Whale Watching in the Baja and What I Left at Home

Our weather hasn’t been balmy during this trip to Loreto Bay. It’s been sunny and bright but windy and cool so I’m glad I packed lots of pants and long sleeved shirts. Almost all are hot weather friendly linen, but they still give more warmth than cotton skirts and short sleeved Tee’s. It turns out I packed the strangest collection of items and left many obvious pieces at home.

• All those fun tassel earrings which brighten an outfit…at home.
• Colorful scarves and straw bags…at home.
• Bright lipstick to wear with earrings and huge sunnies on a bad hair day…at home.

I know accessories are the easiest way to switch up your look so the fact that I left mine at home was a big fail.

I did bring three subdued colored scarves but lost one in a wind storm the first day here so the other two are seeing more than their fair share of wear. Friday, one rescued me from the worst hat hair of my life. I’m not one of those women who look chic wearing a scarf as a turban but I was desperate. 

My brother drove us to the other side of the Baja to go whale watching. Fair warning –  this was not a fashionable day for me :D. I dressed for strong breezes, strong sun, and a bouncy boat ride. I wore sneakers, black pants, a long sleeve black tee shirt and a linen shirt which I topped with a denim jacket, then a borrowed windbreaker.

I lashed my hat firmly under my chin and slipped the tie through my life jacket closure so it wouldn’t blow away. Goofy I know, but it worked. They take you out in little motor boats that have the hardest bench seats you can imagine. There’s nowhere to hold on except the edge of the bench and trust me, you grip for dear life because these boats fly, crashing down over each swell.

Our last trip here, people were able to lean over the side of the small boats and pet the whales…they were that close! This year they weren’t as many so we had to go further out into the ocean and that’s where they all were! We saw tons of mothers and babies which is the most amazing sight. I’m a land lover so the 6-8 foot swells were scary. I swear they were 10-12 feet but my husband assures me they weren’t. Each time we crashed down off one I wished we could turn around. This entire experience was white knuckle material for me, but seeing the Gray females with their calves made it all worthwhile.

After a rough two hours smashing around in the chop, we headed to shore. I was semi seasick, had a sore backside and terminal hat hair. I couldn’t keep my hat on for one more minute, so I did the only damage control possible before we went to lunch. My husband jokes that I look like Rhoda from the Mary Tyler Moore show with a headscarf. That’s OK, it was better than my hair. The long ride back to Loreto Bay took us through a literal forest of Saguaro and Cardon cactus. Mile after mile of winding roads, dry desert, and huge cactus change dramatically once you finally reach the Sea of Cortez. We stopped for pictures at several lookouts. I prefer the water when viewed from any spot on land.

I layered my linen shirt and denim jacket back on to watch the sunset from the viewing tower atop my brothers’ winter home here in Loreto Bay. The colorful houses and lush landscaping make this little community a favorite place to visit. I’m so lucky my brother will put up with us year after year.

We’re off to dinner in town and the local Art Walk tonight. Maybe I’ll find some earrings.

Post script- I found a very pretty pair of sterling silver and purple crystal earrings at the art walk. The tassel earrings all looked familiar so I opted for unique.

Have you been whale watching?

Have you tried covering your hair with an oblong scarf? How did it work out for you?

Thanks for reading and have a great day.