2025 marks Baja Expeditions’ 35th year of running gray whale camps in San Ignacio Lagoon. The whale encounters here are extraordinary and truly unique on our planet. Our fly-in camps offer glamping and luxury options, fine dining, 24-hour power, and the incredible Mexican night sky filled with stars.
Yet, the question that comes to mind when one of these gentle giants sprays me in the face with whale halitosis and rolls over for me to scratch between its pectoral fins is not, “Can we touch the gray whales?” but rather, “Should we touch these beautiful animals?”
Touching the Gray Whales
The question in my mind is not “Can we touch gray whales?” but rather “Should we touch these beautiful animals?”
Gray whales in San Ignacio Lagoon actively seek out interaction with us. Throughout the season, some 5,000 – 6,000 whales visit the lagoon, of which maybe 400 choose to interact with humans in. the small, restricted whale-watching zone.
The first known whale interaction was in 1972 between 1 whale and 1 fisherman. Up until that time, fishermen in the lagoon were scared and very cautious around devil fish aka gray whales. But Pacheco, the first whale whisperer of the lagoon, reached out and touched a whale that surfaced right beside his panga and pushed up against his hand. His friends in the fishing village thought that he was loco. And we are quite sure the whale went home and told its friends about the crazy fisherman who wanted to befriend it. Fishermen taught other fishermen about these interaction, and whales taught other whales. And slowly over time, more and more whales became interested in interacting with us.
So, can we touch these gray whales? Yes. Certainly. Definitely. But always on the whales’ terms.
I think the real question is whether we “should” be touching them. it’s essential to be thoughtful and very careful about our impact on these whales.
Are We Changing Whale Behaviour?
Are there behavioural changes in the whales that might impact their survival? No. Interestingly, gray whales only show interest in human interactions in the birthing lagoons of Baja. Despite their vast migration up and down the coast of North America, I have only heard of one whale encounter outside of Baja.
That was outside Tofino, on the west coast of Vancouver island, where a gray whale rubbed up against the transom of a small boat and allowed the boaters to rub its back. Maybe it had an itch? A friend’s son, a local whale guide with a lot of experience, was in the skiff and the video was forwarded to me. Super cool behaviour but different than what we experience and it only happened once.
I don’t think our interaction with the whales has induced any behaviour changes that affect their feeding, mating, longevity, or any other negative outcomes of their life.
Are Whales Stressed by Our Interactions?
Definitely not. Interaction is entirely on their terms.
San Ignacio Lagoon is 7 miles long. Which is big! The whale-watching zone is tiny, and is only in one small area of the lagoon. No interaction with the whales is allowed anywhere else in the Lagoon. It all happens on their terms, at their pleasure, when they choose to approach our pangas. If they don’t like it, they leave. If they don’t like us, they leave.
And yes, there are visitors to the lagoon that the whales don’t like. There is an amazing trust and non-verbal and very clear communication with the whales. Much like what we experience with puppies, giant manta rays, dolphins, some sharks and many of the other animals of Baja. It might sound crazy, but I’m sure they can sense our energy and intentions when we look them in the eye. Some people have an energy that the whales just won’t interact with. It’s all part of the magic. I’m not religious but the old-timers say that you can see G*d in the eye of a gray whale and I believe it. To look into the eye of a gray whale is something you will never forget.
Could Touching the Gray Whales Harm Them?
To me, this is the biggest question. Touching any animal can transfer bacteria back and forth. With whales, that might include brucellosis, tuberculosis, and leptospirosis.
If you are sick, coughing or sneezing, do not interact with the whales. Stay onshore and enjoy some rest and relaxation.
Super important to my thinking to wash your hands thoroughly, and rinse really well to avoid any soap contamination. Their blubber is thick but their skin is surprisingly soft. Be gentle with them. We provide all our guests with stream2sea biodegradable, ocean-safe sunscreen, shampoo, and moisturizer to ensure minimal impact on the whales’ environment. If ever there was a product that deserves a shout-out it’s Autumn at Stream2Sea – her newest formulation of sunscreen is designed to actually nourish coral!. There are no known cases of humans causing illness in any gray whales.
Why Touch Them?
Because the interaction touches our souls.
Because the interaction brings out deep emotion for the whales and will forever change how you think about these beautiful animals. For those who have experienced this interaction, it’s impossible not to be sad and upset when the gray whales went through the mass mortality event several years ago.
To see an emaciated whale trying to survive, desperately scraping along the seafloor for some kind of food, is to bring tears to your eyes and deep anger at human encroachment of their habitat, overfishing, pollution, and all the human induced changes going on in their world.
The whales have been adapting and evolving for at least 50 million years and they will adapt faster than we will to the new climate realities. When a gray whale reaches out to touch us, it reminds us of our shared responsibility to protect them. It’s about them and it’s about humanity.
They can’t shout out for themselves, but we can and should shout out for them. That connection is why our interaction with the whales is so important. To touch a whale is to forever change our life.
-Captain Mike, Baja Expeditions
