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Date:         Thu, 3 Mar 2011 21:23:21 -0800
Reply-To:     Joel VanderKwaak <joelvanderkwaak@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Joel VanderKwaak <joelvanderkwaak@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Baja Whales, trip report
Comments: To: mark drillock <mdrillock@COX.NET>
In-Reply-To:  <4D705D3A.2000304@cox.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Awesome trip, highly recommended if Mark offers another next year

I'll post some pictures when i find some time

Sent from myPhone

On Mar 3, 2011, at 7:32 PM, mark drillock <mdrillock@COX.NET> wrote:

> After a nice trip last year, we went again this year to visit the > whales. Each winter the Gray Whales migrate by the thousands from the > cold waters near Alaska down to the calving and breeding lagoons of > Baja. It is quite a spectacle, and people come from around the world to > experience it. The season lasts through mid April or so. > > This year I organized a trip for VW vans and 4 vans took part. We spent > 7 days in Mexico, covered about 1200 miles in Mexico. We camped 6 > nights, at 4 different camps. After 2 nights at the whales we came part > way back north to camp 2 nights at Bahia De Los Angeles on the Sea of > Cortez for some beach sun, kayaking, and fishing. The other nights were > on the road coming and going. > > Here is a link to some photos taken on the trip. > > https://picasaweb.google.com/117635085394690440875/BajaWhales2011# > > The whale counts this year are higher than usual. Supposedly about 300 > in our lagoon the day we were there. We spotted our first whales before > we even arrived at the camp. Just driving down the 30 mile dirt road we > saw spouts and some whales hopping in the water as we drove along the > shoreline approaching the camp. Once we got to the camp we saw many > more, everywhere we looked. The next morning we went out on a whale > watching boat to get up close. This is a must see. Go! > > Here is a link to some gray whale migration info and one for the > eco-tourism oriented place we camped at to see the whales. > > http://www.learner.org/jnorth/tm/gwhale/map/route.html > > http://www.kuyima.com/whales/index.html > > We encountered no problems on the trip, other than a flat tire when one > of our party abruptly decided to drive off the pavement to take a photo > of some cattle crossing the road. He plugged the tire himself but the > tire completely failed while driving the next day. The hole was where > the sidewall joined tread. He managed to buy a used tire of the same > size in a town along the way while the rest of us ate and shopped. > > Tourism seemed on the upswing while we were there and others were camped > everywhere we were. On the way back there was a steady stream of gringo > vehicles loaded up and heading south. We ran into a few other Vanagons > too, and some Eurovan campers. There were also some big organized > caravans of large RVs, like there used to be more of. I am happy to see > that more people are going down this year. > > Our vans were all Vanagon Westfalia types, 2 were Syncros and 2 were not > but all had over-sized tires. I think I was the only person who got > stuck, while scouting out a camp spot on a sandy beach. Once I aired > down and locked the rear diff I was on my way. The others chose a > slightly different path. > > > I may organize a similar trip again next year. > > > Mark


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