Puerto Lopez Mateos, Baja, Mexico

After two lazy days in Loreto, we decided to leave the windy Sea of Cortes. We ventured to the tiny fishing port of Lopez Mateos on the Pacific side of the Baja. We arrived at midday and jumped aboard a whale watching tour an hour later. It was an overcast Sunday afternoon, but the grey whales did not disappoint. 

We saw mother whales nursing their calves and watched as multiple pairs swam just feet from our boat. The lagoon on Bahia de Magdalena is a famous nursery for the whales and provides a sheltered space for the whales to give birth to their young. During the month of March, the mother whales and their calves become much more social and curious about the boats. Only licensed tour operators can enter the lagoon and we were assured that the drivers were all very respectful of the whales because this tourist activity is the mainstay of the economy. However, the sheer number of boats in the lagoon and the tourists’ desire for a “National Geographic” moment, makes you realize that eco-tourism is a double-edged sword.