Our second day at San Ignacio Lagoon began with more blue skies, sunshine, and plenty of excited anticipation. We returned to the mouth of the broad lagoon with our inflatable boats to search for gray whales. This morning we found an even greater numbers of whales. The ocean tides were flooding into the lagoon as we arrived at an area where groups of mother whales, each with their calf beside them, were swimming along in the tidal rip currents. Like side-by-side runners on treadmills at a gym, this appeared to be mothers exercising their calves to build their muscles for the long journey ahead. These young calves and their mothers would soon be departing the protected waters of San Ignacio Lagoon to begin their 5,000 mile journey northward to arctic waters. With our boats we were able cruise slowly alongside them as they swam in place into the current, with multiple whales continually popping up around us in every direction.
In addition to plenty of close spectacular sightings, there was a lot of spy-hopping behavior, as well as occasional head-slapping, fluking, and some friendly behavior with whales coming to visit within arm’s reach to be petted. All in all it was an astounding and delightful experience sharing these mysterious waters with these magnificent creatures.
During the afternoon we began heading back southward in relatively gentle following seas. After some welcome time for restful siestas, there was a gathering in the lounge for hands-on sessions with our digital cameras to help better understand their many dials, buttons, and settings. Later in the afternoon we encountered several exuberant groups of long-beaked common dolphins racing to join the ship for a fun ride on the pressure wave ahead of our ship’s bow. The sun sank into the Pacific before we headed to another wonderful dinner. Afterwards, we all gathered in the lounge to enjoy a showing of the classic, old, documentary film “Around Cape Horn” by Captain Irving John. We retired to bed glad to be heading southward in very calm seas.
