Whale watching off Puerto Lopez
03/09/11 00:28 Filed in: Ecuador
Overcast again today but still quite warm. We went whale watching off Puerto Lopez.
Lots of hustlers selling tickets. They pounce as soon as one opens the car door. After some questioning we chose and paid US$15 per person.
As with other places on this coast the beach shelves very gently. It was nearing low tide when we departed around 13:00.
We walked long the beach to our embarcation point. No dock here.
Shallow draught tour boats back in as far as they can. The passengers wade out.
Prior to this shoes and flipflops are collected, thrown in a large bag and left ashore. Shorts need to be rolled up.
All aboard and the crew push us off.
Our boat was the "Humpback Whale". It is about 6.5m long and fitted with two 100hp+ Yamaha outboards.
We were given a safety briefing with particular emphasis on not all rushing to one side when the ooh/aah started. Lifejackets were provided and use was compulsory.
On the way out we checked in at the Navy/Coastguard office. A passenger list was taken.
Then we were off. Full throttle 200+ horsepower.
Twenty minutes later about 1-2 miles from land our first sighting.
The whales migrate north from Antarctica, arriving off Ecuador in June to breed.
A mother and calf wandering south.
These are big creatures. 16m long and weighing up to 40 tons. At sea in a yacht one does not want to get to close. I had seen them in the distance several times while on passage but never this close.
These photos in no way do justice to the spectacle. Basically one waits for an opportunity, clicks, and hopes for a good result.
This was my best shot.
Nancy caught this jump with her I-Pod.
The whales roll from side to side exposing their fins.
We really enjoyed the trip. Over an hour on site amongst the whales and a magnificent spectacle.
Deep sea tuna boat at anchor off Puerto Lopez.
We didn't checkin with the coastguard on the way back. I suppose had we not come back they would know who had drowned.
Once ashore shoes were collected and a small boy carrying a bottle of water offered to rinse the sand from our feet.
Home made anchor for inshore fishing.
Electrical installation including nav. lights.
Pelicans waiting for the fisherman to return.
View from our post trip cafe. A coastguard patrol vessel moored off the coastguard/navy floating office.
Where the whales were.
Lots of hustlers selling tickets. They pounce as soon as one opens the car door. After some questioning we chose and paid US$15 per person.
As with other places on this coast the beach shelves very gently. It was nearing low tide when we departed around 13:00.
We walked long the beach to our embarcation point. No dock here.
Shallow draught tour boats back in as far as they can. The passengers wade out.
Prior to this shoes and flipflops are collected, thrown in a large bag and left ashore. Shorts need to be rolled up.
All aboard and the crew push us off.
Our boat was the "Humpback Whale". It is about 6.5m long and fitted with two 100hp+ Yamaha outboards.
We were given a safety briefing with particular emphasis on not all rushing to one side when the ooh/aah started. Lifejackets were provided and use was compulsory.
On the way out we checked in at the Navy/Coastguard office. A passenger list was taken.
Then we were off. Full throttle 200+ horsepower.
Twenty minutes later about 1-2 miles from land our first sighting.
The whales migrate north from Antarctica, arriving off Ecuador in June to breed.
A mother and calf wandering south.
These are big creatures. 16m long and weighing up to 40 tons. At sea in a yacht one does not want to get to close. I had seen them in the distance several times while on passage but never this close.
These photos in no way do justice to the spectacle. Basically one waits for an opportunity, clicks, and hopes for a good result.
This was my best shot.
Nancy caught this jump with her I-Pod.
The whales roll from side to side exposing their fins.
We really enjoyed the trip. Over an hour on site amongst the whales and a magnificent spectacle.
Deep sea tuna boat at anchor off Puerto Lopez.
We didn't checkin with the coastguard on the way back. I suppose had we not come back they would know who had drowned.
Once ashore shoes were collected and a small boy carrying a bottle of water offered to rinse the sand from our feet.
Home made anchor for inshore fishing.
Electrical installation including nav. lights.
Pelicans waiting for the fisherman to return.
View from our post trip cafe. A coastguard patrol vessel moored off the coastguard/navy floating office.
Where the whales were.