¨Woosh”. The sound fills the air. “Hey, there it is!” someone yells. At the front of the boat, closer than we expected, a whales’ sleek back slides above the water, and a spray of steam puffs out of her blow hole. Twenty of us are on the upper deck, with just as many below. We all are thrilled to be seeing our first Fin Whale. Will there be more to come?
“We’ve been so lucky this year” the captain tells me. “The last two weeks we have seen from three to six whales every time we go out. It’s time of year too. The Fin Whales and Humpbacks come around December and stay into March. But you never can tell if it will be a great year or not.”
Whale Watching is one of the most distinctive ecotourism event in Rocky Point. In season, five or more boats of different size daily take to the sea for a glimpse of the giant mammals that have come to the local waters to give birth. This is the final stop on their annual migration that takes them from the warm waters of Mexico, to the far north of Alaska and beyond.
The cruises offer drinks and snacks, all included in the price. Most of the time they are scheduled for the late afternoon, giving everyone the bonus of watching the sunsets that Rocky Point is most famous for. The boats run in size from small catamarans to big double deckers. The trip can be an intimate time with just your friends, or a big party where strangers join in the excitment of being close to nature. Kind of like going to the movies versus renting!
Humpback whales offer one of the most spectacular shows around for any nature lover. When the mood strikes, these huge creature shoot straight up out of the water in a breach, then come crashing down with a loud thud. It´s something a lot of people put on their list of things that they must see during their lifetime. Is it one of yours?
Whale watching tours leave from the port, and a lot of the time booking a space is as easy as talking to the front desk staff at the place you are staying.