How to spend 6 days photo-diving the Sea of Cortez

[anchochile]

Would love advice on how to split up 5-6 diving days in the southern Sea of Cortez this fall. How many days would you spend in Cabo Pulmo vs La Paz (and maybe Cabo?). And any advice on dive ops that would be good for a photographer - either a private guide or an op that could put me with a group of photographers so I'm not chasing after a group while I try to dial in my strobe settings?

Also, is it worth setting aside some days that time of year for whale sharks, mobula rays, or other non-diving sights?

 

[Trailboss123]

Have you considered Loreto? It is 4.5 hours north of La Paz. Awesome diving and great historic mission town.
Blue Nation would be your contact there to hook you up with diving and anything else you need: Blue Nation - Diving & Snorkeling in the Sea of Cortez

Alaska Airlines flies into Loreto directly from Los Angeles I believe 5 days a week. Here is a sample flight I pulled up from a Saturday to Saturday in October: Google Travel

 

[anchochile]

Have you considered Loreto? It is 4.5 hours north of La Paz. Awesome diving and great historic mission town.
Blue Nation would be your contact there to hook you up with diving and anything else you need: Blue Nation - Diving & Snorkeling in the Sea of Cortez

Alaska Airlines flies into Loreto directly from Los Angeles I believe 5 days a week. Here is a sample flight I pulled up from a Saturday to Saturday in October: Google Travel

Hadn't thought about it - I'm in the Bay Area so can fly direct to SJD but not to Loreto and one flight is vastly more appealing than a layover in LAX with what a mess air travel is these days, but I'm open to it. How does Loreto diving (especially for wide-angle photo) compare with Cabo Pulmo and La Paz? Could you spend 5-6 diving days there or would I end up repeating the same few best sites?

 

[anchochile]

Would love advice on how to split up 5-6 diving days in the southern Sea of Cortez this fall. How many days would you spend in Cabo Pulmo vs La Paz (and maybe Cabo?). And any advice on dive ops that would be good for a photographer - either a private guide or an op that could put me with a group of photographers so I'm not chasing after a group while I try to dial in my strobe settings?

Also, is it worth setting aside some days that time of year for whale sharks, mobula rays, or other non-diving sights?

Giving this a bump - would love any additional advice. I've reached out to a couple highly recommended Cabo Pulmo dive ops and they seem to be basically urging me to NOT come in October/Nov because they say it will be very difficult to get to the best dive sites and impossible to put me in a group of other photographers. Fellow photogs, how do you put together a photography trip to this area in these fall months that are supposed to be best? Or do you just come during other times of the year and accept lower viz/colder water as a tradeoff?

 

[dflaher]

I've reached out to a couple highly recommended Cabo Pulmo dive ops and they seem to be basically urging me to NOT come in October/Nov because they say it will be very difficult to get to the best dive sites and impossible to put me in a group of other photographers.

Did they give a reason why?

 

[Trailboss123]

Hadn't thought about it - I'm in the Bay Area so can fly direct to SJD but not to Loreto and one flight is vastly more appealing than a layover in LAX with what a mess air travel is these days, but I'm open to it. How does Loreto diving (especially for wide-angle photo) compare with Cabo Pulmo and La Paz? Could you spend 5-6 diving days there or would I end up repeating the same few best sites?

Sorry for the delay in response. I have been diving in the Sea of Cortez since last Saturday and out of cell range. Yes, you can dive 5-6 days out of Loreto and not be repeating dive sites. Talk to the folks at Blue Nation and let them know what you want to do and they will make it happen. If you look at their website, you will see all of the various dive sites and islands they dive at.

 

[anchochile]

Did they give a reason why?

They didn't specify the reason they couldn't put me with other photographers other than saying it's impossible at this time of the year (I'm guessing due to being highly booked with less flexibility).

As far as site availability, this was the response: "Personally, I would advise you to avoid diving in Oct / Nov / Dec because there is no way around the park rules. You will be very frustrated not being able to dive certain sites. March, April, May and August are good months to dive Cabo Pulmo, and there is less restrictions then."

I do see other reports from folks having successful trips in these months - maybe I just need to plan further ahead or something.