Cabo San Lucas

[jonhall]

However there was a lot of boat traffic at the surface which introduced potential safety issues.

Speaking of potential safety issues, as we prepare to travel to CSL in a couple of weeks, the 6 bodies recently found hanging near the Los Cabos resorts/airport added to the record 409 murders (more than double last year) which would scare me even more if it weren't for my own city setting a record number of homicides this year at 150.

As an officer friend told me, if you're not buying or selling drugs, you'll be okay.

 

[nwav8tor]

...
Time of year can definitely make a difference in water conditions. That's why I look to SB for trip reports from different times of the year (and there are not enough.) I read from a review that conditions in the Sea of Cortez are similar no matter where you are along the coast. Not sure if that's true or not. So unlike being on an island (like Grand Cayman) where you can usually go to a calmer side), it seems a diver has to be hopeful of a great day in Cabo.

I just hope the weather the middle 2 weeks in January are perfect!

I hope the same thing! Will be in CSL during the same timeframe as a solo diver (wife no longer enjoys it) and am looking at diving with "Dive Cabo" while I'm there. Hoping there will be enough divers to make it to Pulmo (4 divers minimum) but otherwise planning for Gordo Banks and the Corridor and maybe the local sites again.

Are you set to dive with a particular operator?

As for the hanging bodies and chase/shootout, that was in the San Jose del Cabo area and hopefully won't migrate to the CSL area...

Paul

 

[jonhall]

Are you set to dive with a particular operator?

Both my buddy and I made inquiries to Manta. We actually booked 2 days of diving through Cabo Adventures - the first being at Cabo Pulmo. I'm keeping an open mind going with them but the price was right. They did a Black Friday special and we got the trip with 2 dives for $100 apiece. Everyone else was $200-225.

Figure we'll walk into Manta one of the first days we are there and see what days look good. Will keep checking here (as long as I have wifi) and can maybe give you an idea of the days we decide on.

 

[nwav8tor]

Both my buddy and I made inquiries to Manta. We actually booked 2 days of diving through Cabo Adventures - the first being at Cabo Pulmo. I'm keeping an open mind going with them but the price was right. They did a Black Friday special and we got the trip with 2 dives for $100 apiece. Everyone else was $200-225.

Figure we'll walk into Manta one of the first days we are there and see what days look good. Will keep checking here (as long as I have wifi) and can maybe give you an idea of the days we decide on.

Thanks for the reply,

Have you set the date for Pulmo yet? If I'm down there then (I arrive 1/16), I'd love to join you if they have room for me. I'm working with Dive Cabo to set up dives at Pulmo, Gordo Banks and the Corridor between 1/18 and 1/26 if you're interested. Their 2-tank dives are $85 for local, $95 for the corridor, $195 for Gordo and $225 for Pulmo. They offer "free" nitrox on their trips except for the deep GB dives since it's close to their 30% mix MOD.

Just a note regarding the CSL "local" dive sites if you haven't been there before: They can get quite crowded with other divers and snorkelers when cruise ships are in town. There are 2 ships on 1/18 (5000 pax), 1 ship on 1/19 (2600 pax), 1 ship on 1/20 (1080 pax), 1 small ship on 1/22 (? pax) and 2 ships on 1/25 (6086 pax). Luckily all those passengers won't be divers, but, nevertheless, those days might be when you want to do something other than "local" dives.

Paul

 

[JamesBon92007]

All this sounds great to me, except for the Level 3 Travel Warnings from US Department of State. I was going to visit Los Cabos but it looked like most of the good diving is around La Paz which is considered Level 3. But, of course, my experiences in other areas of Mexico are completely different from what the US government tells us. Is La Paz a reasonably safe destination? Don't go out at night? Don't go looking for trouble and you probably won't find it? Don't drink the water and make sure you squeeze limon verde on the tacos?

 

[scubadada]

The PBS segment on Acapulco was on tonight, not much of a tourist promotion video

 

[nwav8tor]

All this sounds great to me, except for the Level 3 Travel Warnings from US Department of State. I was going to visit Los Cabos but it looked like most of the good diving is around La Paz which is considered Level 3. But, of course, my experiences in other areas of Mexico are completely different from what the US government tells us. Is La Paz a reasonably safe destination? Don't go out at night? Don't go looking for trouble and you probably won't find it? Don't drink the water and make sure you squeeze limon verde on the tacos?

US Dept of State has revised their travel advisory system. There are now only 4 levels: 1) Normal Precautions, 2) Increased Caution, 3) Reconsider Travel, and 4) Do Not Travel. While there are now 5 states with the highest level 4 advisory, the remaining states (including Baja California Sur with Cabo and La Paz) are "only" level 2. I've only been to Cabo and La Paz for the day on cruise ship port calls so I'm not an expert in these matters by any means, but your comments can be applicable anywhere, even in the USA. Stay aware of your surroundings and what's going on and be prepared to react. If something looks "hinky" or you get a bad feeling, trust your instincts and protect your safety.

 

[ibj40]

All this sounds great to me, except for the Level 3 Travel Warnings from US Department of State. I was going to visit Los Cabos but it looked like most of the good diving is around La Paz which is considered Level 3. But, of course, my experiences in other areas of Mexico are completely different from what the US government tells us. Is La Paz a reasonably safe destination? Don't go out at night? Don't go looking for trouble and you probably won't find it? Don't drink the water and make sure you squeeze limon verde on the tacos?

Not sure where the impression that best diving is out of La Paz?

We were in Cabo first week in November, and did three dive days. First was "local" diving at Pelican Rock and Land's End - two very different dives, with the second one starting out in the Sea of Cortez and ending in the Pacific Ocean (via a surging swim-through onto a wreck site).

Second dive day was driving to La Paz, for a Whale Shark snorkel (one, maybe two - but we had done Isla Mujeres with dozens) and then an endurance-challenging boat ride to do a one tanker with the Sea Lions.

Third dive day was two tanks on The Corridor that everything we expected for Pacific Ocean diving.

All three trips arranged and lead through Manta Scuba in Cabo.

In terms of Travel Advisories, we were there the week before the cartel issue that received so much media attention, and due to the positive impression that the entire Cabo experience left with us, we have already booked the same week for this year.

So long as you don't do anything that you know is questionable, you won't end up accordingly.

PM me if you need anything else.

 

[scubadada]

Not sure where the impression that best diving is out of La Paz?

We were in Cabo first week in November, and did three dive days. First was "local" diving at Pelican Rock and Land's End - two very different dives, with the second one starting out in the Sea of Cortez and ending in the Pacific Ocean (via a surging swim-through onto a wreck site).

Second dive day was driving to La Paz, for a Whale Shark snorkel (one, maybe two - but we had done Isla Mujeres with dozens) and then an endurance-challenging boat ride to do a one tanker with the Sea Lions.

Third dive day was two tanks on The Corridor that everything we expected for Pacific Ocean diving.

All three trips arranged and lead through Manta Scuba in Cabo.

In terms of Travel Advisories, we were there the week before the cartel issue that received so much media attention, and due to the positive impression that the entire Cabo experience left with us, we have already booked the same week for this year.

So long as you don't do anything that you know is questionable, you won't end up accordingly.

PM me if you need anything else.

Everyone has their favorite places, I have mine

 

[JamesBon92007]

Not sure where the impression that best diving is out of La Paz?
.

That was a "deduction" based upon many different things I'd read. It sounded like the local diving around Los Cabos was not very interesting, but I've never been there. The dive ops that I looked at online all seemed to be booking most of the trips to the La Paz area and not very much locally. If someone has a different opinion I'd love to hear it. Also, the resort we were considering staying at said you can't go in the water at their beach. This is generally not a good indication.