.

Among my favorite moments of the day is having a whale spray salt water right into our faces. That was a bit more up close than we had expected.

Having been a stay-at-home mom with toddlers, I could empathize with the whales’ social behavior. Being home with kids, although rewarding, can also be boring at times. These stay-at-home whale moms happy to have some free entertainment during the long days.

The clock is running. Make the most of today. Time waits for no man. Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That’s why it is called the present.

Alice Morse Earle

Is It Legal to Touch a Grey Whale?

Naturally, we wondered whether this way of whale watching could be harmful to the whales and if it even was legal? My research shows that the Mexican government has strong rules and regulations for whale watching operations.

Make sure that you only take cruises with guides who have the proper permit given by SEMARNAT (Secretary for the Environment and Natural Resources). Guides cannot harass the whale, but instead they drive the boat at a low speed or wait patiently for the whale to decide to approach or not.

Boats cannot get closer than about 150 feet from the whale, after that it is up to the whale. Our whales seemed curious and willing to play, but of course that won’t always happen.

The National Geographic has a great article about this gray whale behavior “In this Lagoon, the Whales Come to You“.

What is the best time of year to see gray whales in Magdalena Bay?

In Magdalena Bay, mid January to late March are the best months to see these whales. February is the peak month, but we went during March and had good sightings.

An Abundance of Birds in Magdalena Bay

While traveling through the bay to meet the whales, you will notice many birds. My favorite was the magnificent frigate colony which was super busy. It reminded me of Isla Contoy, where we saw tons of them also.

Apart from the frigates, there are pelicans, gulls, terns and many other birds to watch. Not to mention the birds we saw on the way in and out, ospreys and crested cara cara’s. So even if the whales are not in a playful mood, there is tons to see and explore.

Where Else can I See Gray Whales?

San Ignacio Lagoon, Mexico

In addition to Magdalena Bay, San Ignacio Lagoon is another good whale watching site. Another “nursery” for new moms and babies, the whales will seek and enjoy human company. Once they start migrating, it is all back to business and they have no time for such silliness.

Cowichan Bay, Vancouver Island, Canada

When we visited Victoria, we enjoyed a whale watch there. Didn’t get to see gray whales, but they usually are there March to April.

San Diego, California

In October, gray whales start swimming south from Alaska. This means they will pass the coast off San Diego from December through January. On their way back, you can watch them in February and March when they return to their feeding grounds.

Oregon

Late March until June is the best time to watch gray whales on the Oregon coast. About 300 whales prefer to remain in the northwest waters to feed rather than traveling back to Alaska, so you can watch them year round.

Conclusion Gray Whale Watching in Magdalena Bay

In conclusion: gray whales are awesome and very social. Although you can watch them all along the Pacific Coast, they only approach boats in the protected bays and lagoons of Baja California Sur. So you too might end up with salt on your face, we sure did! When we got back to the hotel we celebrated with a flaming Mexican coffee 🙂

Have you been on a whale watch? Where? Did you see any gray whales? Please let us know in the comments, we are always looking for new whale watching ideas.

Other Whale Watching Adventures

• Whale Watching in Canada, the St Laurens River!
• Another Canada whale watch from Victoria BC;
• You might be able to see whales during this lighthouse hike on Hawaii. We also saw them from our balcony in Maui;
• Frantic Feeding Frenzy: Humpbacks at Stellwagen Bank.

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