By DAVID MANDICH

I was motoring in my dinghy in Cabo San Lucas Baja California one eve when out of the corner of my eye I saw a rock looming ahead. Covered with barnacles, it was not supposed to be there according to the charts. I cut the throttle on my dink and blinked, then the "rock" spouted and dove.

It was a Gray whale, with about a six foot fluke, just happily cruising along the shoreline. No more ripping along the waterfront in the dinghy at 25 knots in the dark for me, as whales can get pretty cranky when run into. Those peaceful, playful critters you see in all the animal life stories on TV were notorious for sinking whaleboats in the previous century when they were hunted nearly to extinction. And even today, some whales still sink boats just for kicks. Or to get even.

A news report a while back told of a yacht race off South America where a boat hit a Sperm whale. The whale was not amused. It circled, charged and sank the sailboat. Six sailors spent 2 days in a 4-man life raft until rescued. The experience would have been less traumatic had they not been smokers and left their matches on the boat when they abandoned ship....

My first encounter with whales was at night fifty miles out at sea half-way down the coast of Baja California. I was on watch around midnight when I heard what sounded like Darth Vader breathing somewhere nearby in the dark. His deep exhalations sounding like an underwater freight train seemed to be following us. Even circling us at times. It was spooky - we could hear him, but not see him. "Alex" I whispered to my sleeping son, "We've got whales." He jumped from his bunk and stomped topside to have a look. BE QUIET!" I shusssssh'd him. I didn't want him to disturb these beautiful, sensitive, potential yacht sinkers.

Alex made his way to the bow to have a closer look. I could barely see him from my station in the stern cockpit in the moonless night. Barely illuminated by the moonlight, I saw him lean forward over the bow peering into the black sea ahead. I heard the crashing of a wave, the whale blow, and then Alex yelling "Ye-e-e-o-o-ow!" He quickly reappeared in the cockpit, totally drenched and stinking of whale spume. The whale had also gone to the bow to have a closer look and spouted on him. Someday he can tell his grandchildren, how he was snotted on by a whale.

A few days later in Magdalena bay on the Pacific side of Baja, two whales spent an hour observing us playing chess in the boat's cockpit. They kept cruising back and forth, circling our anchored boat, rolling over sideways and checking us out with big curious eyes. I couldn't concentrate with them looking over my shoulder, spouting, and making chess move suggestions to me telepathically. I took a hint from Alex and stomped my feet on the deck. The whales took the hint and scattered. Now don't get all environmental on me - five minutes more and those critters would have been at the table drinking all our beer. Never admit a whale to your party. I read that somewhere in the Coast Guard boating regulations.

We were anchored fifty yards off the beach from a Mexican fish camp. Over a century ago the site was a base for whale ships where enormous cook pots would render whale blubber into oil. It was as important to society back then as petroleum is today. Now children of fisherman frolic and swim with the whales off the same beach.

In Cabo, one can swim with dolphins in an aquarium facility, or go on a Whale Watch cruise on any number of craft ranging from pangas and catamarans to a pirate ship. Bus tours and flights to Magdalena Bay further north up the coast also depart Cabo during the Gray whale season that runs from November through March. There hundreds of whales romance, mate, give birth and party as they have been doing since the beginning of time. Whales invented Spring Break. Over 14 species of whales call Baja´s Sea of Cortez home, with many of the lazy creatures sticking around all year rather than migrate. Just like some of the tourists that come to Cabo for a visit and never return. Like me.

David Mandich, has been living, surfing, writing and selling real estate in Cabo for 10 years.  A Century 21 Paradise Propeties Agent and expert on Condos, Villas and Gated Communities, he can be contacted at: yachtdorado@yahoo.com  (From the USA) 866 722-1785, Cabo Local: 624-143-1101, Cel. 044 624 132