Trip Report Disappointed by the Cabo Dive Experience

[Soloist]

OK Eric- I wish I had read this and @living4experiences posts sooner. I am doing Socorro on the Belle Amie in April. I just went online and booked a 2 tank dive through the Nautilus website and dive shop for the morning before we board the boat. I was just hoping to get my weighting dialed in a bit as I will have a new wetsuit setup. I assumed the diving wouldn't be stellar, but wasn't expecting a big cluster. I think I will cancel the dives now. I'll sort out the weighting on the first dive in Socorro.

@Trailboss, for clarity here is a summation of our experience at CSL. The two dives at Land’s End and Pelican Rock prior to our (May, 2021) Socorro trip were included as part of the liveaboard package. The visibility was around sixty feet, so the actual dives were fine. However, the boat activity at the surface was very disconcerting. Unfortunately arrangements were made months in advance to also dive CSL upon our return. These dives were away from the mass confusion of party boats and other dive ops, but the visibility was atrocious. Hopefully this is helpful. Enjoy your trip!

 

[Trailboss123]

@Trailboss, for clarity here is a summation of our experience at CSL. The two dives at Land’s End and Pelican Rock prior to our (May, 2021) Socorro trip were included as part of the liveaboard package. The visibility was around sixty feet, so the actual dives were fine. However, the boat activity at the surface was very disconcerting. Unfortunately arrangements were made months in advance to also dive CSL upon our return. These dives were away from the mass confusion of party boats and other dive ops, but the visibility was atrocious. Hopefully this is helpful. Enjoy your trip!

Our dives are not complimentary. Seems like they have gone back and forth on that offer. Not expensive, but not free. I appreciate the further detail. Still plenty of time to think about it and decide.

 

[scubadada]

Our dives are not complimentary. Seems like they have gone back and forth on that offer. Not expensive, but not free. I appreciate the further detail. Still plenty of time to think about it and decide.

I took a look at the Nautilus website. I could not find the free warmup dive to Cabo San Lucas Marine Park, just the Backscatter photo/video workshop at SeeCreatures. Back in 2019, the dive was free, and they did not charge me for the 2nd dive that day. We dropped off our scuba gear at the Explorer before heading in. Things change

 

[jonhall]

I tell people if you want to go someplace with almost guaranteed great weather - great weather being sunny and warm - Cabo is it.

Is this what Cabo diving is like?

Still plenty of time to think about it and decide.

Unfortunately, what you describe sounds about right. The areas for dives in the CSL Bay are extremely crowded with dive boats, tour boats, and water taxis. Whales Head is in the Corridor. I dove with Dive Cabo last year because their dive schedule includes the Corridor which does have several different sites (at least 6?) Depending on time of year, it also is like a whale watching tour!! Would recommend Corridor over CSL Bay (Lands End, etc...) Cabo Pulmo is a day trip and expensive (if staying in Cabo.) Went there a few years back. Have been with 3 different ops and the longest dive I had was 50 minutes - didn't really care last time as water was 69-70º - was there in January.

 

[octostudio]

OK Eric- I wish I had read this and @living4experiences posts sooner. I am doing Socorro on the Belle Amie in April. I just went online and booked a 2 tank dive through the Nautilus website and dive shop for the morning before we board the boat. I was just hoping to get my weighting dialed in a bit as I will have a new wetsuit setup. I assumed the diving wouldn't be stellar, but wasn't expecting a big cluster. I think I will cancel the dives now. I'll sort out the weighting on the first dive in Socorro.

Sorting out weights off the inflatable at Socorro might be a drag. The seas could be pretty rough and the ease of sorting things out at Cabo could make your first dive at Socorro much more enjoyable. I went to Socorro May 2021 with a new 7 mil. And it took more weight than I expected. The two warm up dives are okay and they take your wet gear directly to the Belle Amie. Just request they skip lands end if it’s a zoo. Sea lions occasionally entertain divers at lands end.

 

[VcRossi]

I dove Pelican Rock and Land's End a few days ago. Yes, there was a lot of boat traffic, but only 4 of those were diving boats. Unfortunately there is nothing the dive operators can do about that. Both dive sites weren't crowded at all. If I remember well, I only saw one other group at each site. However, mid January is not the best time to dive there, so I imagine summer and fall months get a lot more crowded.