Around 11:00 AM, on January 28th, 2010, a tour boat spotted a humpback whale and her calf appearing to struggle and behave abnormally on the top of the ocean’s surface. After approaching the whales cautiously, the boat crew confirmed that the whales were indeed entangled in a giant fishing net and would need to be rescued.
Vallarta Adventures, an eco-tour provider in Puerto Vallarta, heard the radio call about the distressed whales and their team of Marine Animal Rescue staff immediately sprang into action to assist in the rescue and recovery of the trapped whales.

Enroute, the Vallarta Adventure’s team met up with the Mexican Navy, where Lieutenant Luis Vidal boarded the Vallarta Adventures’ boat to assist in liberating the pair. Once they reached the distressed whales they were able to asses that the mother was entangled from tip to tail in the illegal fishing net and that her calf was also becoming entangled as it swam closer to its mother.

With all hands and arms into the water at once, everyone began grabbing lines and cutting them and the ropes and buoys that encompassed the pair. Once the whales started to get free, they began to move about which made the effort to free them more difficult and dangerous.

With persistence and quick action, the staff and Naval officer quickly removed the offending net from the whales and within an hour, the pair was safe and free, gloriously swimming off into the Bay.

What is your favorite part of your job?
When the people finish their program and you see the smile on their faces

Do you have a “crazy” skill that you use with your job?
Training courses for marine mammals and other species,  First Aid, Biological courses, Emergency First Response skills

What is the funniest or craziest thing that you did/seen/experienced?
One time a did a Rocket with two dolphins and my shorts came down in front of the audience

When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew -up?
Airplane pilot

What is your favorite(s) food(s)?
All Mexican food and pizza

Would you eat a grasshopper?
I am allergic to fish and grasshoppers!

What do you like to do on your day off?
Walk on the beach, watching movies, or going out with some friends

Would you rather be an eagle or a dolphin?
Dolphin

What do you do to help conserve or protect our planet?
I recycle and separate my garbage and I do not use bug repellant or sprays to help reduce their possible negative impact on nature.

What is your favorite Cabo Adventures Tour?
The Outdoor Adventure, Dolphins and 4X4 Desert Safari

If you were given 200 Pesos right now, what would you do with it?
Save it!

Any advice for  future adventurers that will go on your tour?
Never give up! And have fun- the dolphins are amazing!

How many times have you been to Cabo San Lucas?
Hayley and Danny: We have only been once but will definitely be coming back!

Where did you stay?
Hayley and Danny: We were staying on the Mariner of the Seas Cruise Ship that took us into three different ports in Mexico.

What was the highlight of your trip?
Hayley and Danny: The highlight of our trip was swimming with the dolphins! It was the best thing we have ever done. It was an unforgettable experience.

What was your favorite part of the tour(s) you took with us?
Hayley and Danny: The dorsal ride with the dolphin was our favorite part of the trip. It was so exciting being able to ride with the dolphin, he was very gentle and as all dolphins are, highly intelligent. When we held onto the dorsal of the dolphin and he began swimming, it was the best feeling ever. We have wanted to swim with dolphins for a long time and now we have done it we want to do it again! It was fantastic!

What other tours would you go on if you had the chance?
Hayley and Danny: We would love to go on the “Trainer for a Day” program most of all. We would also like to go on the sunset cruise and the jeep safari – they look a lot of fun!

What did you think of our crew? Our guides?
Hayley and Danny: The crew were fantastic, very helpful and friendly. They made sure that everybody got one-on-one time with the dolphin and they made the instructions very clear. Because they were so friendly and professional, it made everyone feel at ease including some of the children who were in our group who were a bit nervous. The nerves soon went away!

Any advice for future travelers to Cabo?
Hayley and Danny: Our advice would be if there is one thing that you need to visit when in Cabo – go and swim with the dolphins!

Have you traveled to other parts of Mexico? Where?
Hayley and Danny: We have been to Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan but only to the ports.

What are some of your hobbies? Do you play sports?
Hayley and Danny: Danny is a scuba diver and also likes to play football, go to the gym and swim. We both love to travel  and experience new adventures.

If you were to describe your vacation with the title of a song, what would that song be?
Hayley and Danny: Here, There and Everywhere by The Beatles

Favorite Spanish word(s) or phrase?
Hayley and Danny: Vamos a tener otra aventura!

What best describes you? The chips?  Or the salsa?
Hayley and Danny: The salsa!

Possibly you want to try scuba diving but aren’t quite ready to take the plunge into a certification course, Discover Scuba Diving will give you a taste of scuba  to see if you like it. Cabo Adventures offer a version of this program, either in a pool or other body of water. Course completion prepares you for an open water dive and you can easily experience both while you are here on vacation.

While not an actual scuba certification, during the Discover Scuba Diving experience you’ll learn how to use scuba equipment in shallow water and get a quick and easy introduction to what it takes to explore the underwater world.

There is nothing like breathing underwater for the very first time. It takes a little getting used to -after all, human beings weren’t designed to do that – but after a few minutes of awestruck wonder, most participants realize how easy scuba diving really is. The biggest challenge instructors have with the Discover Scuba Diving program is not coaxing participants into the water, but coaxing them out when the program is over. The fun part? It’s all fun!

During the course you will learn the basics you need to dive under the direct supervision of a PADI Professional. One thing you’ll learn is that you really can breathe underwater and whether you like doing that or not. You will:

* Learn what wearing scuba equipment feels like and how easy it is to move around underwater while wearing it
* Find out what it’s like to breathe underwater and learn whether you can be comfortable there
* Learn some basic skills and safety rules that will carry over to your full scuba certification course when you take the next step

Just follow 2 easy steps

Take a lesson with a dive instructor. (Plan this at least one day before your dive)

Take a 1-tank dive trip to any dive site, and you can book right now to take advantage of our online discounts!

Experience one of the most exhilarating things to do in the Baja/Gulf of California. This action packed tour offers zip lining across vast open canyons, climbing walls, rappelling, hanging bridges, suspension bridges, our Crazy Ladder and tandem zip lines, all within some of the most stunning scenery in the area.

Did You Know?

The America’s Cup is the most prestigious regatta and match race in the sport of sailing, and the oldest active trophy in international sport, predating the Modern Olympics by 45 years.

Now you can be a part of the action whether you are a novice sailor or an expert yachtsman (or yachtswoman) on one of our four genuine America’s Cup yachts on our America’s Cup Challenge.

Here’s one of my favorite photos taken at our Dolphin Center in Nuevo Vallarta with one of the cutest little girls in the world. No she is not mine so I am not even being biased!

If you have a great photo with one or more of your children taken at our Dolphin Center, send it in to me and I will feature it here.

Our Dolphin Kids program is an excellent choice for children ages 4-8.