Whale Reserve (not!) San Ignacio
We left Tortuga Bay late morning on the 11th and arrived in San
Ignacio about 22 hours later around sunrise. About 25
large dolphins escorted us out into the ocean. Otherwise, it was an uneventful
motor/sail.
Dina had high hopes for San Ignacio. After all, it is listed
in the book, 1000 Places to Visit Before You Die. Apparently, neither the whales
nor the locals had read the book. We saw no whales. The town did not have a
pier or any access to shore, other than to try to land your dinghy, upright,
through a rather large surf.
Dina was tempted to find the local Mayor and write
up a development proposal that included a small fleet of whale watching pangas,
training local guides, building a small wharf… The cruisers would flock there
and the local economy would blossom. She was convinced a local mining company
working in the region would join in the endeavor along with the Mexican
Ministry of Environment, World Wildlife Fund-Mexico, and international whale protection
agencies.
Then she remembered that she is retired….