Loreto

[Steelyeyes]

My GF Mary and I just got back from 12 days in Loreto. I was positively impressed with a few things. Number one was the Dolphin Dive Center. Rafael (Rafa) and Oscar are both very professional, safe, and also all around good guys to spend time with. My GF chose to complete her advanced OW cert. there. I was along for all of the dives and thought everything was top notch.

The diving there is really good. The visibility varies depending mostly on temperature of the water it seems. Really warm surface water is gin clear. Once you drop to 30 to 60 feet and hit the thermocline then the plankton show up and make things a bit murky but still good. There are a lot more fish in the murkier water but often you can see them slip up into the clearer water too.

We dove sites on Isla Coronado, Isla Carmen, Isla Danzantes, and the C 54 minesweeper wreck south of Puerto Escondito. We saw dolphins nearly every day. Dive depths varied from a max of 24 feet, a few in the 70 foot range and one to 110 feet for the deep dive portion of the advance OW cert. Once you get to 70 feet black coral makes more of a showing on the rocks.

I have some decent pictures I'll try to post when I have more time.

---------- Post added August 11th, 2014 at 11:05 AM ----------

The C 54 Minesweeper, port side looking forward.

Plenty of sea life. General idea of visibility.

Scorpion fish. They seem to be relatively prolific.

 

[Peter Guy]

I love Loreto and hope to get back there some day in the not too distant future. The diving is wonderful and so is the area. In fact, the area is extremely UNDER rated IMHO.

 

[Steelyeyes]

I love Loreto and hope to get back there some day in the not too distant future. The diving is wonderful and so is the area. In fact, the area is extremely UNDER rated IMHO.

I agree and I like it that way. Diving there is like hanging out with buddies. There is no rush like there is at Cozumel or in Florida. Those places remind me of a paratrooper drop. Big hurry to clear the boat and start the dive so they can get you back and do the afternoon dives. That doesn't bother me because I've been diving a long time (First cert was NAUI basic in 1975) and I'm efficient at setting up, checking, and donning my gear. Not everyone has that level of skill and rushing them feels like it can lead to safety issues. That part bugs me a bit.

Most of the other divers we met on the trip were repeat customers. One guy had been coming back since his first trip there in 1989. That says a lot about a place to me. In a way I hope it stays under rated but I also hope that enough people go there to keep the diving operations viable.