When my adventure-loving in-laws invited us on a road trip to Baja California Sur for their annual whale watching expedition, we said YES, of course! We drove over 1,100 miles zigzagging across Baja, in a 10 car caravan (mostly 4WD trucks) filled with 16 retired American expats who party more than you ever did in college.

The caravan gathered in San Felipe, and from there, our first “official” stop was Gonzaga Bay, for breakfast at Alfonsinas – French Toast, eggs, & bacon all around. The next stop was Coco’s Corner for a beer and sodas. Coco’s is a mirage on a desert bedrock-road*. Recycled art dots the landscape and undergarments left-behind hang from the ceiling.

We made it to Guerrero Negro, just in time for dinner at Santo Remedio – seafood dishes and wine were the highlights. The next morning, we gathered early, and made the 45 minute drive to Laguna Ojo de Liebre. Our group boarded three pangas, loaded up with cameras and breakfast burritos. As we walked to the boats, we could see whales in the distance… Little did I know what was awaiting us!

There was a quick lesson about the bay and its inhabitants – both are well protected in this area. Only three panga boats go out at a time, each with only eight passengers, and no personal watercraft is allowed in the water. According to the daily whale census, it was thought that there were 2,000+ grey whales in the bay at the time. And from what I saw, easily, without strain or binoculars, I have NO reason to question the census estimate. Everywhere I looked on the horizon, there where whales breaching, fins & tails flipping up & out of the water, blowhole spouts, mothers and calves swimming and jumping, and sleeping whales (that resemble logs) floating on the surface of the water, all at a safe distance from our panga.

And then it happened. We got up close and personal with a particularly friendly and social female whale. She repeatedly scraped against the boat, likely trying to rub her barnacles off. She would turn sideways, glance at us with her eye, and she’d roll on her back and let us touch her belly. She remained with our boat for 30+ minutes. When we pulled away, she kept another boat entertained in the same way. It was remarkable, unreal, and beautiful.

Eventually, we said adios to the whales, and we headed to the other side of town for lunch, at Playa Puerto Viejo. As we pulled up, what we thought were sand dunes turned out to be massive piles of shells – from clams, oysters, and mussels. Clearly, fresh seafood was on the menu, and rightfully so, because the ceviche was the freshest, most delicious, and most perfect I have had in a long time.

The return home took us through Bahia de los Angeles to enjoy the landscape of the islands in the bay – truly one place where the desert meets the sea. We retraced our steps, across the bedrock, to Coco’s place, through San Felipe, and then we crossed the peninsula for the drive home through Ensenada, Rosarito, and Tijuana.

It was one whale of a trip!

*The bedrock road, that’s not an exaggeration. About 4 hours of our journey (we spent 24 hours in the car, round trip), was on a road that is currently being built, and is yet to be paved. Our ride was comfortable in a medium duty truck designed to handle every condition, and the Mr. came prepared with tools and supplies. But there were other makes and models, big and small, all trying to make the trip, some more successfully than others. We saw tire blow-outs and groups standing in the sun next to broken down vehicles, considering their alternatives. And there are not many alternatives. When we were on the road, and outside of towns, cell phone service was “Emergency” at best, if at all. Our caravan had hand-held marine radios, which allowed us to stay in contact. The moral to the story, if you want to make the trip, be prepared and plan ahead.