|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Every winter, Los Cabos becomes one of the most active whale-watching destinations in the world. Yet with growing boat traffic and ever-expanding tourism, the question of how to enjoy these encounters responsibly has never been more urgent.
To understand what sustainable whale watching means, Destino spoke with Beth Koopmann, guide supervisor at Cabo Adventures, who has spent two decades observing whales in Baja California Sur. From sound sensitivity to regulation and education, she explains what it truly means to watch whales with care.
What does responsible whale watching mean to you?
For me, it comes down to respect. Respect for the whales and for the other boats around you. When we’re out on the water, we’re in their environment, so we have to keep our distance and avoid crowding them. Whales rely heavily on hearing; underwater, sound travels much faster than in the air, and they can hear every engine around them. So the less noise and pressure we create, the better. It’s also about respecting other operators. If a boat is there first, you give them space. Every action out there should come from that sense of respect.
How do the official Mexican regulations shape whale watching here in Los Cabos?
There is a law (NOM-131) that is the foundation for all authorized whale-watching activity in Mexico. It sets out regulations and guidelines that everyone must respect. Any boat with a legal permit from the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) must display an official flag. That’s how you know they’ve been trained and are operating under the rules.
Unfortunately, not everyone out here has that permit. Some boats go out for snorkeling or sightseeing and don’t even know these regulations exist. But for those of us who do, the law is very clear about distances, the number of boats allowed near a whale, and how long we can stay in a given area. Following those rules isn’t just about compliance. It’s what keeps the whales safe and ensures we can keep watching them for years to come.
Are those rules being enforced effectively, or is it more a matter of education and awareness among operators?
Enforcement here in Los Cabos is challenging simply because the area is so vast. It’s not like La Paz, where whale shark tours take place in a smaller, more controlled zone. There, PROFEPA — the environmental police — can monitor every boat, even with GPS tracking. Cabo is different. You’ve got every kind of vessel out there: fishing boats, pangas, luxury yachts, and tour boats. Some aren’t even under the Mexican flag. So, while PROFEPA does what it can, the real key is awareness and education: making sure operators and guests understand why these rules exist, not just that they do.
What measures does Cabo Adventures take to ensure its tours are both safe and respectful for the whales?
All our captains are trained and certified under NOM-131, and every boat carries a copy of the official guidelines. We also display them for guests, because sometimes visitors come expecting a “close encounter” like the one they had last year. We have to explain that it’s not up to us: it’s up to the whales. We maintain the required distance and always approach from behind, never directly in front. We never chase. If a whale decides to come closer, we shift into neutral and stay still. That’s our way of showing respect. The idea is to observe, not intrude.
One of the key rules is “do not chase the whales.” How do you balance following them without causing stress or disturbance?
You can follow, but do not pressure. The goal is to keep a distance, stay behind the animal, and match its general direction without cutting it off. If it’s two or more traveling together, their surfacing pattern becomes predictable, and you can observe without intruding. When you have competitive groups with males, movement gets erratic. That’s when you increase the distance and give them more room. Suppose a whale suddenly approaches or passes under the boat. In that case, you shift to neutral, avoid gear changes, and let the animal decide the encounter.
You mentioned whales rely more on hearing than vision. How should boats behave with that in mind?
Underwater sound carries far and fast. Engines, gear shifts, and sudden throttle changes are loud cues for a whale. We keep steady speeds, avoid abrupt maneuvers, and never cut across a whale’s path. If a whale is lingering in an area, neutral is best so it can track our position acoustically. We don’t turn engines completely off because silence can be confusing for an animal that navigates by sound. The principle is simple: reduce noise, keep position predictable, and let the whale control proximity.
Which whale species are most commonly seen in Los Cabos, and what brings them here each season?
About 95 percent of our sightings are humpback whales. They’re the most dynamic to watch — they breach, they sing, and they’re naturally curious. Every winter, they migrate from feeding grounds in the North Pacific to breed and give birth in the warm waters of Baja. Their gestation lasts almost a year, so the same females that mated last season return to give birth here.
We also occasionally see gray, blue, fin, and even sperm whales passing offshore. But humpbacks are the prominent residents of our season. They define the experience in Cabo.
How does whale behavior in Cabo differ from what happens in places like Magdalena Bay or Loreto?
Each region has its own rhythm. In Magdalena Bay, the gray whales gather in sheltered lagoons. Calm, shallow waters that serve as nurseries for mothers and calves. They’re protected from predators, and that’s why you get those famous close encounters there.
In Loreto, whale watching happens farther offshore, often around blue whales, which behave differently. They move in deeper water and are less interactive.
Los Cabos is more open and dynamic. It’s a crossroads of species, with humpbacks dominating the scene. Because the area is vast, the whales move freely, and encounters depend more on timing and respect than proximity.
There’s a lot of fascination with breaching and “friendly” encounters. What do people often misunderstand about those behaviors?
Many people think a whale breaches because it’s showing off or wants to entertain us. It’s a nice idea, but not accurate. Breaching is part of their own communication and survival. Sometimes it’s to remove parasites, sometimes to make noise and send a message. During mating season, males compete by slapping their fins and tails to produce loud sounds that demonstrate strength.
So, when a whale is breaching repeatedly near boats, it’s not necessarily playing. It might be warning us to keep our distance. The mistake is to interpret every movement as affection or curiosity. They are responding to each other, not to us.
What message would you like visitors to take away about their role in protecting whales and enjoying them responsibly?
Humility. We think we’re the center of the experience, but out there, we’re guests. Whales have been migrating through these waters long before any of us arrived, and they’ll keep doing so if we give them the respect they deserve. Keeping distance, staying quiet, and letting them decide how to interact makes the encounter more meaningful. Sometimes, when you drift in neutral and wait, a whale will approach on its own — that’s the magic moment. It’s their choice, not ours. The less we impose, the more nature reveals itself.