The Grey Whales of Magdalena Bay

I traveled to Loreto, Mexico at the end of February/early March in 2020 to visit friends.  They had moved to Loreto, a small Mexican city located on the eastern coast of the Baja California Peninsula, with a strong expat community, but not too many tourists.  I was having a great time--enjoying the natural rugged landscapes and the delicious local fish tacos.

One day, my friends asked me if I wanted to take a day trip and watch grey whales.  I said yes, without any expectations, and vaguely thought we would watch grey whales from a distance in a boat.

The next day, we woke early, picked up two more friends, and drove towards the Pacific (western) side of the Baja California Peninsula.  We had a fun drive--talking, laughing, and watching ospreys. Two hours later, we arrived at Magdalena Bay. 

We bought our tickets and boarded a small motor-boat.  Our tan captain with a nice smile drove us out onto the open sea.  I was enjoying watching the waves zip past us when I heard squeals of laughter.  I see another small motor-boat ahead of us, with many of the passengers with their hands in the water.  What are they doing, I wondered.

Then I see a grey whale stick its head out of the water, a few feet away from the boat!  Then I see the whale purposefully head towards the boat and the passengers reach down and start petting the whale.  I was shocked that the whale approached the boat and wanted to be petted.

Our captain encouraged us to stick our hands in the water and make waves underneath the water to call the whales to us.  A moment of fear crossed my mind. Did I really want a whale to touch my hand?  Would I lose my hand? I wondered.  I paused.  I looked around and saw 5 to 6 whales approach other boats to be petted.  Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, including the whales.

I took a deep breath and started making waves in the water.  Ten minutes passed.  Then I saw a spotted grey whale head towards me.  My heart started skipping faster and all of a sudden, I felt the grey whale move underneath my hand.  The whale was so gentle with me and its skin felt so soft, like an inflated rubber tire.  Beautiful, I kept telling the whale.  Then I felt the large whale move underneath our boat, rocking us slightly. The whale could have easily toppled the boat, but didn't.  The whale is playing with us, I thought amusedly.

The whale moved on but we kept creating waves in the water, hoping for another whale encounter. Soon another whale approached and brought her small baby.  The captain told us the whales came to Magdalena Bay to give birth.  We cooed over the baby and reached down to pet the baby. Mother and baby were both curious about us.

I looked around the ocean and it was full of pure bliss--about ten boats filled with people laughing and playing with whales and their babies.  It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I unexpectedly discovered grey whales are playful, intelligent, and gentle.

Two days later, I flew back from Mexico.  Right before my flight, I heard that the first US death from Covid occured in Kirkland, a city close to Seattle--my hometown. In the first few weeks of the first lockdown, when it was still strange to stay home and avoid all human touch, I often looked at my grey whale pictures and thought back to that day when the grey whales dared to touch us.  They brought a lot of joy to my life that day and many days after.  Thank you, grey whales!