Mark Carwardine Adventures runs five boat based-trips a year to Baja California, one of the world's best locations to see whales and dolphins. This was a rerun for me of the 2020 trip which was cut short due to the pandemic. We managed to do the whole trip this time, although windy weather in the second half of the trip meant that we didn't get to see much in the Sea of Cortez. Fortunately we were blessed with some superb weather in the Pacific Ocean, where we had a truly stunning encounter with Humpback Whales in flat calm conditions. We also had an excellent time over two full days in San Ignacio Lagoon. Gray Whales spend their winter in San Ignacio and other similar lagoons along the coast. It is where mothers give birth and adults come to breed. These Gray Whales are known as "Friendlies" as they relish encounters with humans in small boats - in fact the noisier and splashier boats get the most attention and interactions! Mothers will actively encourage (usually by pushing or shoving) their one or two month-old calves up towards our little boats! It is an immensly rewarding experience for both humans and whales!

My thanks to Mark and Rachel from Mark Carwardine Adventures and all the crew of "Spirit of Adventure" for running such a superb trip.