Los Cabos Dive Fiesta

[JustAddWater]

I've read articles and advertisments about the Cabo San Lucas Dive Fiesta in August. Have any of you attended or heard about it? What's it like? (The fiesta or the diving)
Gracias,
JAW

 

[DocVikingo]

Hi JustAddWater,

Here's a bit about the diving. It's a piece it did for my "Dive Workshop" column in the Sep 2000 issue of "Rodale's Scuba Diving":

“Los Cabos is at the far southern tip of Baja California Sur, Mexico, and consists of Cabo San Lucas, the more developed, touristy city commonly referred to as just “Cabo,” and nearby, the much quieter, colonial San Jose del Cabo. Los Cabos is not dedicated to diving in the way that destinations such as Cozumel and Grand Cayman are. Rather, it attracts visitors who are looking for nice beaches (La Playita to La Ribera), excellent fishing (good chance to hook a marlin), golf (a Jack Nicklaus-designed 27-hole golf course), or heavy partying (don’t miss Squid Roe and Latitude 22).

The Diving
This is not Caribbean diving, so don’t expect bathtub-warm water, great vis and dense sponges or coral. Do expect diverse fish life, including a broader variety of butterflyfish and surgeonfish than in the Caribbean.

For a shallow and easy warm up dive, try Chileno Beach. Sites include Chileno Reef, a protected finger reef that starts at the beach and extends out about a half mile, and Santa Maria Cove. Somewhat deeper but easy and still close by are Sand Falls and The Abyss, where you can expect to see sea lions. At times, these sites can be crowded, and are popular with novice divers.

The big draws are Cabo Pulmo Marine Park and Gordo Banks, which are for at least moderately experienced divers due to depth and current. Boat rides to these sites are long, and dive operators charge a premium and require advance booking. You can drive to Cabo Pulmo in about two hours, or fly in on Aero California if you’ve got the bucks. There’s a dive operator that’ll pick you at the landing strip and whisk you off for a day of diving. Cabo Pulmo is a national marine park, and is the only true living coral reef in the area. Sites include El Cantil, The Rock, El Bajo and the more advanced abyssal Los Frailes Trench to the south. There’s a chance you’ll encounter whale sharks and mantas in this region in season. Plan on diving in the 90- to 100-foot range. At Gordo Banks, well off San Jose del Cabo, hammerheads hang out in season, and bull sharks and dolphin can occasionally be sighted. You can easily go to recreational limits and below.

Dive Conditions
January to May is the winter season. Look for air temps ranging between 70F and 80F, water temps between 65F and 75F, and vis between 30 and 60 feet. June to December is summer season, with air temps between 80F and 95F degrees, water temps between 80F and 85F, and vis between 50 and 100 feet.

Dive Operators
Dive ops in Cabo San Lucas include Amigos del Mar, Cabo Diving Services, Cabo Acuadeportes and Land’s End. You may stay at or dive Cabo Pulmo from the Cabo Pulmo Beach Resort, or go with an independent shop such as Pepe's Dive Center.

Where to Stay
There are plenty of accommodations in a variety of price ranges. Plaza Las Glorias is a nice resort right in town on the marina in Cabo San Lucas. The resort has a ferry to Playa Medano, where it has a hotel beach club. Those preferring to avoid the noise, bustle and incessant time-share sales pitches of downtown Cabo San Lucas will want to stay outside of town at places like the mega-resort Westin, all-suites Solmar, or a personal favorite, the small, intimate and not inexpensive Twin Dolphins."

I also have dived off La Paz, to the north of Cabo on the Sea of Cortez, and have a brief trip report I can supply if you like.

Hope this gets you started.

DocVikingo

 

[JustAddWater]

DocVikingo,
Thanks for the info. Cabo San Lucas is an easy jump for us Californians. We may be going this winter (went last year, but didn't dive}, and wanted to know if the plunge was worth taking. Thanks, JAW

 

[mattiedread]

and read a bunch of stuff on Rodale's, including that article.

Have you dove the rocky outcroppings that are a 24 hour boat ride? They sound 'Galapagoseque'. One of the people I met on the Galapagos Aggressor wants to hit this area (Baja, not necessarily the area far south).

24 out and back... could be a little tricky. I would guess we would want to do a day or two of local (short boat trips) and head out for 5 days on a liveaboard. Is this possible? Would we only get 3 days of diving? Any operator recomendations?

I just started doing research, and have only been here and Rodal's.. haven't hit undercurrent yet. Supposedly, September/Oct is the best time of year (Rodale's article). Any truth to this statement?

 

[Tom]

Sept and Oct are definitely the best time to go.
(watch out for timeshares)
We like Plaza Las Glorias. Right on the marina. Several diveshops on site. (watch out for timeshares). I would recommend Lands End. Boats aren't quite as good as others but Carlos is great. (watch out for timeshares) Undersea Diversions probably has the best boats, but some wierd ideas on dive plans. You have to go to Sand Falls. Most unusual. (watch out for time shares). A trip to Cabo Pulmo with Carlos (Lands End) is well worth it. I haven't checked into live-aboards at Cabo so I can't help you there.

Did I mention they will approach you about timeshares? Several per block. Approach you, get in your way, surround you. Then they get nasty and chase you down the street calling you names if you don't sign up. Worst place I've ever seen for timeshares.

Tom

 

[mattiedread]

I hate those high pressure time share people. I'll just have to put my '*&%$-off and die attitude on.

I've read about Sand Falls and would definately like to see it.

Apparently there are 3/4 day liveaboards available that hit the dives that are long day trips when land based. This sounds particulary interesting (and, no timeshares). Has anyone done one of these? Any recomendations? Are they going to be small over-crowded operations for the most part?

If I just show up, what should I expect to pay for a room (pp, dbl occ)? An other consideration is making our way up or down the coast and doing day boats. That could be a hassle (plus, the timeshare headache), but it is low season... any good travel books on the area? Rough Guide, LP etc?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Matt

 

[DocVikingo]

Hi mattiedread,

I suspect what you are refering to is the Socorro Islands itinerary offered by the Solmar V http://www.solmar.com/solmarvhome.html for part of the year, which really cannot be considered the Baja. I have made the trip & it is absolutely top drawer, Although the Galapagos is better for raw shark action, especially hammerheads, the Socorros have the world's best up close & personal manta action.

Go for it.

DocVikingo

 

[donooo]

The trip around the tip of Baja is 200 miles and well worth it. Get out of Cabo and things get better, no time shares. Mexican prices, not so-cal prices.

Outside of La Paz is a lot of good diving. Also Los Barriles/Buena Vista in the East Cape area. Don't forget Cabo Pulmo and also the day trip out to the Gordo Bank. An underwater high point for the big fish.

If you get into the Sea of Cortez the water temp can be in the low 90's

Cabo is fine for a few hours on a bad day. On a good day you can get in and out in 20 minutes.

I lived down there for 5 years, escaped in 96.

adios don O

 

[JustAddWater]

By timeshare-ers do you mean, "Hey amigo! Have you had a presentation? Come to our breakfast, we'll pay for your return transport....free wave runners for 1/2 hour...do you like ATV's?" Those guys? Met them; vacation is too short for that, even with a free breakfast.

 

[Tom]

But even worse. The store clerks offer discounts on purchases if you do a presentation. Taxi drivers, waiters, bartenders. Even desk clerks at hotels try to get you to go to other hotels. More then I've seen anywhere else. But worse than the numbers is attitude. Mean. Nasty. Stepping in front of you. Calling you names. Unbelievable.

Tom