The first spout usually shows up in the second week of December, somewhere between the point and the Marietas. By January there are mothers and calves close enough to hear from the deck of Casa Laguna, and on a still morning you can hear them breathe.

Where to look

Early morning is best, before the wind picks up. Look past the surf line toward the islands and wait for the white puff. Where there is one, there are usually three.

The boat goes out at eight with a skipper who has been watching them for twenty years. He keeps the engine low and the distance long, and nobody has ever complained about the view.