Stuff Ya Just Gotta Know

In the post about the Grand Solmar we included a video showing two whales playing an upscale game of "patty-cake" along the coast of Los Cabos.  It got me wondering about what kind they were.   On our whale-watching excursion I had seen that the Humpbacks had a really long pectoral fin, often as much as a third of their body length.  The ones we saw from the balcony clearly had that "signature" fin so I figured it was a safe bet that's what they were.  Otherwise, their bodies are a bit more similar but I started remembering the strange shape of the head we had seen when the Humpbacks we were watching came out of the water (breeched).  The more I reflected and looked, the more I came to realize that the bodies are, indeed, quite different.  But - no problem, I thought I had "whale identification" down pat!!!  Well, it was kinda like my "tree period."  A number of years ago I said to myself: "I'm pretty good at identifying pine trees and oak trees but I think I'll get a 'tree book' so I can get to know the other ones." That's when I found that in my little bitty state there were over forty kinds of pine trees and a similar number of oaks.  Whoa!!!!

I have now learned that the "Cetaceans" (that's the seagoing mammals like porpoises, dolphins and whales) are comprised of approximately 78 species!!!! ... and that they are further separated into "toothed" whales (67 species) and "baleen" whales (11 species).  Boy, that sure put a kink in my "whale expertise."  Anyway ... each November about twenty species of these magnificent creatures pack their bags, put out the cat and leave the cold Bering Sea on a 6,000 mile journey that takes them South to the warm waters along the Baja California peninsula.  (The picture to the right is by a lady named Sally Walton. We saw a virtually identical display in Cabo!!  Thanks Sally.)   They arrive somewhere around late December or early January.  From January through April they feed, breed and get their offspring introduced to their watery paradise.

Interestingly, there are three areas generally touted as the best for whale-watching and the area around Cabo San Lucas is NOT one of them.  About halfway down the Baja California peninsula the first stopping point, Laguna Ojo de Liebre (often referred to as "Scammons Lagoon" for the whaling captain who first exploited these waters) is a spot favored by the Blue Whales.  An interesting side note is that petroglyphs - cave drawings - in the local area depict whale activity in the area recorded by the ancient residents thousands of years ago.  Further South,  Laguna San Ignacio - also noted by whalers - shelters the Gray Whale during their breeding and calving seasons.  To some extent overlapping and extending still further South is the area known as Bahia Magdalena.  Consisting of a series of barrier islands and sheltered coves, this is the third lagoon area that beckons the Gray Whales.  All three spots have been declared Protected Biospheres and are zealously guarded by environmental groups and agencies of the Mexican government.  It is really interesting (but, come to think of it - possibly intentional) that the lower Baja is downplayed.  That's OK with me because I would like for these magnificent leviathans to live in peace to bring their young into the world.  But, you do need to know that the Sea of Cortez is the preferred breeding ground for the Finback Whale and for many Blues and, as we have seen, the Humpback.  In fact, the El Visciano Biosphere Reserve around San Jose is one of the most protected of all.  

Well, this post got a lot more long-winded than I had intended but let me close out by saying that if you get a chance to go whale watching - whether it is along our Atlantic coast, along the Pacific Coast, the Caribbean or somewhere else altogether - please try to take advantage of the opportunity.  Seeing these gentle, loving, incredibly beautiful creatures in person touches a spot deep within us and reminds us how very closely connected we are to all of nature.  We'll be back soon.  See ya.