FettSolo
Contributor
Why Baja California?
The main impetus for this trip was to see gray whales. For years, I had heard about how they can come right up to the boat in certain lagoons in Baja, and even let people scratch them (you must stay in the boat though). The whale expedition was only going to be three nights, so I extended the trip by first spending five nights in Cabo San Lucas (CSL). So, while the original reason for the trip was not for scuba, this was still mainly a scuba trip!
Getting There
I used airline miles to fly AA from Boston to Phoenix, then Phoenix to San Jose Del Cabo (SJD). Reverse route for the way back. I used Transcabo to get from SJD to CSL.
For the whale expedition, I flew in a private plane from the SJD private air terminal to a dirt airstrip next to San Ignacio Lagoon, about midway up Baja California. The round-trip private flight was included in the cost of the whale trip. I had never landed on just dirt before - exciting!
Operators and Boats
As I mentioned, the first part of my trip was scuba diving in CSL. My original plan was to spend one day snorkeling with whale sharks in La Paz, then do a couple days freediving with sharks with Cabo Shark Dive. Unfortunately, being a single person traveling to Cabo in January has its downsides. My trips all ended up cancelled due to insufficient people signing up. I ended up booking last-minute scuba dives with Manta. I did three days with Manta and one day with SeeCreatures (a dive shop owned by Nautilus). I really appreciated Manta's ability to accomodate me, especially when ever other dive shop could not (my one day with SeeCreatures had been booked well in advance of the trip). The staff there was very friendly. I did a three-tank combo each day, which was $205 with taxes, less if you paid in cash (I paid in cash and got something along the lines of a 10-15% discount). SeeCreatures used to be my go-to dive shop in CSL, but I had such a great time with Manta that they will be my first choice for future trips.
SeeCreatures was still good, though their shop had moved since my last trip to CSL. It used to be on the marina, which meant a short walk to the boat (which is the case with Manta). Since SeeCreatures' shop is now a few blocks away, they load everybody in a shuttle and drive you down to where the boat is. A little annoying, but not the end of the world. The cost of my two dives with SeeCreatures was $115 with taxes, which was a $35 discount due to me being a Nautilus customer. My real annoyance with SeeCreatures was my inability to reach them. Since my other activities were cancelled last minute, I phoned SeeCreatures multiple times during a time when they were supposedly open (I had just landed at SJD, hence why I did not try in person). Nobody ever picked up, which is why I ended up going with Manta. It pays to answer the phone!
The whale expedition was run by Baja Expeditions, now owned by Nautilus. I had previously done three Nautilus trips (Guadalupe, Socorro, and Sea of Cortez), all of which were fantastic, so I knew they would deliver on the whales as well. Overall cost for this trip was $1,621. This included three nights of private lodging, all meals, round-trip private flights, nine boat trips to see gray whales, and one whale-watching trip in Cabo. I stayed in a glamping camp right on the edge of San Ignacio Lagoon, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site (due to it being an important wintering and reproduction location for gray whales). There were ten people overall on the trip, so we were split into two boats of five. Each boat would also have the boat captain and a naturalist guide. The boats were small fishing boats with no shade or bathrooms.
The Dives & The Whales
I did eleven dives in four days of diving. The first three days with Manta were three-tank dives in the Corridor and the Cabo Reserve:
Day 1:
Pelican Rock (Cabo)
Whale Head (Corridor)
Land's End (Cabo)
Day 2:
Whale Head (Corridor)
Blowhole (Corridor)
Pelican Rock (Cabo)
Day 3:
Whale Head (Corridor)
Chilleno (Corridor)
Pelican Rock (Cabo)
The last day was two dives around Cabo (Pelican Rock & North Wall) with SeeCreatures.
I enjoyed all of my dives. There were three species I had not seen before and was very excited about: the banded guitarfish, bullseye electric ray, and East Pacific red octopus. Otherwise, I saw spotted eagle rays, whitetip reef sharks, turtles eels, lobsters, and more. I frequently saw humpback whales breaching during our surface intervals. I wore a 3mm wetsuit with a hood and was chilly at points; I usually bring my 5mm and will definitely bring it again next time!
As for the whale expedition, I did nine boat trips over four days (two the first day, three on the second and third days, and one the fourth day). It took roughly twenty minutes for the boat to travel from the camp to the whale reserve, at which point we had ninety minutes to spend in the area. This is a time limit self-imposed by the boat captains, so as to keep the whales from feeling harassed. I regularly saw gray whales and Pacific white-sided dolphins. The dolphins were very playful, often swimming under and around the boat when it was in motion. The whales were much slower and usually did not get as close, though they were not far away either. I spent enough time out there that I got to view a variety of behaviors - spouting, spyhopping, digging up food, and more. Unfortunately, the whales did not initiate the physical interactions that San Ignacio Lagoon is known for, where they allow people to touch them. But they are wild animals, so that's just how it goes!
Bottom Line
While I would not recommend Cabo San Lucas as a scuba diving vacation destination, I also would not skip on it if you will be there before or after a trip to Cabo Pulmo, Socorro, etc. It is definitely worth a few days of diving. I always see plenty of marine life and have a good time.
The whale trip was lovely, but very expensive. It was really cool to see so many gray whales, as well as to witness all their different behaviors. I am glad I went, but I will not repeat it. I prefer being in the water!
The main impetus for this trip was to see gray whales. For years, I had heard about how they can come right up to the boat in certain lagoons in Baja, and even let people scratch them (you must stay in the boat though). The whale expedition was only going to be three nights, so I extended the trip by first spending five nights in Cabo San Lucas (CSL). So, while the original reason for the trip was not for scuba, this was still mainly a scuba trip!
Getting There
I used airline miles to fly AA from Boston to Phoenix, then Phoenix to San Jose Del Cabo (SJD). Reverse route for the way back. I used Transcabo to get from SJD to CSL.
For the whale expedition, I flew in a private plane from the SJD private air terminal to a dirt airstrip next to San Ignacio Lagoon, about midway up Baja California. The round-trip private flight was included in the cost of the whale trip. I had never landed on just dirt before - exciting!
Operators and Boats
As I mentioned, the first part of my trip was scuba diving in CSL. My original plan was to spend one day snorkeling with whale sharks in La Paz, then do a couple days freediving with sharks with Cabo Shark Dive. Unfortunately, being a single person traveling to Cabo in January has its downsides. My trips all ended up cancelled due to insufficient people signing up. I ended up booking last-minute scuba dives with Manta. I did three days with Manta and one day with SeeCreatures (a dive shop owned by Nautilus). I really appreciated Manta's ability to accomodate me, especially when ever other dive shop could not (my one day with SeeCreatures had been booked well in advance of the trip). The staff there was very friendly. I did a three-tank combo each day, which was $205 with taxes, less if you paid in cash (I paid in cash and got something along the lines of a 10-15% discount). SeeCreatures used to be my go-to dive shop in CSL, but I had such a great time with Manta that they will be my first choice for future trips.
SeeCreatures was still good, though their shop had moved since my last trip to CSL. It used to be on the marina, which meant a short walk to the boat (which is the case with Manta). Since SeeCreatures' shop is now a few blocks away, they load everybody in a shuttle and drive you down to where the boat is. A little annoying, but not the end of the world. The cost of my two dives with SeeCreatures was $115 with taxes, which was a $35 discount due to me being a Nautilus customer. My real annoyance with SeeCreatures was my inability to reach them. Since my other activities were cancelled last minute, I phoned SeeCreatures multiple times during a time when they were supposedly open (I had just landed at SJD, hence why I did not try in person). Nobody ever picked up, which is why I ended up going with Manta. It pays to answer the phone!
The whale expedition was run by Baja Expeditions, now owned by Nautilus. I had previously done three Nautilus trips (Guadalupe, Socorro, and Sea of Cortez), all of which were fantastic, so I knew they would deliver on the whales as well. Overall cost for this trip was $1,621. This included three nights of private lodging, all meals, round-trip private flights, nine boat trips to see gray whales, and one whale-watching trip in Cabo. I stayed in a glamping camp right on the edge of San Ignacio Lagoon, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site (due to it being an important wintering and reproduction location for gray whales). There were ten people overall on the trip, so we were split into two boats of five. Each boat would also have the boat captain and a naturalist guide. The boats were small fishing boats with no shade or bathrooms.
The Dives & The Whales
I did eleven dives in four days of diving. The first three days with Manta were three-tank dives in the Corridor and the Cabo Reserve:
Day 1:
Pelican Rock (Cabo)
Whale Head (Corridor)
Land's End (Cabo)
Day 2:
Whale Head (Corridor)
Blowhole (Corridor)
Pelican Rock (Cabo)
Day 3:
Whale Head (Corridor)
Chilleno (Corridor)
Pelican Rock (Cabo)
The last day was two dives around Cabo (Pelican Rock & North Wall) with SeeCreatures.
I enjoyed all of my dives. There were three species I had not seen before and was very excited about: the banded guitarfish, bullseye electric ray, and East Pacific red octopus. Otherwise, I saw spotted eagle rays, whitetip reef sharks, turtles eels, lobsters, and more. I frequently saw humpback whales breaching during our surface intervals. I wore a 3mm wetsuit with a hood and was chilly at points; I usually bring my 5mm and will definitely bring it again next time!
As for the whale expedition, I did nine boat trips over four days (two the first day, three on the second and third days, and one the fourth day). It took roughly twenty minutes for the boat to travel from the camp to the whale reserve, at which point we had ninety minutes to spend in the area. This is a time limit self-imposed by the boat captains, so as to keep the whales from feeling harassed. I regularly saw gray whales and Pacific white-sided dolphins. The dolphins were very playful, often swimming under and around the boat when it was in motion. The whales were much slower and usually did not get as close, though they were not far away either. I spent enough time out there that I got to view a variety of behaviors - spouting, spyhopping, digging up food, and more. Unfortunately, the whales did not initiate the physical interactions that San Ignacio Lagoon is known for, where they allow people to touch them. But they are wild animals, so that's just how it goes!
Bottom Line
While I would not recommend Cabo San Lucas as a scuba diving vacation destination, I also would not skip on it if you will be there before or after a trip to Cabo Pulmo, Socorro, etc. It is definitely worth a few days of diving. I always see plenty of marine life and have a good time.
The whale trip was lovely, but very expensive. It was really cool to see so many gray whales, as well as to witness all their different behaviors. I am glad I went, but I will not repeat it. I prefer being in the water!
