San Ignacio Lagoon
This morning, peach and pink hues streaked across the sky as we pulled into the dock in Santa Rosalina. The excitement was palpable as we gathered to load into our caravan of comfortable, air-conditioned vans, bound for the Pacific side of the Baja Peninsula. Our destination: Laguna San Ignacio. The desert stretched out before us for miles, only interrupted by the magnificent views of Tres Virgenes. The vast, open landscape was filled with numerous Sonoran desert plants, including some we had not yet seen, such as the datilillo, (tree yuccas), and the elephant trees growing out of the lava flows.
We arrived at the quaint village of San Ignacio, where locals mingled in the town square adjacent to the picturesque mission. Here we had an opportunity to stretch our legs and have a snack of local treats. Date bread and empanadas, along with fresh squeezed orange juice, was the perfect sustenance to hold us over until we reached our overnight cabins that sit directly on San Ignacio Lagoon.
A bumpy ride ended at our two camps, Kuyima and Baja Expeditions. Both had prepared a delicious lunch in anticipation of our arrival. At Baja Expeditions, tacos with fresh tortillas, salsa and grilled banana peppers were delicious and filling. We were all preparing for the true highlight of the day, whale-watching in the lagoon. After a briefing, we donned our life jackets and loaded into blue and red pangas. Our local pangueros sped us out into the area where the grey whales did not disappoint. They were immediately visible all around us – blowing, spy-hopping and showing off their flukes, to the delight of all. Cow/calf pairs frolicked near our pangas, occasionally diving beneath and re-surfacing.
Our two-hour trip to the whales flew by as the weather was perfect. There was not a breath of wind and a chimera sky kept the sun from being too hot. The glassy surface of the water made spotting the blows and logging whales very easy.
After the tour, we all gathered around the edge of the laguna to watch a magnificent sunset, all comparing notes and agreeing that these whale encounters were unforgettable.
Since we had split into two camps, we rejoined at Kuyima for dinner, which consisted of of a lovely vegetable soup, perfectly prepared fresh fish and yummy chocolate cake for dessert. Just when I felt the evening coming to a close, Carlos, the host at Kuyima, brought out his guitar and played a rousing version of “Besa Me Mucho,” plus his own composition about Ballena Gris, much to everyone's amusement.
Tired, satiated and full of good cheer, we split back into our two camps and hit the hay under the star-filled heavens.
