I finally meet my whale

Doesn’t it seem like it’s taking me forever to get you some actual whale footage? I promise you that it’s an easier wait for you at home on your couches than it is for me on the Road Scholar bus.

Bus trips in Europe are broken up by fantastic road side stops – cafes with fun foods, playgrounds, and some excellent shopping. They’re a highlight for me. A long drive in Mexico has offered some similar scenarios that are almost exactly as good as Europe.

This is my favorite stop.

It has a bathroom:

It has a playground/construction site (not approved for use in the USA):

And Artemio put out a little snack/coffee bar for us in front of the bus:

Is it a little haphazard? Sure, but it works and it’s absolutely charming in every way!

So – finally – we made it to Scammon’s Lagoon. Scammon’s Lagoon is almost at the halfway point between Tijuana and Cabo San Lucas. Charles Scammon discovered the lagoon in 1857 to hunt gray whales. It’s a little ironic that the lagoon is named for someone who came to hunt when the lagoon is unique now because it’s a predator-free sanctuary for whale mating and calving. The Mexican government tightly controls access to the lagoon and so there were very few boats there with us.

We’re not allowed to come up close to the whales, but the magic of the lagoon is that the whales are friendly and curious and will see a boat, come close to eye the passengers, and even swim alongside the boat.

Here’s our amazing encounter today. Given every insult I have ever made about Photographer Ron, I am eternally grateful that today is the day he came through: