Boca de Soledad, Bahia Magdalena

Wow! Although the word is overused, our encounters with the gray whales of Magdalena Bay this morning were truly awesome. We ventured out at sunrise with perfect conditions - flat calm seas, a lovely light breeze and the fine mist of whale-breath everywhere. As several curious mothers with their calves approached our Zodiacs, magic began to happen. Shouts of "right in front of us!" and "look, look, look, surfacing at one o'clock!" accompanied the gigantic exhalation of a mama whale. Cameras were alternately put into high gear and then quickly tucked away to avoid being coated with whale mucus. By late morning everyone was back aboard the ship, grinning like school kids after a great day of play. It's hard to imagine a more vivid memory to take home than the sights, smells and sounds from this day.