Whale Tales

Meeting the Gray Whales at Campo Cortez

By Dick Russel 

Author of “Eye of the Whale” 
Los Angeles, Ca.
March, 2002

I first met Maldo and Johnny four years ago (1998), when I was researching my book "Eye of the Whale" (Simon & Schuster, 2001). For the past several seasons, I've made it a point to stay at their terrific camp on my visits to Laguna San Ignacio. Not just for the ambience, of course (the comfortable tents-with-cots, the outstanding cooking by Maldo's wife Catalina, the margaritas at sunset, a night sky to die for) - but because no other camp along the lagoon has guides with that same "sixth sense" of where the friendly whales are.

Last year's trip, on which I was accompanied by my literary agent and her husband, was truly unforgettable. At one point, our panga was surrounded by not one - but THREE PAIRS of mothers-and-babies, all looking for an opening toward our outstretched hands.  I've never seen anything like this. And I'll always remember my agent's husband, a New Yorker through-and-through, suddenly exclaiming: "I've always been someone who couldn't stand people to get anthropomorphic about animals! But there's just no other way to say it - these whales are coming up TO BE PETTED!"  

 There are other camps along the lagoon, but none I know of with the friendly atmosphere and natural feeling for the whales that you find at “Campo Cortez”.

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Dick Russel
James Dorsey
Rick Harbo
Steve Schwartz
Heather Somers
Emily Celino
Rick Armon
Paula Walker
Sharon Anderson
Marie Dalcourt
Peter Brueggeman
Steve Macial