Try to imagine how young Elliott must have felt when he looked into the friendly eyes of E.T. for the first time. Our experience of being similarily up close and personal with an "alien" life form was the result of a recent flight to Guerrero Negro in Baja California Sur. Located 320 nm south of Tijuana, Mexico, Guerrero Negro is the gateway to Scammon Lagoon, the winter home of the migratory California gray whale — which can grow to more than 50 feet in length and weigh about 40 tons.
The idea for this flight to Scammon Lagoon came after a previous trip to Punta Pescadero. I decided that an adventurous trip to another remote area of Baja could be arranged — but to sweeten the pot a bit, it was keyed to the spawning of the gray whale. Each winter from January through March, whales by the thousands travel between the Arctic Ocean and three remote Baja lagoons. The most convenient of them is Scammon, reachable via a 7,500-foot paved and tower-controlled airstrip in Guerrero Negro.
The stage was set for a weekend trip in early March when whale-watching activity would still be rewarding. After a 7:30 a.m. IFR departure from Torrance, California, to Brown Field in San Diego, a border-crossing flight plan was activated as part of the required customs and immigration formalities into Tijuana, our international airport of entry. While flying into Mexico is viewed with concern by some members of the general aviation community, our problem-free entry into Tijuana was marked by friendly, courteous officials. After a quick review of the required documents — insurance, airworthiness, proof of ownership, flight plan, and pilot certificate — our flight was cleared for takeoff on a VFR flight plan to the tiny, dusty town of Guerrero Negro, a two-hour flight to the south.
There are a number of low-cost choices for accommodations in Guerrero Negro, and our choice was Motel Don Gus at $20 per night for two in a tidy and comfortable room with full bath. Not only was there a satisfactory restaurant and bar on the property, but the motel was located directly across the street from Laguna Whale Watching Tours, one of only three licensees permitted by the Mexican government to offer whale-watching trips within the Vizcaino Nature Preserve.
Individual access to the preserve is not permitted, and all three tour companies are limited to a total of only three boats on the lagoon. With 10 people per boat and only two tours daily, a maximum of 60 people per day can be accommodated. We were indeed part of a privileged group.
At an 8 a.m. briefing, Doris, our tour coordinator, set the stage for the adventure by previewing what we were about to experience. Our 30-minute shuttle to the launch point took us southward through extensive salt flats, evaporation pools, and mountains of salt. Salt production drives the economy of Guerrero Negro. Except for the huge salt piles, the landscape was completely flat, barren, and stark as we made our way to the boat ramp, donned life jackets, and boarded for a three-hour excursion.
With a census of more than 1,600 whales, the sheltered safety of Scammon Lagoon provides a unique ecosystem. Boatmen are forbidden to chase the whales and must adhere to strict rules against aggressively maneuvering boats too close to the whales. Protected by law and driven by innate natural instincts, the grays proved to be every bit as exciting and friendly as we had hoped.
Once away from shore, the sightings began. Whales were everywhere. There were whales swimming calmly along, spouting greetings. There were whales flipping their massive flukes, perhaps waving hello to our group of 10. There were whales breaching. One of our group whimsically remarked, "This is the first time I've been 'mooned' by a whale."
And then, there were the close encounters.
On two occasions, huge abstract forms appeared as whales rose slowly from the depths and nuzzled the side of our small boat. Would the whales tip the boat? Shrieks of delight and mock terror filled the air before we realized that the visitors were friendly and meant no harm. The whales lingered for a few minutes, gently sprayed us several times while spouting, and allowed us to stroke and pet their sleek, spongy hides, while they rolled back and forth like playful puppies. They were absolutely immense — their size was hard to comprehend from so close a vantage point. The feeling among the group was electric as we realized how lucky we were to literally come face-to-face with these gentle ocean creatures. After a few minutes they departed slowly, diving beneath the small boat before resurfacing on the opposite side and swimming on.
The remainder of the tour was wonderful but fairly tame in contrast to our personal encounters with the two gray whales. During dinner at Restaurant Mallarimo that night, we excitedly re-lived the experience and decided that a trip to Guerrero Negro should become an annual ritual. The chances are very good that next winter, we'll again fly to Baja to witness one of nature's most compelling shows.
Links to more information on flying to Mexico can be found on AOPA Online ( www.aopa.org/pilot/links/links9909.shtml).
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