Aubree's Story

The sun's glow was just starting to appear behind the peak of the sleeping islands as Mike, Fernando, Colin and I were climbing into the panga that rested within the secure walls of Loreto's port. The engine's roar filled the air as our adventurous hunt for whales began. We glided through the opening of two rock walls, it was as if I was passing through a doorway and entering into the past, an untouched world that is a cornucopia of wonderful natural bliss. By this time the sun had spilled its rays over the peak and was cascading down the hillside, flooding the arduous waters. The boat thrashed against the waves as we headed South towards Dazante Island. Suddenly, in the distance, a massive spout of water shot forcefully high and wide into the sultry February air. Roaring chants of excitement surrounded me, as all eyes were fixated on droplets of water that still lingered in the air. We had found our first sign of whales. The panga seemed to be powered by sheer ambition and excitement now. Our heads were all leaning forward into the wind with optimistic smiles gleaming on our faces. My spirits were high and I could feel the ecstasy slowly creep through my veins as a fascination took over my emotions. As we sloshed through the rough sea I saw the vigorous glistening bodies of a pod of Common Dolphins. I enthusiastically pointed with a loss for words. Fernando's hands friskily turned the wheel without hesitation. The dolphins beige muscular mass soared through the air as they put on a display better than anything seen in Sea World. They jumped and flipped, tossed and spun in the morning sun as all the men shot them with their choice of weapon: their cameras. The dolphins swam energetically aside our boat, looking up at us every so often. They seemed to be gracing me with a warm smile when their eyes met mine. It is hard to explain the rush of energy you feel when you see these creatures put on a display. When we noticed another whale spout we decided we should probably get to the whale before it decided to leave.
We revved up our engine and we were on our way. We were back on the road to the whale and were thoroughly eager to see this massive creature. Noticing a collection of spouts, we realized that it was not one whale, but three. Our eyes were wide waiting for the next high.
As we approached the area where the whales had been resting, we could see a whale that was about fifty yards away from us. A panga filled with tourists was right beside the massive whale. I'm sure the people in the boat realized how lucky they were! The whale started cutting a substantial circle around them. We noticed a Fin back behind us and immediately the cameras began clicking rapidly. Its back projected out from the water, glistening in the midmorning sun. Behind its dorsal fin was a striking brown mark that was not like anything any of us had seen before. The Fin back was gorgeous. It gracefully hovered under the surface while feeding. Later we saw a huge Blue Whale feeding on the surface. Which, according to researchers, is very uncommon during daylight hours. Reason being that krill; small shrimp-like crustaceans that these whales eat; are only on the surface at night. During the day they are deep below the water, therefore the whales should be deep too. We were right in the middle of a slow paced feeding frenzy and were surrounded by three Blue Whales and two Fin back Whales.
We noticed a pattern in one of the whales; she would do a figure eight going North then circle back around. We estimated where she would rise and we went where we thought she would be. When she came up we saw another Fin back on the other side of the boat, they both were about sixty feet away. The intensity of what was going on around me hadn't set in yet; I was in shock to see that many whales in the same area all around me.
We were all stoked about what we had just seen. When we didn't see any more whales for a while we decided we should take a break and have lunch. I was sitting on the bow of the boat biting into my delicious peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and as I rose my head I saw an enormous whale with his mouth wide open just behind the boat. I know my eyes must have been as big as saucers. I don't think I even breathed the whole time. Its head came up and then it slid back underneath the blue mask of water. When we finished our lunch we moved over towards another whale we saw. The whale was making circles around the boat no more than thirty feet away at all times. His massive head ascended from the surface of the water. He blew a huge spout that got caught in the wind and landed on all of us. Just then his head slowly dipped below the water line and his immense mass drifted underneath us. In that moment I felt so small, the biggest mammal on the entire earth was just below the surface on which I was standing. I could practically see the whole whale even though a boat that is twenty times my size was above it blocking my view. It wasn't until its whole body was underneath me that I realized just how huge this creature really is. When the surface broke he was right there, just in front of my eyes, this enormous being right along side the boat. If someone there had stepped off of the side of the boat, one could have landed upon its glossy back. Just his blowhole was about the size of my entire cranium. The cameras went off in fury, the excitement and intensity was unreal. I don't think I could ever duplicate the smile that was streaked across my face. The whale circled once more coming up only a few more feet away than it had been before, except for this time he came up on his underside. The whales huge pink belly area and ventral pleats rippled like a disturbed pond, but much more forcefully. The water seeped out of his mouth like a vengeful river. This was a once in a lifetime experience and I know just how lucky I am. It is hard enough to find a place as magical as the wild Sea of Cortez, let alone have an experience like this. When they are swimming right along side your boat it looks as if you could touch them, but when you stretch your arm as far as it will go, and you still can't let your fingers dribble across their dorsal fin, you realize there is just no way you are going to reach them. I think this is true in a lot of different circumstances with any animal. No matter how hard people try there is just something they will never be able to understand or reach: not only about the animal but also the impression they make on you.

Aubree Miller spent time in Mexico in February, 2003.