Baja to Welcome!

BAJA WHALE CAMP AND SEA OF CORTEZ KAYAK/SNORKEL

A  Luxury Camping Desert to Sea Adventure
February 16th-25th, 2025

Whales, Dolphins & Missions of  Loreto Extension, Waterfront Hotel

February 24th-27th 2025

Baja The Good Life~Our Latest Video To Enjoy

A close encounter at our whale camp, 2018

Welcome to Our Adventure in Baja!

I am pleased to welcome you to a fantastic adventure exploring the wonders and wildlife of the Baja Peninsula Sur, from Desert to Sea!

In the early dawn of Blue Water Ventures, I led several trips through the rugged peninsula of Baja. One of the most profound experiences of my life occurred while eye to eye with a California Gray Whale in a remote breeding lagoon of Baja. I am very excited to share such experiences with you as we explore Baja’s rich and varied wildlife together.

The 10-12 day itinerary will provide a detailed account of our travels. We plan to spend three nights/four days  luxury camping at Espiritu Santos Island in the Sea of Cortez. Three nights/four days will be spent at our whale base camp in Lopez Mateos, in the northern region of Magdalena Bay on Baja’s Pacific Coast. Hotel accommodations are included on Day One, Day Five and Day Nine. All meals are provided throughout the itinerary.

For centuries, California Gray Whales have traveled 10,000 miles round trip between their summer feeding grounds in Alaska and their winter breeding/calving grounds in the Pacific lagoons of Baja. Traveling in small skiffs into The lagoon of Lopez Mateo, we will wait for the whales to approach us. Naturalist-led beach hikes and kayaking excursions through the mangroves within the lagoon will also be offered. In the ruggedly beautiful Espiritu Santos Island in the Sea of Cortez we will kayak, snorkel, fish, hike and relax from our dramatically scenic beach camp. At both sites, we have the comfort and ease of boat supported camps. All activities are optional. We typically cover 2-4 miles when kayaking in the Sea of Cortez.

We are very excited to include our whale camp location on Santo Domingo Island near Puerto Lopez Mateos. Well known as a nursery area for Gray Whales and their offspring, the sheltered lagoon of Lopez Mateos is an ideal location for our Pacific based whale camp. ” Friendly interactions” initiated by the whales themselves are a fairly common occurrence here. For more information on our camp locations, please read our itinerary

We are also very excited to offer our  Whales, Dolphins & Missions of Loreto Extension available as an add on to our 10 day adventure. On Day Nine, those joining us in Loreto will say farewell to those heading back to La Paz. We will spend the next three nights in the quaint coastal town of Loreto north of La Paz on a beautiful stretch of the Sea of Cortez. For three nights, we will enjoy the comforts of our waterfront hotel in Loreto.

We plan to spend two full days exploring Loreto National Marine Park in this ruggedly beautiful region of Baja. In late February, our chances are excellent to view a variety of whale species. Blue, Humpback and Fin whales are listed as frequent visitors to this biologically rich marine region of Baja. Traveling by small ponga boats,  we will look for the largest species on earth to ever live. If you choose to join us on these exhilarating two days, you will depart from Loreto on February 29th.

Most years in Loreto,  we have had  extremely close encounters with  three large baleen whale species  and two species of dolphins. The sea conditions can be ideal.  However, we must always be prepared for Plan B if sea conditions are not as  favorable. Our Loreto based outfitter offers an incredible tour to the historic San Javier Mission as an alternative to the sea.  Our day would include learning about the indigenous cultures of the region.

Our group is limited to 16 people so please reserve your spot by  contacting Kim Powell by email at bluewaterventuressc@gmail.com then send a $200 deposit to: Blue Water Ventures, 127 Mason Street, Santa Cruz, CA. 95060. You may also make a bank transfer via  Zelle or by  credit card on Pay Pal.  For instructions, please visit our Payment Center.  

In order to participate in this program, you should consider yourself a moderately strong swimmer, relatively fit and comfortable swimming in open water. Sometimes we will enter the water from our support boat which will require the ability to climb back up the boat  ladder using your arms and upper body for strength.

Excellent viewing of sea lions and other offshore fauna  can be made from our support boat if you are unsure about in water encounters.

Boat rides may be bumpy and jarring with the prevailing winds across the Baja Peninsula. Please review Medical Requirements  and other important  trip details at:  More Info  before you decide to join our adventure.

Our Baja program takes us into a remote area of the world where a medical evacuation could be extremely costly.  All costs for evacuations and/or medical treatments are the responsibility of each participant, a cost that travel protection should cover. Please review our cancellation policy and travel insurance options at: Travel Protection  Be sure to travel with a credit card in the event that payments are required for an evacuation or medical treatment. We strongly recommend trip insurance for the full value of the trip which is an affordable way to protect your investment.

Payment schedule, cancellation policy and trip insurance may be reviewed at Deposits.

Before sending a deposit or making airline reservations, please email your interest and check trip status.

 TRIP DATES: February 16th-25th, 2025

Trip Cost of our 10 day Program:

9-11 guest  $3225  and    12-15 guest:$2950

Includes:
3 nights of lodging, all restaurant meals, 6 nights of luxury camping with all meals, spacious walk in style tents, all planned activities, whale watching excursions, naturalist-led snorkeling and kayaking trips, natural history lectures, entrance fees, permits, and kayak instructional clinics.

The price does not include airfare, airport shuttles to our hotel in La Paz, travel insurance, phone calls, unscheduled boat excursions, activities not described in the itinerary, personal liquor, personal equipment (sleeping bag, snorkel gear or wetsuit), airport departure taxes if any.

In previous years we have suggested a per person gratuity that was shared among our Mexican guides, boat captains, cooks and hotel staff. However in 2025,  the tip has been factored into the total trip cost listed above.

Whales, Dolphins & Missions of Loreto Extension~ Waterfront Hotel

February 24th-27th  2025: 
Extension Cost:  $895

3 nights of waterfront  lodging in Loreto (double occupancy), all meals,  2 whale watching excursions, all transfers including a group  airport shuttle on February 29th, a naturalist-led snorkeling trip if sea conditions allow, entrance fees and permits. Generous tips to our Mexican based guides are also included. If weather is not favorable for whale watching, we will offer a spectacular land tour to San Javier Mission learning about the indigenous people  of the Sierra de la Giganta mountains as well as  the history of the missions.

FLIGHT INFORMATION can be reviewed here: Getting to Baja
A complete package of information, most of which can be found on the website, will be sent to you before our trip departure. Please give me a call or send me an email if I can be of any other assistance.

May the Whales and Wild-Life be with us!

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