Baja Diving

[alan j]

Hi, looking at a dive trip to Baja, next year when is the best time to go, is it best liveaboard or land based.

Thanks

alan

 

[hdtran]

Hi, looking at a dive trip to Baja, next year when is the best time to go, is it best liveaboard or land based.

Thanks

alan

Alan,

Visit the "Mexico" forum (Scubaboard->Regional Travel->Mexico).

Lots of threads there about Baja & Cabo San Lucas.

Welcome to Scubaboard! Maybe a moderator can move your thread too!

 

[dlndavid]

I prefer land based, and I've not heard much about liveaboards down Baja way.
Here's an old trip report of mine My Cabo Trip Report

 

[alan j]

If the moderator could move the thread to the correct forum I wold be greatful.

Thanks

ALan

 

[bikefox]

I'm diving La Paz land based this summer, but I researched several liveaboards as well. From what I gathered the liveaboards visit a lot of the same sites with the added benefits that come with liveaboards. Some of these sites land based mean a 3-4 hour boat ride for 2 tanks. It would be nice to wake up, roll out of bed and hit the water. Maybe next time!! Most I looked at were about $1600 usd for the week. It also looked like late summer and fall have good conditions. Warmest, clearest water and calm days.

 

[hdtran]

If the moderator could move the thread to the correct forum I wold be greatful.

Thanks

ALan

Alan,

Send a PM to a moderator, and they'll move your post. If you don't know how to send a PM, reply to the thread, and I'll PM a mod for you.

Basically, Baja California faces the Pacific Ocean on the west (currents, surge, cold) and the Sea of Cortez (or Gulf of California, depending on your preferred nomenclature) on the east (higher salinity, warmer in summer). Most divers dive the Sea of Cortez, though there is some diving on the Pacific side. Most commercial outfitters are in larger cities on the Cortez side (e.g. Loreto, La Paz, Cabo San Lucas). Cabo San Lucas is probably the largest international destination; La Paz is probably the largest major city in Southern Baja.

On the Sea of Cortez side, summertime is the most pleasant for diving (IMO), with warmer water temperatures, and generally better visibility. By August/September/October, water temperatures are in the 80 F range, and little exposure protection is needed. The downside of midsummer (August) is the possibility of storms. The locals tell me that Octber is their favorite time; warm water temperatures, but no storms. (Of course, they could just be trying to get me to come back in October )

Try a thread search, titles only, for "Cabo", "La Paz", "Loreto", and "Mulege" (not all at once!), and see what sorts of threads pop up. You'll be very pleasantly surprised!

Have fun!

 

[alan j]

Hi, if you could PM the MOd and get this transfered to the correct forum that would be great. thanks.

Happy bubbles

 

[Chocoholic]

Hi, looking at a dive trip to Baja, next year when is the best time to go, is it best liveaboard or land based.

Thanks

alan

The Baja water is a bit chilly in the winter and spring, and starts to get cloudy mid-November (according to several DMs I have dove with). I think October is the best time, September is awesome but I've been there four times in Sept and three times there were hurricanes close by that stirred up the water. The summer is great starting in June the water will be warming up - I dove there in April and in May and the water was still in the low 70s (for me that's kinda cold). In the end of October they have the fishing derby 'the Bisbee' that makes it busy there.

The Solmar V is the liveaboard associated with Amigos del Mar in Cabo, some friends of mine have done the last week in August several times on the Solmar V and loved it.
have fun, choco

 

[Nay]

I've done La Paz once before and will be going back this August. We dove land based out of Club Cantamar ( www.clubcantamar.com ) and loved every second of it. Cantamar is nice because it's outside La Paz a ways and cuts down the boat time by about 30 minutes. They also do live aboards from what I've seen.

If you take a look at my gallery (link in the sugnature below) you can see my pix from last year.