Late December Whale Sightings off Mexico

On yet another winter cruise to Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta, I was greeted with numerous whale sightings. From Thanksgiving until early spring, the coastal waters are home to humpback whales that leave Arctic environments for warmer climates south to birth their calves and mate. (Pleasant weather, amour: whales and humans are not so different in their pursuits.)

Shortly before reaching Cabo's scenic bay and passing The Arch near the tip of the Baja California peninsula, several whales appeared in our ship's wake. Then, right after anchoring and again off the ship's stern, at least one whale's back rose above the ocean's surface.

While I missed a live shot, I captured an image of the cetacean's footprint, a circular ring at the sea's surface left by the underwater vortex created by the powerful motion of tail flukes as the creature dives. Shortly after, either that whale or another reappeared while spouting a misty breath, this time captured on camera.

Later in the cruise, I caught sight of at least one more humpback whale close to the coastline in Banderas Bay near Puerto Vallarta. I was making my way down the coast to Majahuitas and Yelapa on a small tour boat.

At no time on this seven-day Christmas cruise did I witness any breaches, when whales leap out of the ocean, spinning and collapsing in a spectacular splash. I saw those explosive displays near both Cabo and Puerto Vallarta, on another visit last year in February, later in the whales' breeding season. There are a few theories explaining these outbursts, one saying the whales are trying to communicate with nearby whales in the loudest way possible. Why tap someone on the shoulder when a tantrum is much more effective?

Lucky for me, if I want to witness any of this behavior, there's still time to book a return trip to the area before these giants of the sea swim north in early spring in yet another very human pursuit: food.