INFO
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
When to Visit - Season Overview
We usually have the first whale in the Lagoon between the second to third week of December.
They usually come in and out of the lagoon and/or keep moving south.
By early January pregnant cows stay. From there on, whale numbers keep increasing by the day. By the end of January during an average year, we may have close to 100 whales in the Lagoon and we might have already a few calves.
By the end of February we usually reach the peak number of whales, which averages between 280-350 individuals (some years we’ve had less than 200; the lagoon record is 519). During this period, we see a lot of mating activity as well as cows with their calves.
By the first week of March most of the single adults start their northbound migration and whale numbers begin to decrease. Cow and calf pairs are more relaxed as there are less adult males in the lagoon and friendly encounters are more frequent.
We usually have whales until the end of April in smaller numbers. In the last few seasons however, their migration patterns have shifted a bit. The whales have been leaving earlier, and as a result we cannot guarantee how many whales will be in the lagoon in April (or if there will be any at all).
We have some “friendly” or “close” whale encounters usually starting in January. As the season progresses the number of “friendly” encounters increases.
About 85% of friendly behavior throughout the season comes from cows and calves. The older the calf gets, the more confidence they display towards boats. The later into the season we are, the more calves there will be.
Please understand that “friendly encounters” are never a guarantee! It is the whale’s decision to interact with the boat/humans, so we suggest staying for at least 48 hours (4 tours) to increase your chances for an encounter. We also have to take into account the possibility of a day with inclement weather.
WHAT TO WEAR? WHAT TO BRING?
The weather on the boat at the camp and in the desert all vary. So it’s important to be prepared for sun, wind and rain.
- Dress in layers that you can peel off or put on.
- Temperatures can vary throughout the day depending on the sun, clouds, wind, and waves.
- Wear a raincoat (you may get sprayed during the boat ride), sun protection (hat, sunglasses, reef-safe/biodegradable sunscreen) and protective waterproof footwear for walking to and from the boat (your feet and ankles may get wet).
- Please don’t walk barefoot—there are very sharp shells and rocks.
Please bring your own reusable water bottle (to minimize the single use plastic bottles). We have containers of purified water to refill your bottle at our camp and on the boats.