Snorkeling with blue whaleS - Big Animals Expeditions
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BigAnimals Global Expeditions | CAliforniA’s BLUE Whale I) July 7 - 14, II) July 14 -21, 2019
Snorkeling with
blue whaleS
You will be overcome with the excitement, anticipation, and joy that are the defining
qualities of true exploration, and the experience will deepen your understanding and
appreciation of our ocean realm, the lifeblood of our planet.
BigAnimals.com | info@biganimals.com | 189 Evans Ave #A, Pacific Grove, CA 93950 | Phone 415.812.9476 | © Amos nAChoum PhotoGrAPhY
BigAnimals Global Expeditions | CAliforniA’s BLUE Whale I) July 7 - 14, II) July 14 -21, 2019
the Blue Whale
(Balaenoptera musculus)
Blue whales are rorqual whales, a family of
baleen whales with pleated throat grooves
that expand when the animal takes in water
“ nature at its best. listen to Your heart Pound.
”
while feeding. About 800 baleen plates hang
from the front of its upper jaw, helping it
Back rolling silently from a kayak into the deep blue water of the Pacific ocean sieve massive amounts of plankton out of
to photograph a blue whale is simply a life altering experience. the ocean. Blue whales are an overall blue-
gray color, mottled with light gray. Cold-
they are the largest of the baleen
water diatoms adhere to their skin and some-
whales weighing up to 150 tons,
times give their bellies a yellowish tinge,
averaging a length of 80 feet, and they
giving the blue whale its nickname of
are far more wonderful in person than
“sulfur bottom.” Blues have twin blowholes
words could ever hope to describe. We
that spout as high as 30 feet.
could talk all day about the countless in-
credible facts and almost unbelievable
unlike humpbacks and other baleen
statistics that describe blue whales, but
whales, blues do not swim in pods and
no words could ever come close to
seldom fluke (“tail up”) like the humpback.
expressing the way you will feel when
they are known to cruise at 12 mph (20 km/
you’re in the water next to these most
h), but are capable of short speed bursts of
amazing of Earth’s creatures.
31 mph (50 km/h) when interacting with
other whales.
We’ve taken some of the encounter
challenge out of the equation by
it is difficult to imagine just how huge
following the northern blue whale’s
these whales are until you’re in the water
migration path along the Baja Peninsula You will be overcome with the excite-
with them. their hearts can weight as much
from their wintering grounds in the sea ment, anticipation, and joy that are the
as a car, their tongues may exceed the
of Cortez. our expedition takes place defining qualities of true exploration, and
weight of an elephant, and 2,500 gallons of
during the peak of their migration the experience will deepen your under-
blood circulate constantly to keep this whale
season and you are certain to have the standing and appreciation of our ocean
alive. they feed almost exclusively on krill
best chance of interacting with Blues realm, the lifeblood of our planet. making
and other plankton, and adult blue can
anywhere in the world. Pre-scouting the eye contact with the largest animal in the
consume 8,000 pounds of krill daily in order
trip along with a spotter plane helps us world will make you feel at once both in-
to power their massive bodies. they an reach
pinpoint their exact location over a significant and important. record lengths of 100 feet and weights of 180
distance varying between 15 to 25 miles.
tons. Even newborn babies are 25 feet long
this “gentle giant” adventure involves a swimming in the presence of an animal and drink over 100 gallons of their mother’s
technique of stealth, one that i have incomprehensibly more powerful than milk every day!
developed over many years to keep the yourself will make you feel impossibly
whales comfortable in our presence tiny, yet at the same time the rare Blue whales inhabit the oceans of the world,
while still allowing for the most intimate connection you have just made with this but our destination is the most productive
of encounters. intelligent ocean being will show you how along the west coast of the United States. On
critical of a part each one of us plays on this expedition, we hope to get face to face
their commanding presence in the this beautiful blue mar- ble we call home. during the time frame when approximately
water is undeniable and overwhelming if you’re ready to see life in a new light, 2,500 whales, feasting on krill, migrate
and through this BigAnimals experience, join us on this BigAnimals Expedition that through Mexican waters along the shoreline
you will become one of a select group of will enrich your life, make your heart skip of San Diego.
people lucky enough to share the sea a few beats, and take your breath away.
with these amazing animals in such close
quarters.
BigAnimals.com | info@biganimals.com | 189 Evans Ave #A, Pacific Grove, CA 93950 | Phone 415.812.9476 | © Amos nAChoum PhotoGrAPhY
BigAnimals Global Expeditions | CAliforniA’s BLUE Whale I) July 7 - 14, II) July 14 -21, 2019
the experience here is an account of what you have to
look forward to.
All five of us had been sit- ting in our
kayaks on top of a flat sea for at least two
While the scout plane lifts off from
hours and the whales were all around us.
montgomery field to locate the exact position
We were all spread out about a mile apart
of the whales, we depart from Dana Point or
from each other observing the show of
Mission bay.
blows.
Employing the use of a scouting plane has
the plane hovered around us as the
proved time and again to be the best way to
pilot was seeing the whales from above;
locate Blues, and is the method we used when
the skipper was yelling to the left or to the
filming for both BBC and national Geographic.
right, but we kept just missing them. We
We have the very best best boat captain who
were getting warmer and warmer in our
knows exactly what to look for when scouting
wetsuits. i slid into the cool water every so
for blue whales.
Each kayak is paddled and maneuvered often just to refresh myself. in the mean-
into position by expert master kayakers. We time, i took a few catnaps on the Kayak and
Despite their huge size, they are easy for an
wait topside in the warm air and inviting my paddler had to wake me up few times.
inexperi-enced eye to miss, but our skilled pilot
west coast sunshine for just the right mo-
spots them every time. he looks for red algae, a
ment to quietly slip into the cool, blue the sun started to go down as 4pm
popular food for blue whales, as well as their
water. this perfect combination of tem- approached and visibility in the water
characteristic breathing blows.
peratures is a taste of the equally perfect began to diminish, but the number of
blue whale encounter you are about to blows in close proximity to the kayak
our four snorkelers, each with their own
have in this most ultimate of wildlife pho- started rising.
dedicated, master kayker plus the expedition
tography opportunities.
leader, will have plenty of space as the boat is
built to accommodate 20 people. We will alos
As the whale approaches, your heart will
be able to move fast as the boat can cruise at
be pounding, your camera clicking, and
around 20 miles per hour.
you will have the experience of a lifetime.
We primarily snorkel with the Blues, but if
. boat’s amenities include a head (of
the you are a skilled free diver, this is a valid
course) plus a hot water shower. We’ll have hot option as well.
soup, a tasty lunch, and snacks on board, as well
as swim jackets to keep you warm on board.
With less than 5m (15ft) of water nick my kayaker counted four, five, and
separating you from these graceful and then six! he started paddling towards one,
typically we encounter the shy blue whales gigantic denizens of the sea, you are sure
as they migrate north by Channel islands and all but i asked him to stop. “Just stay here,” i
to come away from the expedition with a told him. the less motion we make the
the San Miguel island deeper understanding of and connection better. Another few minutes passed and
to these amazing animals we are lucky nick started slowly paddling. Again, i told
At a distance of approximately 1000 yards, enough to share our water planet with.
the Counter Shade turns off her engine so as not him to stop, and before i could finish my
to frighten the whales. Blue whales may be the words i saw the tip of the head of a Blue
largest animals in the world, but they are also just two feet under the surface only a few
one of the shyest. they are extremely docile and feet in front of the Kayak bow.
become startled easily, so we need to take the
utmost care not to scare them with our boat to jump or not to jump…it was not a
noise. As soon as we have deter-mined that the question. it was too late to enter the water,
whale is swimming straight and not feeling but instead i lowered my camera with a
threatened, we advance in sit on top double wide angle lens to my left side just one foot
kayaks. underwater, aiming the heavy camera as
best i could to face this incoming giant of
snorkelers are prepared to enter the water the sea. And i got it. one of the rarest
with wetsuits on (66° to 72° f water temp, air at images of a blue whale, a frontal view from
70°+ f), fins, mask and snorkel ready, and the tip of its jaw back to its dreamy eye.
camera in hand. these are the kinds of precious wilderness
moments we provide.
BigAnimals.com | info@biganimals.com | 189 Evans Ave #A, Pacific Grove, CA 93950 | Phone 415.812.9476 | © Amos nAChoum PhotoGrAPhY
BigAnimals Global Expeditions | CAliforniA’s BLUE Whale I) July 7 - 14, II) July 14 -21, 2019
the Destination What to Bring
following your arrival and hotel check-in, San Diego is a trendy and bustling city,
we will discuss camera gear and settings, but clothing attire is casual.
logistics and whale viewing strategy during
the evening briefing and dinner. in the water, a 5mm wetsuit and a 3mm
hooded vest is recommended. Water temps
the next five days we will operate out of range from 66 to 70f (or 18 to 21C).You will
mission Bay. Weather permitting (there is an also need to bring mask, fins and snorkel. it
occasional wait for the marine layer to lift) the is always advisable to bring an extra mask,
spotter plane will leave as early as possible in strap and fins.
the morning. our pilot will scan a radius of 15 While accommodations are your
to 25 miles between san Diego and mexico responsibility, this BigAnimal Expedition While we are aboard the boat and
searching for blue whales for up to four hours. operates at the height of San Diego tourist following each dive, wearing a windbreaker
season.We suggest that as soon as you sign or fleece jacket will provide warmth.You
Already headed in the same direction as on to this trip, your book your airline and might also consider bringing lightweight
the scout plane, the humboldt will stop if we hotel reservations. gloves and a wool hat, sun block, polarized
site any bait balls, mola molas, whales, sharks, sunglasses, a towel, and dry (waterproof )
sea lions, or other marine animals. the Blues Click on the following links to learn more camera bag. if you carry multiple cameras
are of course the main attraction, but we about our two hotels suggestions: you may want to bring a small hard-shell
often have the oppor- tunity to get in the Pelican case for the boat plus a soft dry bag
water and photo- graph a variety of other The Haytt - Mission bay for use in the kayak.
amazing sea creatures. there is also the
The Dana - Mission bay
option for you to spend a day flying in the
scout plane. in constant communication with
the pilot, our boat skipper is an additional
observer.
having enjoyed six days in san Diego
enthralled with the most incredible blue
whale experience, it will be time to ex-
change emails and say goodbye—until Amos’
next adventure. our evenings on land
together in san Diego, one of southern
California’s most beautiful cities, will be as
entertaining as our days spent in the Pacific.
BigAnimals.com | info@biganimals.com | 189 Evans Ave #A, Pacific Grove, CA 93950 | Phone 415.812.9476 | © Amos nAChoum PhotoGrAPhY
BigAnimals Global Expeditions | CAliforniA’s BLUE Whale I) July 7 - 14, II) July 14 -21, 2019
Blue Whale Dates
July 7 – 14
July 14 – 21
BLUE WHAlE ExPEriEnCE: 14 years
EXPEDITION GUDES
July 7 – 14: Amos and Randy
July 14 – 21: Amos
WhErE: Catalina Island
DAtEs: June 23 - 29, '19
DurAtion: 7 days
Randy Nutt Amos Nachoum mAx no. of GuEsts: 4
Expedition leader Expedition Leader PriCinG: $9,800 per person
Randy Nutt a competitive swimmer, rEGistrAtion: Deposit of $3,300
USMS Level 4 Swim Coach (one of only 29 Amos has lead great expeditions for
in the US) and the “2008 World Open Water individual adventurers and institutions ACtiVitiEs: free Diving & snorkeling
Swimming Man of the Year” has through like Apple, IBM, Microsoft, Discovery tEmPErAturE: Water 66°-72° f
his company “Aqua Moon Adventures” Channel, Armani, Disney, and Colombia (19-22° C) Air 70°+ f (21+° C)
created, produced, and directed several of Pictures. For National Geographic, he
the world’s most exciting open water was team leader for separate photo triP PriCE inCluDEs:
competitive and fitness swims. expeditions to document the Red Sea, • five days of blue whale free diving
Great White Sharks, and Killer Whales. • only four guests per trip
Randy’s work has centered around • spotter plane assistance for 5 days,
attracting swimmers from all over the His photos and essays have appeared up to 4 hours per day
world to participate in eco-friendly swims in hundreds of publications around the • four two-person Kayaks each with
in exotic locations – with an emphasis on globe, including National Geographic, an expert Kayaker to take us quickly
sharing the beautiful experience of Time, Life, The New York Times, Condé and quietly out to the whales
adventure travel. He has trained several Nast Traveler, Le Figaro, Terra Sauvage, • lunch and snacks on board
successful English Channel swimmers and Airone, Mondo Somerso, Der Spiegel, • Amos and/or Randy's Expertise as
was the first male to swim 21 miles around Unterwasser, and many more. His work Photo Coaching
Miami Beach. He has swum and has has also been included in the books The triP PriCE ExCluDEs:
kayaked for swimmers in the 28 Mile Living Ocean, The World of Nature, and • 6 nights hotel
Manhattan Marathon Swim and the 24 mile Oceans. He has appeared on National • meals which aren’t specified above,
Tampa Bay Swim Marathon –having Geographic Explorer, Today, and Good soft drinks or alcohol
kayaked for the first ever male and female Morning America and featured in People, • Cab fare, car rental
athletes to complete that solo swim. In Esquire, and Money magazines. Amos’s • Activities outside of the itinerary
seven trips kayaking the 24 mile Tampa Bay photography has won Nikon, • items of a personal nature
Marathon his swimmers have won every Communication Arts, and BBC Wildlife (phone calls, tips, drinks)
time. Photographer of the Year awards. • scuba gear (this is a snorkeling
expedition only)
He has led numerous other swim Above all else, Amos loves people as • overweight luggage
expeditions including the first ever swim much as wildlife. His concern for both • items not specifically mentioned
around Sanibel Island and a National inspired him to co-found Israel’s Marine under “tour Price includes”
Geographic Shark research dive in the National Park on the Red Sea. • insurance – it is mandatory you buy
Bahamas. He has coached world and your own travel, health, and diving
national champions and swimmers at the insurance
US Olympic Training Center in Colorado • Additional costs incurred due to
Springs. independent travel arrangements
• Gratuities
• Airfare to and from Los Angeles
BigAnimals.com | info@biganimals.com | 189 Evans Ave #A, Pacific Grove, CA 93950 | Phone 415.812.9476 | © Amos nAChoum PhotoGrAPhY
BigAnimals Global Expeditions | CAliforniA’s BLUE Whale I) July 7 - 14, II) July 14 -21, 2019
California’S blue whaleS itinerarY >
daY 1
ArriVE San Diego Check into your hotel and
let us know which hotel you are booked in.
We will inform you on meeting place for
briefing. Recommondation to stay at the
Haytt Mission bay or at the Dana Point
daY 2-6
We operate out San Diego, mission bay and
for the next five days we’ll be engaged in
blue whale spotting. We plan to leave early
in the morning, weather permitting. The
marine layer can sometimes make it difficult
for the pilot to safely search for whales.
The pilot searches for the whales in an area
15 to 25 miles offshore between San Diego
and Mexico.
We leave by boat each morning towards the PAYmEnt PoliCY AnD DEPosit:
area being scouted. While waiting for the daY 7 When we receive your deposit, we will
scouting report, if we come across an send you a comprehensive and detailed
encounter with other marine life along the DEPART San Diego
trip Preparation Bulletin about the
way, we will free dive in the lovely blue experience and the destination.
Pacific. (There are many different marine All trip costs are subject to change
animals arriving in Southern California without prior notice until your reservation
waters at this time of year to feed and breed.) is confirmed.
A deposit of 33% of the total trip price
What makes this expedition so unique is is required to secure space on the trip.
that, in addition to having a scout plane with full payment is due no later than 90
us every day, we also employ four master
days before departure.
kayakers to paddle you as quietly as possible
We reserve the right to sell any space
to the shy blue whales. Each sea kayak has
that is not paid in full by 60 days before
two seats. The quest seat is at the front of the
departure.
kayak, where you’ll have mask, fins and
camera ready to go at any time. The kayaker CAnCEllAtion PoliCY
sits in the back to paddle you as fast as -must be made in writing.
humanly possible to the approximate -more than 90 days before trip:
location of the incoming blue whales. Deposit will be refunded in full.
-90 days or less before trip:
Since we are in constant communication Deposit will be refunded if space is
with the pilot, and the skipper can observe sold, less unrecoverable costs of sales,
from the dive boat, The kayak will be able to and administration fee.
reach your whale quickly and silently. -no refund is made for unused part of
All four kayaks go out at one time – all guests the itinerary.
go out on the kayaks to the open sea and the following are subject to change:
remain at sea for as long as there’s -Cost of services which are not
opportunity for blue whale free diving. In included in the expedition price
the event we have good contact with the -flight time and schedule
blue whales we will stay out until evening. -Weather, water temperature, and
At the end of the day we return to shore. animal behavior
Dates and prices are subject to change
without prior notice.
BigAnimals.com | info@biganimals.com | 189 Evans Ave #A, Pacific Grove, CA 93950 | Phone 415.812.9476 | © Amos nAChoum PhotoGrAPhY
ApplicAtion Form
Expedition snorkeling with Blue Whales | Expeditions Dates: July 7 - 14 July 14 -21
PErsonAl informAtion
first name last name
Date of Birth Gender: female male
Address
City state Zip
Work Phone home Phone
Email
Citizen of Passport # Place issued & Date
trip price $9,800 per person. Deposit of 1/3 of trip price is required to secure space = $3,300 nonrefundable
Final payment due 90 days before departure.
Please make your check payment to BigAnimals Expeditions, 189 Evans Ave #A, Pacific Grove, CA 93950.
overseas payment can be done via bank wire, instructions will be sent to you upon receipt of this application.
travel insurance: yEs no Provider Policy #
travel insurance is prerequisite and mandatory on BigAnimals adventures. We need to have your policy number.the
activity on this expedition is free diving/snorkeling. no scuba Diving Experience required and no scuba diving is offered.
Do you carry diving insurance? yEs no Provider Policy #
Diving Experience/years in Diving
Where & When last 3 Dive Experiences? 1 2 3
how do you rate your Diving skills? Beginner inter Advanced Expert
how do you rate your Photography and/or Video skills?
no interest Beginner inter Advanced Expert
BigAnimals.com | info@biganimals.com | 189 Evans Ave #A, Pacific Grove, CA 93950 | Phone 415.812.9476 | © Amos nAChoum PhotoGrAPhY
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