Pete Thomas Outdoors

Baja anglers 'rescue' mysterious oarfish found in shallows

By Pete Thomas

Two brothers on a fishing trip this week in Mexico discovered a live oarfish struggling in the shallows and helped revive the mysterious creature.

Noah and Jacob Thompson, from Texas, found the juvenile oarfish near La Capilla in Baja California’s East Cape region.

They carried the serpent-like fish to deeper water and watched it swim away, according to John Ireland, owner of Rancho Leonero Resort.

Oarfish, deep-water denizens that can measure 30-plus feet, occasionally wash ashore dead or near-death on Sea of Cortez beaches. Encounters, however, are extremely rare.

Ireland told Pete Thomas Outdoors that he had not previously heard of a successful “rescue and release” of a stranded oarfish.

Rancho Leonero on Thursday posted a photo to Facebook showing one of the Thompsons posing with the oarfish. Ireland described the encounter as “amazing” and remarked how healthy the fish appeared to be. “I’ve never seen one that small or in that good of shape,” he said.

In 2012, a 15-foot oarfish washed ashore in Cabo San Lucas at Baja California’s tip. An effort to revive the fish was unsuccessful.

Oarfish, because of their size and bizarre appearance, are believed to have spawned sea monster myths in the times of ancient mariners.

–Image showing Jacob Thompson with the oarfish is courtesy of Rancho Leonero Resort

 

 

Tropical Storm Bud delivers high surf, strong winds, and some flooding to Los Cabos

By Pete Thomas

Mexico's Los Cabos region is experiencing powerful surf, gusty winds and street flooding as Tropical Storm Bud approaches Baja California’s tip.

“Our power just went out, you could hear a transformer explode,” Eric Brictson, a sportfishing fleet owner, said from the town of San Jose del Cabo. “Winds will probably reach 50 mph before long. Surf is also pounding.”

In Cabo San Lucas at Land’s End, flooding is occurring on some main avenues, which is common during  heavy rain.

“We are getting more rain now, but I think the ocean is what is most impressive at the moment,” said Rebecca Ehrenberg, a yacht sales specialist with Pisces Group Cabo. “Big waves have flooded the beach next to El Arco Hotel/Villas de Palmar and Tabasco/Cascadas on Medano Beach.

“And, as usual, the highway in front of Walmart has some water already.”

Tropical Storm Bud was located 70 miles south-southeast of Cabo San Lucas at 11 a.m., according to the Florida-based National Hurricane Center. The storm boasted sustained winds of 45 mph, with stronger gusts. Bud is expected to reach the Sea of Cortez as a tropical depression by early Friday morning.

A tropical storm warning remained in effect from Cabo San Lucas north to La Paz.

For the sake of comparison, Tropical Storm Lidia last September came ashore with 65-mph winds. Lidia caused widespread flooding and extensive damage. Tropical Storm Bud is a much weaker system.

–Graphic is courtesy of the National Hurricane Center

Hurricane Bud poised to strike Los Cabos region, likely as a tropical storm

 

By Pete Thomas

Folks in and around Cabo San Lucas are bracing for the late-week arrival of Hurricane Bud, likely as a tropical storm but still potentially dangerous.

At midday Tuesday, Hurricane Bud was located 325 miles south-southeast of the resort city on Baja California’s tip. The storm boasted sustained winds of 125 mph, but was slowly weakening.

“We are expecting to get hit by Bud, we just don't know how hard yet,” Eric Brictson, owner of Gordo Banks Pangas in nearby San Jose del Cabo, said via email. “But either way we are busy preparing, so far just higher surf conditions and humidity. Still fishing today, will become tougher tomorrow, Thursday and Friday. We will hope for the best, though I believe we will get 10 inches or more of rain and have winds gusting near 50 mph.”

According to the Florida-based National Hurricane Center, Bud will remain at hurricane strength – winds 74 mph or stronger – through Wednesday. Tropical Storm Bud will sweep through Los Cabos and up a portion of the peninsula Thursday into Friday, before entering the Sea of Cortez.

Rebecca Ehrenberg, a yacht services specialist with Pisces Group Cabo in Cabo San Lucas, said the port will close Wednesday and remain closed until the storm passes. “We have a big surfing competition at the moment here, so at least the surfers are happy about it,” Ehrenberg said, in reference to large surf generated by the storm.

Ehrenberg added, “Looks like we won’t have too much to worry about, so we’ll keep our fingers crossed and hope that’s the case.”

Last September, Tropical Storm Lidia caused widespread flooding and damage in Los Cabos and as far north as La Paz.

In September 2014, Hurricane Odile came ashore as a Category 3 hurricane, becoming the most powerful storm ever to strike Los Cabos. Buildings were leveled, windows were blown out while hotel guests huddled in rooms, automobiles were flipped, power lines and trees were downed.

Thousands of tourists and residents were forced to stay in shelters after hotels and houses were destroyed. Airports were closed and the National Guard hastened to airlift the sick and elderly to other locations.

Hurricane Bud, currently a Category 3 storm, will weaken significantly before making landfall, but should not be taken lightly.

As of Tuesday morning, no warnings or watches had been issued. But the National Hurricane Center advised, “Interests in southern Baja California Sur, Mexico, should monitor the progress of Bud.”

–Geocolor satellite image of Hurricane Bud is courtesy of the National Weather Service Ocean Prediction Center

 

Cabo San Lucas slammed by Tropical Storm Lidia; 'We're getting belted'

*Friday morning update with references to fatalities, damage and clearing skies (click link)

By Pete Thomas

Tropical Storm Lidia was positioned immediately southwest of Cabo San Lucas late Thursday evening, delivering powerful winds and torrential rain that was flooding city streets and parts of nearby San Jose del Cabo.

“We’re getting belted by the storm now,” longtime Cabo San Lucas resident Tracy Ehrenberg said via email, at 6:30 p.m. local time. ”It’s practically a hurricane. We’re holding on here and praying the docks will stay together.”

According to the National Hurricane Center's 6 p.m. update, Lidia boasted sustained gusts of 65 mph – only 9 mph below hurricane strength and capable of downing trees and power poles.

RELATED: Los Cabos deals with Hurricane Odile aftermath; photos

The storm's center is predicted to skirt Cabo San Lucas, a Mexican resort destination on Baja California’s tip, before making landfall farther north on the Pacific side of the peninsula. Hurricane watches and tropical storm warnings remain in effect for much of the Mexican state of Baja California Sur.

Ehrenberg, who runs Pisces Sportfishing inside Cabo San Lucas Marina, shared reports about flooding in San Jose del Cabo, 35 miles north of Cabo San Lucas. The two cities and the corridor that connects them comprise the popular Los Cabos tourism zone.

The storm was being felt at least as far north as La Paz, on the eastern shore of the peninsula along the Sea of Cortez.

In a Facebook post, Tailhunter International Sportfishing wrote, “Lidia building up to hit Cabo. We’re next in La Paz! Gusts now up to 50 mph and trees snapping.”

In the East Cape region, also on the Sea of Cortez between Cabo San Lucas and La Paz, resident Mark Rayor said late Thursday afternoon that conditions weren’t as bad.

“Toughest thing here is that we are not getting a satellite signal so we can’t watch the news,” Rayor said. “Tired of being cooped up inside [but] there have been enough breaks in the rain to take our dogs and cats out to do what they need to do.”

Gary Barnes-Webb, at nearby Rancho Leonero Resort, later said that East Cape arroyos were "in full-flood" stage and predicted "devastation" in certain areas.

It was too early at the time of this post for a damage assessment, and it was unclear how Lidia is affecting small and remote towns on the Pacific side of the peninsula.

Lidia is expected to remain at tropical storm strength through late Saturday night, as it churns northwest across land, before it reenters the Pacific and slowly dissipates in cool water.

–Satellite image showing Tropical Storm Lidia and powerful thunderstorms in its center (yellow areas) is courtesy of NASA

–Image showing Baja California's tip in advance of the storm is courtesy of MaeLeigh Cervantes, via Tailhunter International

Tropical Storm Lidia a growing concern for Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

By Pete Thomas

Folks in Cabo San Lucas and throughout the Mexican state of Baja California Sur are keeping a close eye on the trajectory of Tropical Storm Lidia.

Lidia, which on Wednesday afternoon was generating heavy rain over southwestern Mexico, is the first Eastern North Pacific storm of 2017 poised to impact the resort areas at Baja California's tip.

RELATED: Los Cabos deals with Hurricane Odile aftermath; photos

Though Lidia is not expected to attain hurricane strength (sustained gusts of 74 mph or stronger), hurricane watches (hurricane conditions possible) and tropical storm warnings have been issued by Mexico. The Florida-based National Hurricane Center listed them as follows in its 6 p.m. update on Wednesday:

A Hurricane Watch is in effect for...

• Baja California Sur from Puerto Cortes to east of La Paz

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for...

• Baja California Sur from Puerto Cortes to San Evaristo
• Mainland Mexico from Bahia Tempehuaya to Huatabampito

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for...

• Baja California Sur from north of San Evaristo to Loreto
• North of Puerto Cortes to Puerto San Andresito

Lidia, which late Wednesday boasted winds of 40 mph, is expected to arrive near Baja California’s tip late Thursday or early Friday.

Tracy Ehrenberg, general manager of Pisces Sportfishing in the Cabo San Lucas marina, said Wednesday evening via email that boats were ordered back in port before a 1 p.m. port closure.

“A squall blew through that lasted 10 minutes, then it settled again,” Ehrenberg said. “So far just one rain shower that lasted five minutes at most. It’s cloudy but really no wind and seas are not bad on the Pacific… up to, say, 10-15 mph.”

Mark Rayor, owner of Jen Wren Sportfishing in the East Cape region on the Sea of Cortez, added: "Nothing alarming so far. Just hope the forecast is right and it doesn’t spool up.  Kinda like a rattlesnake: doesn’t look that bad but you never know when it will get pissed off."

 –Graphic via the National Hurricane Center

Tropical Storm Javier reaches Baja's tip; flooding evident in Cabo San Lucas

**Tuesday morning update: Javier has diminished to tropical depression status – earlier than expected – and is expected to become a remnant soon. Warnings and watches are no longer in effect.  

Tropical Storm Javier on Monday delivered heavy rain throughout Baja California Sur, flooding streets and creating a fair amount of chaos. But as of Monday afternoon, powerful storm winds were not yet evident.

That was expected to change, however. At 2 p.m., Javier’s center was positioned about 35 miles south-southeast of Cabo San Lucas at Baja California's tip, poised to make landfall with maximum sustained gusts of 65 mph. (Update: At 5 p.m. the National Hurricane listed Javier's position as 50 miles south-southeast of Baja California's tip, implying a reversal of movement.)

According to forecast models, Javier is expected to spin alongside the west coast of the peninsula as it travels slowly to the northwest. It’s not expected to attain hurricane status (winds of at least 74 mph).

 

There were no immediate reports of heavy damage, and commercial flights into and out of Los Cabos were continuing. The Cabo San Lucas port, however, closed to boat traffic late Sunday and remained closed Monday. Farther up the coast, as far as La Paz on the Sea of Cortez, some fleet operators had pulled their boats out of the water as a precaution.

Mike Tumberio, owner of RenegadeMike Sportfishing in Cabo San Lucas, posted a Facebook video showing some of the flooding in downtown Cabo San Lucas.

Tumberio also posted his observations as he drove his house cleaner to her house before the streets became too messy:

“I just gave my house cleaner a ride home and that was almost a mistake as the flood came and traffic [was] pretty bad.

“I just bought a 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee trail rated special edition for this type of situation and she handled the flooding just as advertised. Had water up to the door panels at times with no problems.

“Went to marina to check on the boat and the flooding there is a mess, and will get al lot worse in a few hours. Lots of cars stuck in middle of road.”

Mark Rayor, owner of Jen Wren Sportfishing in the East Cape region, 80 miles north of Cabo San Lucas, said several inches of rain had fallen, but as of 4 p.m., there was very little wind.

“No wind but a lot of rain," Rayor said. “Our pool is at the brim and we have started a siphon so the salt water doesn’t get on our lawn.”

Hopefully, that's the last of the worries for residents throughout the region, as Javier runs its course.

–Image is via the Weather Channel

Giant whale shark spotted inside Cabo San Lucas marina; 'a first-time event'

It’s rare enough to spot a whale shark in the pristine water beyond Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, but to see one swimming inside the marina might be unheard of.

“This is a first-time event in Cabo,” Tracy Ehrenberg, general manager of Pisces Sportfishing, said of the Monday morning sighting.

The 20-foot whale shark was spotted near the back of the harbor by a man who thought it was a great white shark. "Then we heard that others said no it was a mako... then the truth came out it was actually a WHALE shark... the largest fish on the planet," Pisces stated on Facebook.

 

The footage was captured by Beto Lira, captain of Ruthless.

Whale sharks, which can measure to about 40 feet, are the world’s largest fish species. The docile plankton-eaters are also mysterious in that little is known about their migration habits.

They're sometimes spotted in the Sea of Cortez, between Cabo San Lucas and La Paz, but not inside harbors, where water quality is diminished.

Added Pisces: “The fish actually swam up to the dock where the Pisces boats leave from. It caused a huge amount of excitement amongst the crews as you can tell by the filming.

"We were just commenting yesterday how clear and warm the water is and how much bait there is in the marina... not that the whale shark was after them, they are a harmless plankton eater. The only danger they pose is if you are out fishing and collide with them. They are gentle giants. What a marvelous way to start the week.

–Pete Thomas

–Note: Whale shark image atop this post is generic.

Angler lands 430-pound yellowfin tuna off Loreto; can't claim world record

By Pete Thomas

An angler fishing off the Baja California city of Loreto has landed a 430-pound yellowfin tuna that might have become a world record if he had followed proper procedure.

Robert Ross caught the massive fish on a trip out of the remote Pisces Collection Lodge, on the Sea of Cortez near Loreto. The lodge is not yet open and does not have a certified scale, or cold storage.

Ross told Pisces Sportfishing general manager Tracy Ehrenberg that he had little choice but to fillet the tuna after weighing it on a butcher's scale at a nearby ranch.

“Once they told me the weight I told them, 'You just cut up your world record,' ” Ehrenberg, whose business is in Cabo San Lucas, said via email.

The International Game Fish Assn. lists as the all-tackle world record a 427-pound yellowfin tuna caught off Cabo San Lucas in 2012.

Ehrenberg said Ross told her, “I kind of thought that it might be a record. It’s the biggest tuna I’ve caught, but what were we going to do with it? It’s important but not the most important for me to get a record. Next time I will call you before cutting it up.”

According to the Pisces Facebook page, the tuna was hooked on a chunk bait and landed standup-style, from a Boston Whaler, after a 2-hour fight on 60-pound test line.

–Photos of 430-pound yellowfin tuna landed by Robert Ross (pictured at right) are courtesy of Pisces Sportfishing

–Editor's note: This catch was originally reported to have occurred off Cabo San Lucas

Alien-like shark caught off Cabo San Lucas identified

By Pete Thomas

A tourist in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, on Tuesday reeled from the depths a mysterious alien-like fish that looks somewhat like an albino shark.

The peculiar specimen – pinkish-white, with a distended stomach – was caught a mile offshore by a Chicago angler fishing with Capt. Jaime Rendon of the panga, Dr. Pescado. The shark was photographed, then released.

The photos appeared Tuesday night on the Pisces Sportfishing Fleet’s Facebook page, under the heading, “ALIEN FISH IN CABO?”

Tracy Ehrenberg, Pisces general manager, sent the images to biologists in Mexico, hoping for an identification.

We emailed the images to the California’s Monterey Bay Aquarium, and were told that it’s an albino or leucistic swell shark, given its lack of pigmentation.

David A. Ebert, director of the Pacific Shark Research Center Moss Landing Marine Laboratories in Central California, confirmed that it's a swell shark and added that there's only one type of swell shark known to the Eastern Pacific (Cephaloscyllium ventriosum).

"This is clearly a swell shark, no doubt about that, and I am pretty certain it's the species I mentioned," Ebert said.

La Paz-based shark expert Felipe Galván-Magaña ultimately agreed via email that the shark Rendon caught was, in fact, Cephaloscyllium ventriosum.

But it was an odd specimen, with only three gill slits on either side of its head (compared to the 5 to 7 gill slits normally found on sharks), and three rows of very small, nub-like teeth.

Swell sharks, according to the Monterey Bay Aquarium website, expand with water or air when the sharks feel threatened. They're found from southern Mexico to California, and are timid around humans unless provoked.

The catch is somewhat reminiscent of the Sea of Cortez catch, in 2011, of what was widely described as the one-eyed “Cyclops” shark.

That catch was initially thought to be a hoax, but the shark turned out to be a deformed fetus pulled from either a bull or dusky shark hauled up by commercial fishermen near La Paz.

–Photos are courtesy of Pisces Sportfishing

Rare 'albino' gray whale returns to Scammon's Lagoon, this time with a baby

By Pete Thomas

A gray whale believed to be albino has been documented in Scammon’s Lagoon in Baja California, Mexico, for the first time in at least three years.

The same whale was spotted in 2008 and 2009, as a juvenile. It might also have been spotted in 2013, according to at least one report.

This time, though, the white whale is traveling with her calf, who is not albino. (Both whales can be seen in the accompanying video, and a second video showing basically the same footage. The footage was captured last week.)

 

The whale’s identity was confirmed this week by Benito Bermudez, regional director of the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas.

Bermudez told BCS Noticas that the whale is albino, not leucistic, a condition also caused by a lack of pigment. However, nobody has provided photos showing pink eyes, which would prove that the cetacean is albino.

Bermudez said the whale was most likely born in Scammon’s Lagoon, known locally as Laguna Ojo de Liebre. He said there are only “three or four records” of albino gray whales worldwide.

About 21,000 gray whales feed during the summer in Arctic waters, and migrate to Baja California each winter to give birth and nurse their young.

The northbound migration is just beginning, and over the next several weeks more than 1,000 gray whale mothers and calves – the last to depart – will begin their 6,500-mile journey to and beyond Alaska.

Of course one whale will stand out among the others: the now-famous white whale from Scammon's Lagoon.

–Image is a video screen grab