“The Gulf of California is a 700-mile long narrow sea between Baja and mainland Mexico, and one of the worlds richest and youngest seas. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005 due to its prolific biodiversity and biological productivity. And that was a good call on the UN’s part: the Gulf is home to over 800 species of fish, 2000 invertebrates, as well as whales, dolphins, sea turtles and sea lions.”
— National Geographic

Descripción

La colonia de leones marinos en “La Lobera” de Isla Espíritu Santo, cerca de La Paz, ofrece encuentros no inigualables con estos amigables mamíferos marinos. En el camino hacia la colonia de leones marinos, a solo unos minutos de distancia de la embarcación y durante la temporada correcta, es muy probable que veas tiburones ballena juveniles. Estos tiburones ballena pasan el rato en la bahía de La Paz y uno tiene que aprovechar los vientos bajos para detectar las aletas en la superficie.

Estas actividades son ofrecidas por muchos operadores turísticos. Se podría decir que todos ofrecen los encuentros básicos con lobos marinos y tiburones ballena, te recomendamos ir con un operador que tome grupos privados. Esto te permitirá tomar el tiempo para tener un buen encuentro con los tiburones ballena y todo el tiempo que necesites en explorar la colonia de leones marinos y las hermosas playas en el camino.

Description

The Sea Lion colony in “La Lobera” in Isla Espiritu Santo, near La Paz offers unparrallel encounters with these friendly sea mammals. On the way over to the sea lion colony, only a few minutes away from boat and during the right season it is highly likely to see juvenile whale sharks. These whale sharks hang out in the bay of the La Paz and one has to take advantage of the low winds to spot the fins in the surface.

These activities are offered by many tourist operators. While all off them offer the basic encounters with sea lions and whale sharks we recommend you go with an operator that will take your group exclusively. This will allow you to take the time to get a good encounter with whale sharks and all the time you need exploring the sea lion colony and the beautiful beaches along the way. 

 

 

Probabilidad de Encuentros / Probability Encounter Table

La Paz Pelagic Life Tabla Especies Temporada Season.PNG
We planed this expedition 1 month in advance, just to find out that our spot was inaccesible due to high winds and waves. Two days before our flight we reorganized and replanned to avoid the bad weather in the Baja Peninsula. We ended up in La Paz and Cabo Pulmo, and dedicated 2 very long dives (1.5hrs each) in 4 meters of water off Los Islotes in Espíritu Santo. The Sardines here were all over the place and the usual crowd in Los Islotes were all there but unusually excited. Sealions, cormorans, snapper fish and even pelicans were all diving in to enjoy the home meal. Even the most photographed and dived spots always have a way of showing you a side you hadn't seen before! Expedition with Erick Higuera, Manolo Fernandez and Jero Prieto from Pelagic Life. Footage: 4K at 60FPS with the Canon 1DX Mark II Lens: 11-24mm f4.0 Video & Edit: Jero Prieto Music: "Vladimir's Blues" by Max Ritcher

For many years we have flown in and out of La Paz (Baja California) and never tried to see what was outside the shoreline. To our surprise the waters of the Sea of Cortez, near La Paz, are teaming with life. Early morning we visited an area where there was at least 6-7 juvenile whale sharks. Interaction with whale sharks is always gratifying especially when its practically given you can spot them just outside the bay from November-March. An hour away is the famous "Isla Lobos" (wolf island) where a large colony of playful sea lions greats many visitors each day. Even places that have existed for many years and have been visited by many people are great spots to search for challenging shots and new perspectives. Late in the afternoon we found a patch of sardines near some rocks and spent the rest of the time watching predators graze on these small sardines. We never get tired of marine encounters in Mexico. For more information: http://www.pelagiclife.org/ Music: Something Good - Alt-J Video/Edit: Jero Prieto

Logística/Logistics

Operadores Recomendados/ Recommended Operator

Fun Baja - reservation@funbaja.com
Baja Adventure Co (BACO) - info@bajaadventureco.com / +52 (612) 106 7242

Aeropuerto Cercano/Closest Airport

La Paz (LAP)

Hotel/ Recommended Accomodations

La Paz (Seven Crown Hotel)

Transporte Local/ Ground Transportation

Rent a car in La Paz airport, there are multiple rental companies. From the airport you can also get a taxi to the hotel.