Baja in November/December

[NW_DiverDude]

Hello Raphaeldpm,

Just a few notes about Cabo Pulmo and Cabo San Lucas. I have never dove La Paz so I will not comment on that location.

Cabo Pulmo - the northern most coral reef in North America - is pretty nice but certainly not the South Pacific. I have done several dozen dives in Cabo Pulmo the last 2 years and the best thing is the chance (very hit and miss) to see some creatures you do not typically see, including whales and schooling rays (Mobula for instance). The down side is that there are VERY FEW different dive sites. So, if you want to do alot of dives in Cabo Pulmo (CP), plan on going back to the same sites several times. I was able to get the operations manager to take me out to a couple "secret" sites but even then, I have done most sites 3 or 4 times. Another down side is the visibility - at least in my opinion. I have dove CP in both April and September and the best vis I ever experienced there was less than 50 feet. The dive masters said that the vis was pretty good for CP so it seems that better vis would be the exception. Whan you compare it to Cozumel, Roatan, Palau, and other great dive locations, it just does not compare. I'm not saying that it is not worth diving, just trying to help set expectations. One last note about CP, it is far, far away from anything. No real stores within probably 25 miles. Keep that in mind if going.

Cabo San Lucas (lands end dive area) - sorry Cabo amigos but unless you just want to dive to dive and not really see anything, do not waste your money. However, if you want an adventure dive (and you are a very experienced diver), go out to Gordo Banks for a real chance to see schooling Hammerhead sharks. You can go out of either Cabo San Lucas or San Jose Del Cabo but either way, it is a long boat ride, a very deep dive (for recreational divers), and subject to strong currents. The cost is upwords of $200 for just 2 dives but if the sharks are there, it is worth it!


Wherever you end up going, have fun and safe diving!

NW_DiverDude

Hi! I'm planning a week of diving in Baja California in late November or early December.

Is that a good time to see whale sharks, hammerheads and/or mantas? I'd love to see at least one of these three. Also, am I guaranteed to dive with sea lions at Los Islotes?

I still haven't decided between Los Cabos and La Paz but from what I read La Paz seems a little better. Any opinions?

Thanks!

 

[BradStabile]

Hey NW_DiverDude it seems that you have been diving all around Cabo

I just got certified (cold Catalina) as open water diver and I'm going with my family to Los Cabos for thanksgiving, I am hoping for warmer water there.

As i will be with my family i think i will do only 1 day of diving and it seems that Cabo Pulmo is far away. Are they any sites that you recommend for new divers? I would like to get some more experience and dives under my belt and also to saw some interesting things.
Is there a dive center you recommend?
Do you know if the water are warm right now? Have you been diving around Cabo San Lucas lately or just Cabo Pulmo?

Thank you for your help.
Brad Stabile

 

[NW_DiverDude]

Hi Brad - welcome to this thread.

I just returned from Cabo San Lucas this past weekend after a very relaxing time in the 80 degree sunshine. Although this was not a dive trip I did sneak in a couple dives one day as I wanted to take the opportunity to see schools of hammerhead sharks out on Gordo Banks. It ended up being a real bust as there was a huge tuna fishing derby the day that we dove and there were probably some 100 fishing boats right over the sea-mount so of course the sharks were not there during either of my dives.

I can tell you that the water is quite warm still as near-surface temperatures were about 85 degrees while all the way down at 120 feet I registered 83 degrees.

Although I have not dove La Paz myself yet, other divers really like to dive there and it is not too bad of a drive over so I am told. And if you want the opportunity to swim with whale sharks, I heard that they were hanging out in the La Paz area last week and should be there for a while.

There is not a single dive shop that I will strongly recommend in Cabo San Lucas, nor are there any dive sites - other than Gordo Banks when the sharks are in - that I will personally recommend since I am not very impressed by any of them. I have dove with Eagle Divers and Baja divers and each was OK. I have also been out with Manta divers and will eagerly warn you not to dive with that poor excuse for a dive operator. The air that was in the tanks on my dives with them was sour and almost made me sick as it did for a couple other divers. They had an open fuel container on board that could have been a disaster for us all. I thought for sure they were going to kill a newbie diver when he started to get stressed underwater and the dive master practically yanked his mask and regulator out. Stay away - FAR AWAY - from Manta.

Safe diving amigo!

~~NW_DiverDude

 

[caboticket]

Hey NW_DiverDude it seems that you have been diving all around Cabo

I just got certified (cold Catalina) as open water diver and I'm going with my family to Los Cabos for thanksgiving, I am hoping for warmer water there.

As i will be with my family i think i will do only 1 day of diving and it seems that Cabo Pulmo is far away. Are they any sites that you recommend for new divers? I would like to get some more experience and dives under my belt and also to saw some interesting things.
Is there a dive center you recommend?
Do you know if the water are warm right now? Have you been diving around Cabo San Lucas lately or just Cabo Pulmo?

Thank you for your help.
Brad Stabile

hello brad, the dive here in cabo today was awesome, the water is 81 degrees and clear, land's end is full of fish, bait ball of mackeral, big grouper, and snapper, the sea lions are also getting busy with all the fish around. the diving right out here in front will be a good spot for you to get some dives going. plus it is only a 2 minute ride out of the marina,
we also have a new "no go" zone around the pelican rock area, no boat traffic where the better life is. much safer now... if you have only one day, then we can take good care of you. morning dives, be done by lunch!

 

[thymex01]

Hola Brad !

I run a small dive operation in Cabo Pulmo and can give you more infos about Cabo Pulmo.

We specialise in small group of divers and personalized service, no cattle dive boat and local experience after more than 10 years diving in the area.

This is my website, have a look and send me an email.

Cabo Pulmo diving - Dive trips in Baja California Sur


Hasta pronto !


Thierry

To get to Cabo Pulmo, you need to rent a car and drive from Cabo : It takes one hour and half.

 

[FairyBasset]

Hi, I was in La Paz and Cabo Pulmo this week. Dec 2012. It seems to Mathis was a effect time of year for underwater activities in both locations.

I snorkeled with a whale shark in La Paz, apparently there are about 10 in town! We also had dolphins around us and some rays passing by below us too.

The seal colony was a blast at Espiritu Santo, the seals were really playful and fun. It was one of the most fun things I ever did.

I also dived in Cabo Pulmo, which was fantastic. Cold water (25 degrees centigrade), but an incredible amount of fish and variety of fish.
The experience was made even better by the 2 humpback whales we had during our surface interval.
I cannot recommend Cabo Pulmo highly enough, if you want to see lots of fish and whales!
Thierry who wrote in this thread would be an excellent guide and can help you set up your trip.

Have fun!

 

[MantaScuba]

Fellow Divers,
At Manta we take every review and comment seriously as our guests satisfaction and safety is or goal.
As part of guest satisfaction, our divers' safety is nothing to compromise. Brand new professional gear, quality air control, and periodical crew training in diving areas and medic first response brought Manta, the only PADI 5 star dive resort in Cabo San Lucas to be the safest and most advanced diving facility.
Our air quality is within the most demanding standards. We send quarterly air samples to Trace-Analytics LLC. We have a Nuvair CO alarm connected and testing constantly at our filling station. Manta also voluntarily supports the Los Cabos Fire-Fighters by filling their air tanks (while doing so our air is also tested by the Mexican authorities regularly). We have 2 compressors with double filtration system, the filling station is in the Manta dive facility so each and every diver can see where the air comes from. All our dives are guided and in small groups and none of our guides, neither captains nor management heard any complain/comment regarding bad air.
All our custom build dive boats have internal gasoline tanks. The boats get fueled before the divers arrive, therefor we don't carry open fuel containers onboard.
All our guides are experienced and active PADI Dive Masters and Instructors. There is not even a slight chance that any of the Manta team will yank a mask or a regulator from a diver specially if the diver is stressed.
The reviewer dove with Manta in 2010 and was pleased with our services, he contacted Manta requesting joining our trip to Gordo Banks. Later he found out he can get a discount from another shop and asked for a discount ("I really would like to dive with Manta again but your price is just too much compared to what I can get with the other shop…" ~Ray). We did offer him a discount within our discount policy; unfortunately we could not meet the reviewer demand to a lower rate for the specific dive tour requested which ended up in his cancellation prior to arriving to Cabo.

Manta Scuba Diving will keep on being the most professional dive center in Cabo San Lucas and to offer the highest quality of diving services.

Happy and safe diving,
Hagai Tzur
General Manager
Manta Scuba Diving
mantascuba@gmail.com