My original plan was to do a four day LOB followed by a seven day LOB on a different ship. The four day LOB disappeared from the Nautilus schedule because the whole trip got booked out to one party (I think). Still getting on the Explorer in La Paz on Sunday Sept 21. So I figured I would just come down to Cabo a little early and get some local diving done here. I am using Seecreatures dive shop. Locally they offer 2 and 3 tank dives. Gordo Banks if the have enough bookings, and Cabo Plumo if they have enough bookings. Looking like Gordo Banks on Friday, and maybe Saturday. Yesterday was three dives close by in Cabo, and three dives close by today.
Yesterday went with Juan as the dive guide for the first dive, Armando the manager from SeeCreatures joining us for the second dive, and then Juan again on the third dive. The dive sites are so close its no problem for the boat to run in to pick up off drop off during surface intervals. Juan and Armando are great guides. Armando has been setting everything up for me before I got to Cabo, great guys!!
We did Pelican Rock for the first dive. Visibility in the shallows was maybe 20ft, and dropping down to 12ft the deeper we got. Surface temp of 87f, with a drop down to 74f in at 82ft the max depth of the dive. Apparently the water drops off into the deep fast here, like 5000ft within sight of shore.
As we dropped down on the sand slope we were greeted by friendly Balloonfish. Apparently they are attracted to divers because if the sand on the slope is disturbed it releases organic matter the Balloonfish eat. The rest of the dive I followed Juan, trying to remember the names of the Tropical Eastern Pacific I first started surveying last year. Did a REEF fish count of forty species. Dive was 49 minutes long, a sea lion put in an appearance but had not interest in frolicking the way sea lions have a tendency to do.
Second dive was Lands End, where Sea of Cortez meets Pacific Ocean, the southern most point in Baja, Mexico.. Lands End is just a little further out. Its where you see the stone arch and formations that are iconic for Cabo. There is a wreck there they call the Lindenberg scattered around. Its interesting the way that fish form schools here. Even snappers from these tight balls further up in the water column as opposed to the reefs in south Florida where they stick close to the Reef. Did another Reef survey for this dive. Visibility improved drastically from less than a quarter mile away.
Third dive we went back to Pelican Rock because based on the visibility at Pelican Rock the first dive, visibility on the "corridor" might be worse. We did get the White Tip Reef Sharks on this second dive.
Respectively Blunt Head Triggerfish, Amarillo Snappers, ToppGaffSail Pompano, Land's End, The Dive Boat.
Yesterday went with Juan as the dive guide for the first dive, Armando the manager from SeeCreatures joining us for the second dive, and then Juan again on the third dive. The dive sites are so close its no problem for the boat to run in to pick up off drop off during surface intervals. Juan and Armando are great guides. Armando has been setting everything up for me before I got to Cabo, great guys!!
We did Pelican Rock for the first dive. Visibility in the shallows was maybe 20ft, and dropping down to 12ft the deeper we got. Surface temp of 87f, with a drop down to 74f in at 82ft the max depth of the dive. Apparently the water drops off into the deep fast here, like 5000ft within sight of shore.
As we dropped down on the sand slope we were greeted by friendly Balloonfish. Apparently they are attracted to divers because if the sand on the slope is disturbed it releases organic matter the Balloonfish eat. The rest of the dive I followed Juan, trying to remember the names of the Tropical Eastern Pacific I first started surveying last year. Did a REEF fish count of forty species. Dive was 49 minutes long, a sea lion put in an appearance but had not interest in frolicking the way sea lions have a tendency to do.
Second dive was Lands End, where Sea of Cortez meets Pacific Ocean, the southern most point in Baja, Mexico.. Lands End is just a little further out. Its where you see the stone arch and formations that are iconic for Cabo. There is a wreck there they call the Lindenberg scattered around. Its interesting the way that fish form schools here. Even snappers from these tight balls further up in the water column as opposed to the reefs in south Florida where they stick close to the Reef. Did another Reef survey for this dive. Visibility improved drastically from less than a quarter mile away.
Third dive we went back to Pelican Rock because based on the visibility at Pelican Rock the first dive, visibility on the "corridor" might be worse. We did get the White Tip Reef Sharks on this second dive.
Respectively Blunt Head Triggerfish, Amarillo Snappers, ToppGaffSail Pompano, Land's End, The Dive Boat.
