Diving out of Loreto

[rodrico99]

I'm ending a sea kayaking trip in November at Loreto, and am planning to tack on a dive trip or two before flying home.
I would appreciate any input regarding favorite dive operators in Loreto. Not interested in cattle boats or amenities. Looking for small boat/ group and some challenging diving.

Thanks in advance

Rod

 

[Wookie]

Ask @Mrs. B and Bob @NWGratefulDiver . Mrs. B vacations there and Bob just moved there. Bob dives and Mrs B kayaks.

 

[Trailboss123]

I'm ending a sea kayaking trip in November at Loreto, and am planning to tack on a dive trip or two before flying home.
I would appreciate any input regarding favorite dive operators in Loreto. Not interested in cattle boats or amenities. Looking for small boat/ group and some challenging diving.

Thanks in advance

Rod

You want to dive with these guys:
Blue Nation
Blue Nation - Diving & Snorkeling in the Sea of Cortez

Pretty sure this is who Bob is diving with-- I saw a bunch of his photos posted on the Blue Nation Facebook page.

 

[Steelyeyes]

I like Dolphin Dive. Rafa is a fantastic DM and I don't think I've ever been on their panga with more than 5 divers.

 

[Azur Salino]

I'm ending a sea kayaking trip in November at Loreto, and am planning to tack on a dive trip or two before flying home.
I would appreciate any input regarding favorite dive operators in Loreto. Not interested in cattle boats or amenities. Looking for small boat/ group and some challenging diving.

Thanks in advance

Rod

Hi there Rod!

I'm the manager of Blue Nation, a local diveshop in Loreto. Please check our website out, and also our Tripadvisor page.
If I can help with any information about the dives here, do not hesitate on asking, even if you finaly prefer to dive with another operation

We have a custome design dive boat (check it out here) and we don't take more than 6 divers at the same time. We visit a wide array of places an islands within the Loreto Marine Reserve, and also many signature dive sites outside of it Our passion is the underwater exploration and conservation and besides the regular dive tours, we often run expeditions where we survey new places.

As mentioned, Bob @NWGratefulDiver dives with us very often. You might want to check with him for an objective opinion.

Let me know if we can help!

 

[Sam Miller III]

@Steelyeyes

"I like Dolphin Dive. Rafa is a fantastic DM and I don't think I've ever been on their panga with more than 5 divers. "
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dolphin Divers began in Pasadena California by an American couple ..
Some years ago they moved their entire operation to Loreto and reestablished Dolphin Dive in Loreto.

I note on the Dolphin Dive web site that they are no longer involved .

Do you know what happened to them?

Sam Miller, III

 

[Steelyeyes]

@Steelyeyes

"I like Dolphin Dive. Rafa is a fantastic DM and I don't think I've ever been on their panga with more than 5 divers. "
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dolphin Divers began in Pasadena California by an American couple ..
Some years ago they moved their entire operation to Loreto and reestablished Dolphin Dive in Loreto.

I note on the Dolphin Dive web site that they are no longer involved .

Do you know what happened to them?

Sam Miller, III

From what I remember the wife got sick, cancer I think. They sold the shop to the employees and moved back to California.

 

[Sam Miller III]

@Steelyeyes
Thank you !
My senior CRS was engaged
I "recall - think- suppose" her name was Susan Speck his was Bill ? (they were not married )
She was a lovely engaging youthful looking blonde
They owned or were employed at Dolphin Divers in Pasadena

I gave a presentation on some subject of diving to the Dolphin Divers club
It happened to be Susan's 45th birth day
I recall stating to her "You can't be 45 !" which she replied "We have known each other for 15 years yes I am 45!"

Than encounter occurred at least 25 years ago when I was residing in SoCal for I retired to CenCal 25 years ago.
So she would be around 70 or more and Bill even older.

Mrs. Miller and I were active Bajaphiles with a 4X4 truck and a special Bajaized trailer which we explored the unexplored and dove the never dove areas of "The Baja" for many years. During several of those forages into the peninsula we stopped a visited with Dolphin Divers.

The cartel prominence in Baja and AGE put a screeching halt to our driving to Baja and exploring and diving.
Now the only safe way to explore the many offering of Baja is to fly in jump on a boat

Sam Miller, III

 

[Azur Salino]

@Steelyeyes
Thank you !
My senior CRS was engaged
I "recall - think- suppose" her name was Susan Speck his was Bill ? (they were not married )
She was a lovely engaging youthful looking blonde
They owned or were employed at Dolphin Divers in Pasadena

I gave a presentation on some subject of diving to the Dolphin Divers club
It happened to be Susan's 45th birth day
I recall stating to her "You can't be 45 !" which she replied "We have known each other for 15 years yes I am 45!"

Than encounter occurred at least 25 years ago when I was residing in SoCal for I retired to CenCal 25 years ago.
So she would be around 70 or more and Bill even older.

Mrs. Miller and I were active Bajaphiles with a 4X4 truck and a special Bajaized trailer which we explored the unexplored and dove the never dove areas of "The Baja" for many years. During several of those forages into the peninsula we stopped a visited with Dolphin Divers.

The cartel prominence in Baja and AGE put a screeching halt to our driving to Baja and exploring and diving.
Now the only safe way to explore the many offering of Baja is to fly in jump on a boat

Sam Miller, III

Although there have been some incidents in the past couple of years, I can say hands down that Baja is an overall safe place. Driving down Baja is a common practice and crime related incidents are the exception rather than the norm.
The cartels caused some fuzz like year and a half ago and although it was not pretty, it lasted only a short while and no tourists or individuals out of the drug scene were harmed. We haven't had issues like that again and to be honest, although I can not say it wasnt ugly, it was nothing compared to the regular crime that we can find in any major city in the States.
Corruption unfortunately is common in Mexico, and a large issue. But as a tourist you rarely would need to deal with it honestly. Maybe some of the cops in some places will try to fool you for some dollars, but that's it.
Some caution must be exerted while driving down the peninsula, but nothing out of the ordinary and what common sense dictates.