socaldiver
Contributor
Just returned from Loreto, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Loreto is located on the Sea of Cortez approximately 300 km north of La Paz.
A group of 11 from our LDS (Dolphin Dive Center, Arcadia) in Arcadia, Ca embarked on a most excellent adventure from LAX on 10/5. We took an Aero California DC9 for the 1 hour and 40 minute flight. The airport is located about 1 mile south of the town of Loreto, the shuttle took us to the resort we were staying at - the Villas de Loreto (and what I would later come to find out - a non-smoking) resort. There are only 12 units in the complex situated right on the beach, a swimming pool, an outdoor bar and restaurant, a dive shop is also on the premises (Dolphin Dive Center, Loreto). They also have vending machines that you can buy beer out of for $1.50. The resort is approximately a 15 minute walk from "downtown" which is inundated with gift shops (tourism is #1 industry). There is a very good steakhouse on the main street that we visited Sunday night. Prices are cheap - a filet mignon with salad and beans + 2 margaritas came to $12 plus tax & tip. The food was plentiful and good. The restaurant ant the resort also serves good food and is just as reasonable on price.
As for the diving - VERY NICE. Here are my dive logs:
Day 1 - Dive #1 - Lo Lobera, Coronados Island
We were diving out off Panga Boats so we did back rolls into the water. I hadn't had to do a backroll since going thru OW training a couple of years ago, Kath my dive buddy (also my g/f) has never done one so she was a little apprehensive. She did great and actually now enjoys the back roll vs long stride (don't figure). There was plenty of marine life including moray eels, lobsters as well as the typical tropical fish you would see. There was a pretty stiff current so we couldn't do the dive as planned by going around the point. At the end of the dive you had to take your BC and fins off in the water and hand them up to the driver of the boat and then climb up the ladder back into the boat.
Dive Time - 69 minutes Vis - 60'
Dive Depth - 38 fsw max S.I. - 1 hr 18 min.
Water Temp - 84 degrees
Dive #2 - Las Tijeretas, Coronados Island
All of our dives were as a group with Raphael (our DM) as our guide. There were 10 of us altogether. We did have the freedom to do our own thing however. This dive was a small wall dive and drift dive. This was Kath and I's first "real" wall dive and drift dive. It was as outstanding as everyone knows a drift dive can be. I took more pics at the marine life and somewhere along the way Kath and I got seperated from the rest of the group. We eventually found them when we got to the safety stop below the boats. After both dives we went to a secluded section of the beach on the island ate lunch and enjoyed a little relaxation.
Dive Time - 60 minutes Vis - 60'
Dive Depth - 52 fsw max
Water Temp - 84 degrees
Day 2 - dive # 3 La Tintorera, Del Carmen Island
Another drift dive in which we saw more moray eels, lobsters and another eel that I haven't identified yet. Marine life once again abundant. Saw a little coral in the rocky reefs. This is still a young reef caused by an earthquake a few million years ago, so the coral is still pretty sparse. We ate lunch on the beach before moving on to our next site.
Dive Time - 64 minutes Vis - 60'
Dive Depth - 46 fsw max S.I. - 1 hr 57 min.
Water Temp - 84 degrees
Dive # 4 - Puerto Galandra, Del Carmen Island
While traveling to this site we were escorted by a pod of dolphin. Wind was picking up so the water was a little rough and vis was not quite as good. Best dive yet as far as bottom time. Came across a turtle that I was able to get a couple of pics of though. Other than that, same old usual stuff.
Dive time - 77 minutes Vis - 50'
Dive Depth - 56 fsw max
Water Temp - 84 degrees
Dive #5 - Los Nidos Beach, Loreto - Night Dive
We did our night dive off the coast just south of Loreto. This dive was somewhat of a night mare. After doing the backroll into the water and descending to the bottom I felt as if I was getting mugged. People were bumping into each other trying to get pics of the eels, lobsters, halibut and octopus we came across. My tank became dislodged in the melee. Raphael was able to put it back in place for me. Kath was having some sort of problems of her own and for most of the dive hovered about 10 feet above me. We kept signaling each other to make sure she was ok. Eventually we ascended calling the dive after 46 minutes. When we got back to the boat we were informed they forgot the ladder, so after taking off our gear we had to hoist ourselves up into the boat.
Dive Time - 46 minutes Vis - 30 '
Dive Depth - 53 fsw max
Water Temp 84 degrees
Day 3 - Dive #6 - La Lobera, Coronados Island
This is the same sight as our first dive. Conditions were a lot better so we were able to go around the point. Sea lions played with us for awhile, got some pics of them. Marine life abundant. Started experiencing some indigestion but continued the dive for a little longer. After our safety stop we climbed aboard the boats and started off for our next site. We decided to forego lunch at this time because we wanted to be finished with our diving as close as 24 hours prior to our departure the next day.
Dive Time - 59 minutes Vis - 60'
Dive Depth - 64 fsw max S.I. - 56 minutes
Water Temp - 84 degrees
Dive #7 - Piedras Lajas, Coronados Island
Last dive of the trip and have not seen any pelagic, oh well. I was still feeling uneasy, a combo of indigestion and pressure on my chest. Knowing this would be our last dive of the trip I told Kath we would go in with the group but told her if I wasn't comfortable I would surface but she was to cpntinue on with the group. The dive itself was a spectacular wall dive - off in the blue a short ways we saw a couple of manta rays dancing around but couldn't get close enough to get a pic. We hit a heavy current and after fighting it for a short time we decided to turn around and go back the way we came. Once I hit shallower water I was feeling much better and glad I didn't call off the dive. We played with some fish in 15 fsw for about 10 minutes, boarded the boat and headed back to the mainland where we ate lunch at the resort. Later that evening we would all get together again and the resort through a clambake on the beach for us. Wow!
Dive Time - 59 minutes Vis - 40 - 60 fsw
Dive Depth - 57 fsw max
Water Temp - 84 degrees, 82 degrees at max depth
I was satisfied with the dives we did. The resort was good and friendly, the dive ops was good also. The only drawback and low point of the trip was my high expectations to pssibly see a whale shark, hammerheads and hopefully a humboldt squid. None of which came to fruition. Next time maybe I will see them - Oh yes. did I mention I will go back again. For west coast divers who would like warm water diving without hours of traveling I would highly recommend you check this area out.
A group of 11 from our LDS (Dolphin Dive Center, Arcadia) in Arcadia, Ca embarked on a most excellent adventure from LAX on 10/5. We took an Aero California DC9 for the 1 hour and 40 minute flight. The airport is located about 1 mile south of the town of Loreto, the shuttle took us to the resort we were staying at - the Villas de Loreto (and what I would later come to find out - a non-smoking) resort. There are only 12 units in the complex situated right on the beach, a swimming pool, an outdoor bar and restaurant, a dive shop is also on the premises (Dolphin Dive Center, Loreto). They also have vending machines that you can buy beer out of for $1.50. The resort is approximately a 15 minute walk from "downtown" which is inundated with gift shops (tourism is #1 industry). There is a very good steakhouse on the main street that we visited Sunday night. Prices are cheap - a filet mignon with salad and beans + 2 margaritas came to $12 plus tax & tip. The food was plentiful and good. The restaurant ant the resort also serves good food and is just as reasonable on price.
As for the diving - VERY NICE. Here are my dive logs:
Day 1 - Dive #1 - Lo Lobera, Coronados Island
We were diving out off Panga Boats so we did back rolls into the water. I hadn't had to do a backroll since going thru OW training a couple of years ago, Kath my dive buddy (also my g/f) has never done one so she was a little apprehensive. She did great and actually now enjoys the back roll vs long stride (don't figure). There was plenty of marine life including moray eels, lobsters as well as the typical tropical fish you would see. There was a pretty stiff current so we couldn't do the dive as planned by going around the point. At the end of the dive you had to take your BC and fins off in the water and hand them up to the driver of the boat and then climb up the ladder back into the boat.
Dive Time - 69 minutes Vis - 60'
Dive Depth - 38 fsw max S.I. - 1 hr 18 min.
Water Temp - 84 degrees
Dive #2 - Las Tijeretas, Coronados Island
All of our dives were as a group with Raphael (our DM) as our guide. There were 10 of us altogether. We did have the freedom to do our own thing however. This dive was a small wall dive and drift dive. This was Kath and I's first "real" wall dive and drift dive. It was as outstanding as everyone knows a drift dive can be. I took more pics at the marine life and somewhere along the way Kath and I got seperated from the rest of the group. We eventually found them when we got to the safety stop below the boats. After both dives we went to a secluded section of the beach on the island ate lunch and enjoyed a little relaxation.
Dive Time - 60 minutes Vis - 60'
Dive Depth - 52 fsw max
Water Temp - 84 degrees
Day 2 - dive # 3 La Tintorera, Del Carmen Island
Another drift dive in which we saw more moray eels, lobsters and another eel that I haven't identified yet. Marine life once again abundant. Saw a little coral in the rocky reefs. This is still a young reef caused by an earthquake a few million years ago, so the coral is still pretty sparse. We ate lunch on the beach before moving on to our next site.
Dive Time - 64 minutes Vis - 60'
Dive Depth - 46 fsw max S.I. - 1 hr 57 min.
Water Temp - 84 degrees
Dive # 4 - Puerto Galandra, Del Carmen Island
While traveling to this site we were escorted by a pod of dolphin. Wind was picking up so the water was a little rough and vis was not quite as good. Best dive yet as far as bottom time. Came across a turtle that I was able to get a couple of pics of though. Other than that, same old usual stuff.
Dive time - 77 minutes Vis - 50'
Dive Depth - 56 fsw max
Water Temp - 84 degrees
Dive #5 - Los Nidos Beach, Loreto - Night Dive
We did our night dive off the coast just south of Loreto. This dive was somewhat of a night mare. After doing the backroll into the water and descending to the bottom I felt as if I was getting mugged. People were bumping into each other trying to get pics of the eels, lobsters, halibut and octopus we came across. My tank became dislodged in the melee. Raphael was able to put it back in place for me. Kath was having some sort of problems of her own and for most of the dive hovered about 10 feet above me. We kept signaling each other to make sure she was ok. Eventually we ascended calling the dive after 46 minutes. When we got back to the boat we were informed they forgot the ladder, so after taking off our gear we had to hoist ourselves up into the boat.
Dive Time - 46 minutes Vis - 30 '
Dive Depth - 53 fsw max
Water Temp 84 degrees
Day 3 - Dive #6 - La Lobera, Coronados Island
This is the same sight as our first dive. Conditions were a lot better so we were able to go around the point. Sea lions played with us for awhile, got some pics of them. Marine life abundant. Started experiencing some indigestion but continued the dive for a little longer. After our safety stop we climbed aboard the boats and started off for our next site. We decided to forego lunch at this time because we wanted to be finished with our diving as close as 24 hours prior to our departure the next day.
Dive Time - 59 minutes Vis - 60'
Dive Depth - 64 fsw max S.I. - 56 minutes
Water Temp - 84 degrees
Dive #7 - Piedras Lajas, Coronados Island
Last dive of the trip and have not seen any pelagic, oh well. I was still feeling uneasy, a combo of indigestion and pressure on my chest. Knowing this would be our last dive of the trip I told Kath we would go in with the group but told her if I wasn't comfortable I would surface but she was to cpntinue on with the group. The dive itself was a spectacular wall dive - off in the blue a short ways we saw a couple of manta rays dancing around but couldn't get close enough to get a pic. We hit a heavy current and after fighting it for a short time we decided to turn around and go back the way we came. Once I hit shallower water I was feeling much better and glad I didn't call off the dive. We played with some fish in 15 fsw for about 10 minutes, boarded the boat and headed back to the mainland where we ate lunch at the resort. Later that evening we would all get together again and the resort through a clambake on the beach for us. Wow!
Dive Time - 59 minutes Vis - 40 - 60 fsw
Dive Depth - 57 fsw max
Water Temp - 84 degrees, 82 degrees at max depth
I was satisfied with the dives we did. The resort was good and friendly, the dive ops was good also. The only drawback and low point of the trip was my high expectations to pssibly see a whale shark, hammerheads and hopefully a humboldt squid. None of which came to fruition. Next time maybe I will see them - Oh yes. did I mention I will go back again. For west coast divers who would like warm water diving without hours of traveling I would highly recommend you check this area out.
