diving cabo san lucas versus diving La Paz

[nicolle]

Hi
i am about to head to baja mexico for some diving and i am just woundering where to dive, do you dive in both cabo san lucus and la paz or just one. i am coming from sydney australia and dont have heaps of time to suss it all out so was hoping someone out there might have some advice on which of the 2 places to dive out of
cheers nicolle

 

[GirlsDive2]

I would also be interested in any info about the pros & cons of diving these 2 parts of the Sea of Cortez. Any suggestions on books about these places & marine life?

 

[Dive Monster 07]

Go on line and search for Bigger and Badder in Baja its a artical buy Skin Diver magazine good info.
i like Cabo san lucas 1/2 day trips starting at 9:00 am back by lunch and lots to see.I Dive with Baja Dive Baja Dive small groups with Instructors.

 

[pitah]

Hi. I have doved both, and prefer the sites around La Paz. It also liked me very much the dive in land´s end in los cabos.

What i like more is that la paz is quite more peaceful than los cabos, also less boats with snorkelers or boats noise near the dive sites.

 

[Rickg]

Hi. I have doved both, and prefer the sites around La Paz. It also liked me very much the dive in land´s end in los cabos.

What i like more is that la paz is quite more peaceful than los cabos, also less boats with snorkelers or boats noise near the dive sites.

Haven't been to Cabo for diving but I second everything "pitah" said about La Paz. We saw a school of hammerheads on one dive, a whale shark on another dive, up close and personal with sea lions on several dives, and snorkeled with a whale shark and saw some huge fish schools on one of the dive sites.

Here is a link to some pic's I took. I have to apologize in advance because they aren't the best - took them with a Motor Marine I film camera that I bought in '86. It recently "died" so I guess its time to go digital

rickgreatting/Sea of Cortez Scuba - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

And we really enjoyed the laid back, slow tempo of La Paz. Great margaritas made from scratch and some cerviche that was superb.

Rickg

 

[nicolle]

hi Rickg
thanks for the photos if i see half of that stuff i will be stoked. what time of year did you dive la paz?
i am off next week making the trip from sydney australia, cant wait.

nicolle

 

[weiland]

Hey Nicolle,

I just got back from Cabo on 9/15. I've never dove La Paz, so I don't know about those sites. What I can tell you about Cabo is that the vis was about 20-30 ft because of Hurricane Henriette and the water temp was colder than usual. I took my 7mm full suit and was fine for 2 50 minute dives / day. The temps were in the low 70's F. I dove with Underwater Diversions for 2 days.

Dive Cabo - Underwater Diversions de Cabo - Welcome

There is also some good info in general on this site:

Cabo San Lucas - Los Cabos, Mexico

Have fun.

Greg.

 

[Rickg]

hi Rickg
thanks for the photos if i see half of that stuff i will be stoked. what time of year did you dive la paz?
i am off next week making the trip from sydney australia, cant wait.

nicolle

nicolle,

We were there in mid-October 2006. I understand that fall and winter is the best time for whale sharks. I think you are going at a good time. The water was still warm enough when we were there to dive in 3mm full suits without getting cold and we were doing 4 dives a day from a LOB.

Hope you have a great trip and look forward to seeing a trip report on Scubaboard when you get back.

Dive safe,
Rickg

 

[nereas]

If you want a whale shark experience, then you have about 2 choices on this Earth --

Galapagos or La Paz.

What the dive boat operators do in La Paz on every trip back at the end of the day is to troll the shallows just north of the shore. This is where multitudes of whale sharks bask and feed.

Everyone in the boat is geared up in snorkeling gear (bring your snorkel, you will definitely need it), and the minute a whale shark is spotted the boat races towards it, and then at the closest approach allowed, all the divers roll into the water and swim after it.

It is very exciting. They are very beautiful giant fish. And there are always a dozen or so remora attached to their tails.

La Paz is a very peaceful town, yes, with great restaurants. Everyone is quite friendly. The dive trips tend to be all day out and back trips, with a stopover for lunch on an island to eat fresh sandwiches with cold Mexican beer brought along by the boat crew. The vis is typically around 50 fsw and the waters are normally around 70F, which is like the Mediterranean, in fall. A 3mm wetsuit with a hood is the minimum, or a 5mm.

We also saw hammerheads. And there were flying rays that shoot up out of the water near the surface.

If you want nightlife and action, Cabo is probably a better choice. But if you want beautiful diving, then La Paz.

 

[Rickg]

Nicole,

Are are going during the time of year when the water is the warmest and unless something unusual has happened you should have water about as warm as you get most anywhere in the tropics.

Here is a quote from Undercurrent:

"In the southern part of the Sea of Cortez, the temperature of the upper 30' of water or so remains warm enough year-round (70° to 80s) to support tropicals and several varieties of hard coral. Below that depth, winter and spring water temperatures in the 50s and 60s freeze out the tropicals. From mid-summer through November, water temperature is 80°F or higher for as deep as sport divers would care to go."

Rickg