Personal Travel Plan The Festival of Whales – Baja California 20 February 2017
THE FESTIVAL OF WHALES
In 2004 we created an exciting and unique event – The Festival of Wildlife. The Festival visited a different location each year for a period six years, visiting the world’s most iconic wildlife locations in the company of some of the world’s finest naturalists. First Kenya’s Masai Mara, then the Galapagos, followed by Ranthambhore in India, British Columbia, Madagascar, and finally the legendary Serengeti in Tanzania.
The Festival is back, this time visiting the world-renowned San Ignacio Lagoon in Mexico’s Baja California.
We are delighted that The Festival will be led by Mark Carwardine. Mark is a great friend of Wildlife Worldwide, having travelled with us on many trips over the course of the past few years, and lectured regularly at previous Festivals.
For those of you that don’t know Mark, he is a zoologist, an active and outspoken conservationist, an award-winning writer, a TV and radio presenter, a widely published photographer, a magazine columnist and conservation consultant. Mark co-presented the six-part BBC-TV series Last Chance to See, with the comedian and actor Stephen Fry, in which the unlikely duo travelled the world in search of endangered species (following in the footsteps of a similar journey Mark had made with Douglas Adams 20 years before). Mark also co-presented the six-part BBC-TV series The Museum of Life. He presented the weekly half-hour radio programme Nature on BBC Radio 4 for six years, and has presented hundreds of other BBC Radio 4 programmes over the years.
This piece that Mark wrote for the Daily Telegraph wonderfully sums up the experiences we hope to have when there…
“Grey whales are widely regarded as the friendliest of all the world’s whales: it’s often hard to tell who is supposed to be watching whom. Spending quality time with them is arguably one of the greatest wildlife experiences on earth - a blur of leaping, laughing, spouting, splashing, stroking, playing and patting.
These inveterate travellers commute along the entire length of the western North American coastline, between January and April each year most of the world population of grey whales gathers in their winter breeding grounds in Baja. For several months each year, practically the entire world population of grey whales gathers in four magical, mangrove-lined breeding lagoons beside the desert, along the Pacific coast of Baja, to socialise, mate and calve. My favourite is San Ignacio.
All encounters are from 8- or 10-seater pangas, small fibreglass boats operated by local fishermen, which are amazingly stable and perfect for close encounters. The whales are as playful and trusting as kittens: they come alongside the boats and literally nudge them, or push them round in circles, or even lift them up, ever so gently, and then lower them back into the water. Best of all, they lie there waiting to be scratched and tickled (just in case you’re wondering if it’s a good policy to encourage people to touch wild animals, consider this: if you don’t scratch and tickle them, the whales simply go and find a boat-load of people who will).
The calves are usually the most playful, but sometimes a huge cloud of bubbles will erupt from the water underneath the boat. There is a slight swishing sound and then a gigantic, bowed head appears right alongside. It is Mum - all 40 feet of her – who is always nearby keeping a watchful eye on proceedings. Seeing her appear suddenly from the depths is like watching the Mother Ship appear in Close Encounters of the Third Kind. But even she enjoys the occasional scratch and tickle.
Just a brief flirtation with a friendly grey whale is often all it takes to turn normal, quiet, unflappable people into delirious, jabbering extroverts. Everyone becomes the life and soul of the party. I have seen grown men and women break into song, burst into tears, slap one another on the back and do all the things that normal, quiet, unflappable people are not supposed to do. I have done it all myself and like nothing better than to watch other people falling under the spell, knowing that their lives will never be quite the same again.
Stephen Fry sums it up best. We spent a couple of weeks filming in Baja, for the BBC TV series Last Chance to See, and he became a lifelong whale addict after our first day in San Ignacio. ‘Suck my pants and call me Noreen’, he said. ‘That was the best day of my life. What a phenomenal experience. Epic. Epic. Epic.’
But it’s hard to believe that these very same grey whales once had a reputation for being ferocious and dangerous. They were hunted ruthlessly in the second half of the nineteenth century, and again in the early twentieth century, until there were almost none left (numbers have bounced back since thanks to strenuous conservation efforts). Yankee whalers entered the Baja lagoons in small wooden rowing boats (roughly the same size as today’s whale-watching pangas) and harpooned them. But the whales fought back – chasing the whaling boats, lifting them out of the water like big rubber ducks, ramming them with their heads and dashing them to pieces with their tails. They would ‘fight like devils’, so the Yankee whalers dubbed them ‘devilfish’.
Nowadays, somehow, they seem to understand that we come in peace. The survivors positively welcome whale-watching tourists into their breeding lagoons and, far from smashing our small boats to smithereens, welcome us with open flippers. They seem to have forgiven us for all those years of greed, recklessness and cruelty. They trust us, when we don’t really deserve to be trusted. It’s a humbling experience.”
THE FESTIVAL ITINERARY
Day 1 San Diego Daytime flight from London to San Diego. On arrival at San Diego International Airport-Lindbergh Field, you will be transferred the short distance to your overnight accommodation. The evening is free to relax after the long flight.
No meals are included today (other than those on board your flight).
Best Western Plus Island Palms Hotel & Marina This pleasant hotel is ideally located on the Hawaiian-style Shelter Island, just four kilometres from the international airport and surrounded by the deep waters of San Diego Bay. Nestling in a spectacular setting amidst six acres of lush, tropical landscaped grounds, it overlooks a private yacht marina, Point Loma and the bay. The friendly staff takes pride in providing excellent service in this tranquil, laid-back, Southern Californian setting.
Accommodation consists of 227 rooms with a tropical island theme, which are both spacious and well-appointed with a 42-inch LCD television with free cable channels, refrigerator, coffee maker, iron and ironing board, and free WiFi internet access. Another option for longer stays is the 60 fully- equipped suites in the Mediterranean-style Casa del Mar, or exclusive Casa Marina. Amenities include a fitness centre, two heated outdoor swimming pools and spas, a courtesy shuttle to San Diego International Airport, complimentary parking, business services and waterfront meeting facilities. Within the hotel, the waterfront Blue Wave Bar and Grill opens daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner, offering a varied menu with many tropical touches, but there is a wide choice of restaurants within walking distance.
Day 2 San Ignacio Lagoon After an early breakfast, at around 0930 you board a chartered bus to cross the border into Mexico and head for Tijuana, further down the coast. This relatively scenic drive passes through the seaside towns of Rosarito and Baja Malibu, taking around an hour and a half from the hotel (without allowing for formalities at the border). Snacks and drinks are provided on board the bus. On arrival at Tijuana’s commercial airport, you pass Mexican customs before checking in for a flight by chartered light aircraft to Baja California. This two-hour flight south to San Ignacio Lagoon takes you down the coast of the peninsula, with fantastic aerial views of grey whales that set a context for the next few days. On arrival at San Ignacio airstrip you are met by camp staff and transferred by vehicle to the lodge on San Ignacio Lagoon – just a short drive away.
Note: there is a time change of one hour – the southern half of Baja California is on Mountain Time i.e. one hour later than San Diego and Tijuana, which are on Pacific Time.
IMPORTANT: on the charter flight there is a weight limit of approximately 15 kilos per person, plus hand baggage/camera bag, so pack light. Please travel with a soft canvas bag that is easy to pack in the aircraft hold; hard-sided suitcases are not accepted.
San Ignacio Cabaña Situated just a ten minute drive from the tiny San Ignacio airstrip, the accommodation consists of 12 simple wooden cabins, a comfortable and spacious communal dining, reading and presentation room and a covered outdoor area for relaxing. Each wooden cabin is raised from the ground, has a small double bed or twin beds, a washbasin, small wardrobe and a veranda overlooking the lagoon. Outside facilities are shared and completely eco friendly, with four solar-heated showers and six toilets.
Two excursions are made each day on to the lagoon, accompanied by local naturalist guides. The mangroves can also be visited on these excursions, providing good opportunities for bird-viewing.
The food is freshly cooked each day by the resident Mexican family; delicious, plentiful and varied! A small bar serves most drinks and the dining room is surrounded by comfortable sofas and well stocked bookshelves, with good literature about the area.
During calm periods, the accommodation also has a small number of sea kayaks for close-shore mini-excursions and offers a campfire most evenings when star gazing. An internet telephone is available for use (at a small charge), and there are two computers that are intermittently linked to the internet. Importantly, good battery re-charging facilities are available.
From the camp, you can enjoy a spectacular sunset down the lagoon. The naturalist guide is also available for more in-depth conversation on the grey whale migration phenomenon and biodiversity of the region. Birding in the surroundings area is also fantastic with a chance to see peregrine falcon, pelican and osprey.
You spend six nights at the lodge in the company of Pacific grey whales, in the sanctuary where they come to mate and give birth. In camp you’ll enjoy the hospitality, friendliness and local knowledge of the staff, which includes a resident marine biologists/zoologists. In addition to two whale watching trips each day, other activities include naturalist- led excursions to explore tidal pools, guided sea- kayaking (subject to the tides) in the mangrove estuary, bird watching and beachcombing.
Of course there will be plenty of opportunity to develop your wildlife photographic skills, and during The Festival Mark Carwardine will not only be available to assist at all levels, but will run digital photographic workshops for those who are interested.
Your stay is on a fully inclusive basis i.e. all meals, drinks (with the exception of imported spirits) and activities are included – from dinner on arrival until breakfast on the day of departure.
Days 3 to 7 San Ignacio Lagoon After a restful night’s sleep under a huge star-filled sky (there’s no light pollution here, so the star- gazing is fantastic!), you wake to a spectacular sunrise and a hearty breakfast. Early morning is a special time at San Ignacio Lagoon: Brandt, great blue heron, great and reddish egrets come to feed on the tidal flats in front of the cabins. A gentle walk along the flats, or to the edge of the lagoon to watch any passing whales, makes relaxing start to the day.
At around 0900 you don a lifejacket, board a skiff and (weather permitting) set off for to the designated whale watching zone for around an hour and a half of contact time with grey whales, and hopefully some incredible encounters with mothers and their calves. These boat trips allow you to get extremely close to the whales, but are closely controlled to minimise any possible disturbance.
The experienced and knowledgeable staff includes marine biologists, zoologists and naturalists. All guides are graduates of the RARE naturalist training program, speak good English, and will explain the grey whale’s life cycle and behaviour, while ensuring your safety at all times. They work closely with the local skippers, who have lived and worked alongside grey whales throughout their lives, and have thus developed a deep-seated respect for these incomparable creatures.
Grey whales have been migrating to San Ignacio Lagoon for thousands of generations in order to mate and calve in the warm, shallow waters. This behaviour affords a unique opportunity to witness the splendour of these majestic giants, as mothers with new-born calves approach boats to show off their four-and-a-half- metre-long, two-tonne babies. Young males pass underneath the hull while seeking sexually mature females to set the lagoon’s cycle of life in motion once again. This unique location in which grey whales give birth has been left untouched by man, and the local community is striving hard to keep the lagoon a sacred and protected sanctuary for these magnificent giants of the deep.
On getting back from the morning excursion, there is time to enjoy various activities before lunch: you can explore tidal pools in search of octopus, do some photography, go sea-kayaking in the mangroves, beachcombing or bird watching.
After lunch, in true Mexican fashion, there’s time for a siesta or – if you prefer – you can read, go for a walk or explore the area. Depending on the tide, you usually set off for your second whale watching trip of the day between 1400 and 1500.
On return to camp there is still time to wander the shell-strewn beaches, watch whales from the shore, browse the camp library, relax on the beach or simply enjoy the peace and quiet with a view over the lagoon. There is no hectic schedule – you can simply take things at your own pace...
At the end of the afternoon you can drink coffee or sip a cocktail while the sun sets over the distant sand dunes, turning the sky to vermilion. Sunset is followed by a healthy dinner with plenty of fresh fish, vegetables and other local specialties.
During your stay Mark Carwardine will deliver a full programme of evening talks and presentations.
When you eventually retire to your cabin you’ll be lulled to sleep by the sounds of the lagoon: whales breathing in the distance and coyotes howling at the moon.
Each day of your stay unfolds in much the same fashion…
Day 8 San Diego After a final breakfast at camp you return to the airstrip and board a chartered light aircraft for the two hour flight back north to Tijuana, arriving around midday (Pacific Time. Note: due to the time change you gain one hour.) On disembarking at Tijuana you board a chartered bus for the drive back to San Diego – this time the trip may take significantly longer as you have to pass US immigration control at Otay Mesa border crossing.
On arrival at San Diego, you will transfer to the Best Western Plus Island Palms Hotel & Marina, where you stayed at the beginning of the trip, for the last night.
Only breakfast is included today. Day 9 Departure Free day in San Diego before taking the shuttle bus to the airport and an overnight flight back to the UK.
Only breakfast is included today.
Day 10 Arrive UK Arrive London Heathrow mid-afternoon.
WHEN TO GO: The grey whales are in San Ignacio Lagoon from January through to the end of April mating and calving. Throughout this period there is a movement of whales into and out of the lagoon, so whilst there are always many whales in the lagoon, not all of them remain in the lagoon for the duration of their stay in Baja California. The male grey whales are in the lagoon for the shortest period of time and from the middle of March they begin to head north along the coast to their feeding grounds in the northern reaches of the Pacific Ocean and the Arctic Sea. The young remain in the lagoon with their mothers until they are strong enough to begin the long and treacherous journey north. At this time, perhaps because the mothers are not having to contend with ‘amorous suitors’ there is increased contact behaviour with the boats and even greater opportunities for interaction with the whales.
DEPARTURE DATE: 20 February 2017
Group size: Maximum 24
Cost: From £4,795 per person (land only) based on twin-sharing accommodation From £675 per person single supplement Flights package from £1000 per person (incl. international flights from the UK to San Diego and associated airport taxes)
INCLUSIONS EXCLUSIONS International flights UK travel expenses Domestic flights Travel Insurance Accommodation as indicated in the itinerary Any associated visa fees Return airport transfers Any associated vaccination costs Guide services of Mark Carwardine while in Baja Any personal items (e.g clothing) Services of local naturalist guides while in Baja Any local staff “tips” Photographic workshops and lectures Any meals or drinks (unless otherwise stated) Evening talks & slideshows Any other item not listed in Inclusions Meals and activities as indicated Vizcaino Biosphere fee Conservation fund contribution
For further information, please refer to our website or contact us on 01962 302086 http://www.wildlifeworldwide.com/group-tours/festival-of-whales
Tel: 01962 302086 / 0845 130 6982 Email: [email protected]
BOOKING INFORMATION
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OPTIONAL TRAVEL INSURANCE POLICY
Extensive travel insurance is a vital part of your holiday and it is a condition of travelling with us that you have such cover.
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MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MEXICO
History The first great civilisation in central Mexico arose in the central valley - the magnificent city of Teotihuacán was built between 100 BC and 700 AD, with a population estimated at 200,000 at its peak. Other civilisations included the Olmec, Maya, Toltec and the Aztecs, the last of pre-Columbian Mexico's great native civilizations. Rising to prominence in the central valley of Mexico in around 1427, at their height the Aztecs ruled around 5 million people, their empire spanning Mexico from the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf Coast. Spaniard Hernán Cortés arrived at Veracruz in 1519, shortly afterwards colonizing the area and naming it Nueva Espana (New Spain). By 1574, Spain controlled a large portion of the Aztec empire and had enslaved most of the indigenous population. The Catholic Church's influence was felt in the region when missionaries began arriving in 1523, and the resulting blending of European and indigenous peoples and cultures characterises today's Mexico. Mexico finally gained independence from Spain in 1821, but a century of political chaos ensued, eventually sparking the Mexican Revolution, a devastating 10 year conflict (1910-1920). Mexico's population has greatly increased since World War II, but the distribution of wealth remains unbalanced. However, in recent years, the building of foreign-owned factories and plants in some of Mexico’s rural areas has helped draw the population away from Mexico City and redistribute some of the country’s wealth. Despite the political and social changes that have occurred over the centuries, evidence of past cultures and events are apparent everywhere in Mexico. Many of Mexico’s rural areas are still inhabited by indigenous people whose lifestyles are quite similar to those of their ancestors.
Geography
Capital: Mexico City
Area: 1,959,248 sq km
Borders: United States, Belize, Guatemala
Coastline: Mexico has 9,330 km of coastline, most of which faces the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of California
Population: 112 million
Ethnic Groups: Mixed indigenous-European (mainly Spanish) 60%, indigenous 30%, European 9%
Religions: Predominantly Roman Catholic (89%), some Protestant.
Languages: Spanish
Climate
Most of Mexico has sunny weather for a large part of the year. Located between the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean to the east and the Pacific Ocean and Sea of Cortez (Gulf of California) to the west and south, the country's climate is largely affected by these large bodies of water as well as Sierra Madre mountain ranges that extend along most of each coastline.
TRAVEL CARE (SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL pt.1)
“Travel Care” is our Sustainable Travel policy. It is a programmed policy that we have written ourselves which cuts across every aspect of our holidays in order “to preserve the natural environment and minimise any negative impact on local cultures through education, conservation, sustainable development and socially responsible practices”
We have been actively involved in wildlife conservation and community projects since we started the business and over the years our approach has been acknowledged by the First Choice Responsible Tourism Awards who highly commended us as being 'Best for Conservation of Endangered Species'.
See our website for more details
Power to the people…
Campo Cortez has a modern solar and wind power generating system. This unique two-fold system supplies all the electricity required for refrigeration, lighting, charging systems and safety equipment. The central palapa has a 20 amp solar panel system plus a 12 amp wind generator, and can harness the energy of the sun and/or wind. On a cloudy day, when there is little or no solar energy, wind is used to produce electricity that is stored in the camp’s 6 volt battery bank.
The heart of the system is the battery bank, which is used to store solar or wind energy fed from the panels or wind generator in lead acid, deep-cycle batteries. Power from the batteries is distributed to an inverter that converts the 12 volt DC output into 110 volt AC current to power refrigerators and freezers, while most lighting uses 12 volt DC current direct from the batteries. You can connect video and camera batteries to the system at any time of day or night.