Baja Kayak Tours FAQ

What is Laguna San Ignacio?
How do I get to LSI?
Where is Loreto and how do I get there?
What do I need to bring?
What about money?
What is the Sea Of Cortez like?
What is the weather like in Laguna San Ignacio?
Are there any bugs?
What about venomous critters?
Can we fish?
Can we snorkel?
Are the expedition trips motor boat supported?
What kind of kayaking can we expect?
On Expeditions, how much kayaking do we do per day?
Is it OK for beginners?
How is the food at the Whale Camp?
What is the water situation at your camps?
Okay, what about the toilet facilities?
Does BWK supply alcoholic drinks?

What is Laguna San Ignacio? One of the three major Gray Whale calving lagoons in Baja Mexico. The lagoon is located 59 kilometers (36 miles) from the town of San Ignacio and Highway 1 in Baja California Sur. With a local community of less than one hundred inhabitants, the lagoon residents depend primarily upon fishing and now whale watching as their primary means of support. The lagoon stretches sixteen miles into the desert and has a maximum width of five miles. The lagoon is divided into three sections. The upper lagoon is the shallowest part and is known as the birthing area where pregnant females travel to in order to bear their young. At the middle lagoon, you find mothers traveling with their newborns, getting them ready to join the majority of the whales at the lower lagoon. At the lower lagoon, you find the majority of the cetaceans and this is where most of the social behavior occurs. Here, males and females congregate looking for mates.

How do I get to LSI? The lagoon is about 16 hours drive from San Diego on Baja's scenic Highway 1. Blue Waters Kayaking offers small airplane charter flights during Whale Camp season. There is also the option of going via scheduled commercial flights to Loreto and them using van trransportation.

Where is Loreto and how do I get there?
Loreto is a charming town of about 5000 residents located on the Sea of Cortez side of the Baja Peninsula about 600 miles south of San Diego. Alaska Airlines has scheduled flights to Loreto from Los Angeles (LAX) on Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. The fares range from $479 and up depending on when you buy your ticket. See our Travel Info (link) page for details. http://www.bajakayaktours.com/baja_travel_info.html

What Do I Need to Bring?
Most importantly, bring your ability to work and play with others and a desire to make this trip a once-in-a-lifetime experience for everyone. We send each participant a packing and equipment list to assist you in your preparations. For your comfort and enjoyment, please be sure to bring everything on the list. You may want to bring a small dry bag for personal belongings (such as binoculars, camera or sunscreen) that you may want easy access to while kayaking or whale watching.

Money
It is not necessary to exchange currency, as the locals prefer to receive U.S. dollars. We recommend that you bring about $300 in small denominations to pay for tips, dining out and smaller purchases in town. If you are driving, also bring enough dollars or pesos for gas, meals, showers and shopping. MasterCard and Visa are accepted at some hotels, shops and restaurants. The local banks will not advance you American dollars from your credit card and the ATMs only dispense Mexican currency, so come prepared with the cash you'll need for your return trip home.

What is the Sea Of Cortez like?
The Sea of Cortez is a large inland sea about 150 miles wide which separates the Baja Peninsula from the Mainland of Mexico. It is characterized by rugged mountainous desert terrain and deep blue waters that are known for supporting abundant marine life. The vegetation along the shores is lush desert foliage similar to the Sonoran Desert of southern Arizona. The Cardon, the Baja version of the American Seguaro cactus can grow to be 60 feet tall!

What is the weather like in Laguna San Ignacio?
In January and February, daytime highs in the Laguna San Ignacio area are between 65 and 75 degrees; March and April can be 10 degrees warmer. January and February Lows at night are 50 - 60, a bit warmer in March and April. Sea breezes are common in the Laguna.

Are there any bugs?
None that will bother you; no mosquitos! The Sea of Cortez is scorpion habitat. You may encounter one, but they are not aggressive. Very rarely there may be an unpleasant encounter, which, although painful, is not fatal. Our guides are well trained to deal with any situation of this nature that may occur.

Can we fish on Expedition Trips?
Yes, with a fishing license that you can procure in Loreto.

Can we snorkel?
Yes, there is excellent snorkeling available at most Sea of Cortez expedition camps. Serious snorkelers may want to bring their own gear, or you can rent gear from us for the duration of your stay.

Are your expedition trips motorboat supported?
No, we do it pure expedition-style, taking everything with us for the week. We like it that way, and you will get the advantage of learning how to run a real expedition trip!

On expeditions, what kind of kayaking can we expect?
The crossing from the coast to the nearest island, Isla Danzante, is about three miles. There are several beautiful camps that we use on Danzante. If time and weather permit then we may paddle to Isla Carmen, another crossing of about 3 miles.

How much kayaking do we do per day on Expedions? At Whale Camp?
On expeditions, the average day will average about 6-7 miles of paddling. Beginners in reasonable shape usually can do this with no problem. For those who want to do more, there is ample opportunity for side-trip paddling in the afternoons after we get to camp. We have single kayaks available for those who want to practice their kayak skills with our expert instructors. At Whale Camp, we are extremely fortunate to have wonderful paddling opportunities in the mangroves adjacent to our camp.

How is the food at your camps?
Great camp food, home cooked by our Mexican chefs. We can and do accommodate vegetarians and people with dietary restrictions.

What about the food at the Tripui Hotel?
The restaurant at the Tripui is quite good!

What is the water situation on the expeditions and at Whale Camp?
We bring all our water with us, plenty of purified water for drinking.

What about the water in town and at the Hotels? At Whale Camp?
Bottled water is recommended for drinking and is readily available. At Whale CAmp we have plenty of purified water available at all times.

Okay, what about the toilet facilities?
On expeditions, in accordance with "Leave No Trace" principles, we pack out all waste. With the newly added "wag bag" technology, this is not a problem. For your comfort we provide privacy-screened toilet facilities. At the Whale Camp, we use portable toilet facilities. They are very user-friendly and aesthetically quite pleasant.

Does BWK supply alcoholic drinks?
Yes, beer and margarita Happy Hours are provided at Whale Camp. We will be happy to procure additional alcoholic beverages for you prior to the trip