LivinInCDM
Registered
Dive Report Cabo San Lucas and Cabo Pulmo
Tour Operator: Blue Adventures
Saturday September 5, 2009
We arrived in Cabo on Friday and stayed at the Pueblo Bonito Pacifica. Very nice resort, quiet, adults only, a bit far from the marina but to not be by all the chaos worked for us. Checking in on Saturday with the tour operator that we had prepaid for our three days of diving with, Carlos informed us we would be diving local sites. I protested because we had paid to dive the Corridor on Saturday and Cabo Pulmo on Sunday. I was planning to dive the local sites Monday morning without my girlfriend / dive buddy because she wanted a day at the spa and shopping in Cabo. He claimed at first that they didnt get enough people signed up and when I said I dont care if we are the only ones going I prepaid so its not my problem how many signed up he changed his story to the visibility in the Corridor is poor. Assuring us that he would make it up to us we headed to the dive boat.
If you dive with Blue Adventures plan on taking care of your own gear, setting up everything, washing everything down at the end. The operation is in Mexico and not to label an entire country but it went much as I expected. Anyway the first dive Sand Falls, was to 50 feet with visibility of 30. I guess this is what we get for having just had a hurricane come through and drop a bunch of rain. (This may explain my sinus infection as I write this, God knows what kind of pollution ran off into the water)
The second dive was at Lands End and if you have ever seen a Cabo picture with the hole in the rock. This is the dive site. Water was no clearer and maybe a little colder. Everyone except myself was in a wetsuit and luckily I dont get cold easily thanks to spending years in the waters off of California. Here you will see sea lion, eels, maybe a shark or two. The current is strong here, you will need to stay relaxed and not waste energy fighting the surge.
Sunday September 6, 2009
The drive to Cabo Pulmo is filled with bumpy dirt roads and muddy water crossings. I assure you that this is all part of the experience. When you arrive you are greeted with magnificent beach deserted 100 miles in either direction a small beachfront bar restaurant that looks like something out of a Corona commercial and a few beached dive boats that they launch using a beat up Ford Bronco to push the boats into the water and drag them out via tow rope.
After a 15 minute boat ride we looked overboard to see the bottom like it was right in front of your face of course the bottom was 60 below. Today was going to be a very good day. Water temp 89 degrees. Tons of reef / rock to drift dive along, with no exertion even required. The marine life is fantastic with the biggest Emore Eel I have ever seen had to be 12 long. The first dive to 50 feet was over before I knew it. The second dive was also to 50 and there were some great swim throughs. I guess my only complaint of the day was not doing a deep dive to start as the second location was much like the first and with visibility 100+ I would have liked to had the opportunity to do a deep dive first to see a different area. (This is the problem with tour operators who lump people together of different abilities and dont ask for input.)
Arriving back on shore we hit the taco stand / bar for shrimp tacos that were fantastic and $1.50 Pacificos before our ride back to Cabo. (I dont know what was up with the washdown water but the next day my rashguard and swimsuit smelled so bad I thought people on the boat were going to throw me overboard)
Monday September 7, 2009
Remember that Carlos on Friday said he would make up not diving the Corridor to me. Well he made good by giving me 3 tanks today and my girlfriend a free day of diving. Sure it was the same dives we did on Saturday but we did start with a nice dive to 80. Luckily visibility has cleared but unfortunately the current has come way up. This was great for me but bad for my dive buddy. She did not do well in the strong current and was cruising through air. To the point where on her safety stop she used my regulator. (note not an emergency out of air situation just a simple here is my regulator Ill use my backup)
The other two dives were ok, saw a pregnant seahorse and just spent time meandering the crevices looking for lobsters, eels, and other things that like to hide.
So all and all a good trip, my recommendations are as follows.
Dive local Cabo is you just need a quick day of diving but this place is a tourist trap and youre as likely to see as many other divers as fish.
Cabo Pulmo is world class. Consider this a must do.
We will most likely hit La Paz next and skip Cabo entirely
Dont pay for all of your dives up front. Pay for one or two, make a reservation, or deposit but you dont have a lot of power to negotiate once youve paid.
Pueblo Bonito Pacifica Holistic Resort if you have no kids and dont smoke is where to stay. Note its far from the marina but very quiet and nice.
Tour Operator: Blue Adventures
Saturday September 5, 2009
We arrived in Cabo on Friday and stayed at the Pueblo Bonito Pacifica. Very nice resort, quiet, adults only, a bit far from the marina but to not be by all the chaos worked for us. Checking in on Saturday with the tour operator that we had prepaid for our three days of diving with, Carlos informed us we would be diving local sites. I protested because we had paid to dive the Corridor on Saturday and Cabo Pulmo on Sunday. I was planning to dive the local sites Monday morning without my girlfriend / dive buddy because she wanted a day at the spa and shopping in Cabo. He claimed at first that they didnt get enough people signed up and when I said I dont care if we are the only ones going I prepaid so its not my problem how many signed up he changed his story to the visibility in the Corridor is poor. Assuring us that he would make it up to us we headed to the dive boat.
If you dive with Blue Adventures plan on taking care of your own gear, setting up everything, washing everything down at the end. The operation is in Mexico and not to label an entire country but it went much as I expected. Anyway the first dive Sand Falls, was to 50 feet with visibility of 30. I guess this is what we get for having just had a hurricane come through and drop a bunch of rain. (This may explain my sinus infection as I write this, God knows what kind of pollution ran off into the water)
The second dive was at Lands End and if you have ever seen a Cabo picture with the hole in the rock. This is the dive site. Water was no clearer and maybe a little colder. Everyone except myself was in a wetsuit and luckily I dont get cold easily thanks to spending years in the waters off of California. Here you will see sea lion, eels, maybe a shark or two. The current is strong here, you will need to stay relaxed and not waste energy fighting the surge.
Sunday September 6, 2009
The drive to Cabo Pulmo is filled with bumpy dirt roads and muddy water crossings. I assure you that this is all part of the experience. When you arrive you are greeted with magnificent beach deserted 100 miles in either direction a small beachfront bar restaurant that looks like something out of a Corona commercial and a few beached dive boats that they launch using a beat up Ford Bronco to push the boats into the water and drag them out via tow rope.
After a 15 minute boat ride we looked overboard to see the bottom like it was right in front of your face of course the bottom was 60 below. Today was going to be a very good day. Water temp 89 degrees. Tons of reef / rock to drift dive along, with no exertion even required. The marine life is fantastic with the biggest Emore Eel I have ever seen had to be 12 long. The first dive to 50 feet was over before I knew it. The second dive was also to 50 and there were some great swim throughs. I guess my only complaint of the day was not doing a deep dive to start as the second location was much like the first and with visibility 100+ I would have liked to had the opportunity to do a deep dive first to see a different area. (This is the problem with tour operators who lump people together of different abilities and dont ask for input.)
Arriving back on shore we hit the taco stand / bar for shrimp tacos that were fantastic and $1.50 Pacificos before our ride back to Cabo. (I dont know what was up with the washdown water but the next day my rashguard and swimsuit smelled so bad I thought people on the boat were going to throw me overboard)
Monday September 7, 2009
Remember that Carlos on Friday said he would make up not diving the Corridor to me. Well he made good by giving me 3 tanks today and my girlfriend a free day of diving. Sure it was the same dives we did on Saturday but we did start with a nice dive to 80. Luckily visibility has cleared but unfortunately the current has come way up. This was great for me but bad for my dive buddy. She did not do well in the strong current and was cruising through air. To the point where on her safety stop she used my regulator. (note not an emergency out of air situation just a simple here is my regulator Ill use my backup)
The other two dives were ok, saw a pregnant seahorse and just spent time meandering the crevices looking for lobsters, eels, and other things that like to hide.
So all and all a good trip, my recommendations are as follows.
Dive local Cabo is you just need a quick day of diving but this place is a tourist trap and youre as likely to see as many other divers as fish.
Cabo Pulmo is world class. Consider this a must do.
We will most likely hit La Paz next and skip Cabo entirely
Dont pay for all of your dives up front. Pay for one or two, make a reservation, or deposit but you dont have a lot of power to negotiate once youve paid.
Pueblo Bonito Pacifica Holistic Resort if you have no kids and dont smoke is where to stay. Note its far from the marina but very quiet and nice.
