Boca de Soledad
“Keep some room in your heart for the unimaginable.” -Mary Oliver
“Pfffffft………….…….pfffffft…..”
“Come here baby, here cutie.... Hey momma, bring your baby over here…come play with us. You are beautiful…we love you! Oh! Look at the eye—she’s looking at me!” Time in our Zodiacs interacting with gray whales turns even the most dignified 60- and 70-year-olds into babbling baby-talkers. It’s hard to describe the emotional impact of engaging with these playful giants. Along with the baby-talk are also these sentiments: “I can’t believe I’m here. I’m so lucky. Thank you for coming into my life.”
Today’s focus was observing the gray whales in their winter home. Zodiacs loaded with guests, staff, crew, and a pangero each (licensed to take us around the bay) went in search for the females and their month-plus olds. There wasn’t much search involved; the whales came to us, cows nudging calves as they frolicked around and below us, encouraging our endearments.
What is it about engaging with this remarkable species that softens and opens people’s hearts, momentarily reducing their well-defined intellect to blathering silliness? If you, dear reader, are a friend or family member of one of our guests on board, ask them when they get home to describe their experience and you will see what I mean. Or better yet, come to Baja California Sur and let the gray whales work their magic on you. I dare say that this joyful connection we feel is love, and what else really matters?
