The Secret Beauty and Poetry of Whales...

It has been years now since I began going to the beach on New Years day. It is a quest of mine to do this as the whale are migrating at this time of the year and it is quite spectacular to be able to see this wonderful, natural occurrence. To be able to watch them play as they come out of their world and briefly enter ours holds the beauty and magnitude that is embodied within this small act.

One year we went to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. We didn't have much money, but we found that we could get some free dinners and extra play time activities if we would go to listen to some salesperson talk about their specific hotel deal for a timeshare offer. Just say "NO" was our mantra. We would sit for an hour or so, listen to their spiel about how great their place was and why we should buy in. We would stand and confidently say 'no' to then collect our gifts and be on our way. Usually this included a free meal and some other free offers. We had gone to five different meetings before we had decided to go to a breakfast meeting.

It was a beautiful Mexican morning in Cabo. The street artists were already out and about spraying their colors to early passers by. The tortilla makers were busy and their smells filled the morning air. There was a soft hustle and bustle of the small quaint town center where we met the driver and boarded his old Chevy van with valour and tassels throughout. It was comfortable, clean and cozy for our advertised "2 minute free ride to the hotel". We had not been to this hotel before, called SolMar. It was at the very end of the Baja peninsula, on the tip of the 5 mile long private beach, with a view of the prestigious Pedrigal section. The mansions of Mexico overlooking the pacific ocean atop the 200 foot high cliff. The all white adobe style hotel with clay tile roof was an easy walking distance to the famed Archway to the Pacific.

We were greeted by an American man, wearing a vibrantly colored Hawaiian shirt, wrinkled Bermuda shorts, and a baseball cap with a Puerta Vallarta logo. He was smiling and excited to greet his newest captive audience with a determined look on his face.

We were seated on the veranda, near the huge picture window overlooking the beach and the ocean. Stunning really. The breakfast was served promptly and we sat and enjoyed our Huevos Rancheros as we quietly watched the waves as they danced in the morning sunlight.

Wait...What was that? Look, way out there...Whales! A large pod of them began dancing on the horizon as they plunged through the air out of the water to splash back into their world. They played for us to a dazzling display of natural joy. At one time I thought it might have been some automated electric contraption in order to help them sell condos...but, naahhh. It was an amazing sight to behold while we gawked in wonder and excitement over our perfect vantage point. I missed having my binoculars, though.

Needless to say, after one early morning six pack of cervesa, and two bottles of champagne the salesman did make a deal. It was the whales, though, not his sales expertise. We got a great deal, as he was drinking more than we were. But, it was the whales.

It seems, over the near twenty years since I started doing this trek to the beach, that the whales are getting closer to the shore. Perhaps they know we want to see them? Perhaps they want us to come out and play?

Well, it seems that their desire for us to come out and play has been fulfilled. My secrete is no longer a secret.

Can you find us?








This, the 230th entry in bloggoland! Thanks for reading and coming back. I always enjoy the comments, emails and the banter!!


(c)Copyright 2009 Doug Boggs