Sharks, Whales, and Orcas: A Wild Ocean Adventure with Latitude Encounters

We spent two weeks in Baja California Sur, and what we experienced there is hard to put into words. 

This wasn’t just a trip; it was a wild ocean adventure filled with jaw-dropping wildlife encounters, emotional moments, and unforgettable memories. 

At the heart of it all was the Latitude Encounters team—a group of incredible people who made everything possible.

Let’s start with them.

Latitude Encounters

Without a doubt, Latitude Encounters is one of the most professional, passionate, and knowledgeable teams we’ve ever had the pleasure to dive with. 

They aren’t just there to deliver extraordinary experiences; they genuinely care about the ocean and its inhabitants. As a passionate underwater photographer, I know how much depends on the operator. 

Things can go very wrong if the crew isn’t respectful of wildlife or cuts corners to make a profit. Unfortunately, I’ve had my fair share of such experiences.

But Latitude couldn’t be further from that. This is a group of individuals from all over the world, united by their love for the ocean. Their team includes marine biologists specializing in sharks, whale experts, local whale rescue team members, and photographers. 

They know how to cater to different people and their needs. The fact that they put effort into education makes a huge difference—and their breakfast burritos aren’t bad either!

Now, let’s talk about the wildlife encounters.

Wildlife Encounters In Baja

Before heading to Baja, I could not have imagined what we were about to experience—not even in my wildest dreams. I had been chasing mako sharks across two continents with no success, so photographing them was a top priority for me.

On our first shark day, we didn’t see any makos, but we were lucky to spend hours with a beautiful, calm, and friendly blue shark. 

The weather was perfect, and since this was our first time doing shark snorkeling (we had only done scuba before), it was the ideal way to ease into it. 

Every time I dove down to photograph the shark, I could hear the humpback whales singing in the distance. It was so magical, I often forgot to take photos and just sank below the surface to enjoy their haunting symphony.

An Unexpected Twist

Our second shark day took an unexpected turn. A fisherman had reported seeing a pod of orcas nearby. Without hesitation, we went looking for them first thing in the morning. It didn’t take long to find the pod, surrounded by dozens of boats aggressively following them. The orcas were hunting whales.

We kept a respectful distance and followed the pod for hours until only a few boats remained. We watched two pods come together and take down a humpback calf from its mother. It was one of the most intense wildlife moments I’ve ever witnessed. Incredible and raw—but also heartbreaking. Watching the mother search for her calf afterward was difficult.

After things settled, our guide Mathias gave us the look: let’s get ready to jump in. As an ocean wildlife enthusiast, my heart was pounding with excitement and adrenaline. This was it. We entered the water and found ourselves surrounded by orcas. They swam around us, checking us out—including a few younger ones. It was absolutely surreal. We talked about it for days afterward.

If you want to check out the full story on the orca hunting, click here for my full article.

Things Didn’t End There

I thought that was the pinnacle of our trip. I was wrong.

The next day was an ocean safari. We planned to cruise around and look for marine life. Early in the day, we received a report from a fisherman who had spotted a humpback whale entangled in a fishing net. Nina, one of our guides and a member of the local whale rescue team RABEN, suggested we try to find the whale.

We searched for a while without success and eventually turned back to look for other wildlife. Early in the afternoon, we spotted a splash near the boat—a humpback whale coming up for air. 

As it drifted closer, we saw a huge purple fishing net wrapped around its tail. It kept swimming near our boat, almost as if it were asking for help. That’s when we realized the net was wrapped around its entire body.

It was surreal to see such a gentle giant so helpless. The whale came close enough for me to dip my camera in the water and take a few shots (see the full breakdown of the story here). The fishing line was so long, I couldn’t even fit it all in the frame. That moment was heartbreaking—and it was also the first time I had ever photographed a humpback whale underwater.

We immediately contacted the rescue team, who launched a boat equipped to remove the net. We tracked the whale for hours until the rescue team arrived and took over. They stayed out until sunset, but unfortunately, the whale got stressed, and they weren’t able to remove the net. A sad ending to what started as a hopeful encounter.

On The Bright Side

The following days were lighter and filled with more joyful moments. Between ocean safaris and shark dives, we got to spend time with gray whales in the shallows as they nurtured their calves before migration. We learned so much about whale behavior and met some incredible people along the way.

I also learned that photographing a breaching humpback whale is not as easy as some photographers make it seem. Still, I managed to capture one breaching moment, and it was every bit as magical as I imagined. Words can’t describe how majestic these animals are. We’re already looking forward to our trip to French Polynesia later this year.

Mako Magic, Finally!

By this point in the trip, we had seen so much—but I still hadn’t had my mako shark moment. We had one last shark day left, and I had high hopes. The conditions were perfect. We had wind and current to carry the blood scent for miles.

It didn’t take long before we heard the call: “It’s a mako!”

That day, we had three makos and a blue shark circling us. Finally! The encounter I had been waiting for. I had loved makos long before I ever saw one in person, and now I love them even more. 

They’re incredibly energetic (like mini great whites), and unlike blue sharks, they’re not as curious—they’ll come right at your dome port and swim off in a flash. It was amazing to see the fastest fish in the ocean up close.

Overall, our time in Baja was everything we hoped for and more. I feel like it’s one of those places you can return to over and over again. Every season brings something new, and anything can happen. Combine that with a passionate, knowledgeable, and fun team like Latitude Encounters, and there’s no question we’ll be going back.

Stay tuned for our next expedition report!