Mexico Liveaboards - Mexico's Pacific Coast

[OnTheSpot]

I have been doing a lot of research recently on Mexico's Pacific coast, getting to know the areas and the liveaboard operators. I am struggling to understand why liveaboards on Mexico's Pacific coast are not better known and much higher profile than they are.

The likes of Socorro and the Sea of Cortez plus the great white action at Guadalupe make this part of Mexico among the world's leading destinations for exciting diving with big fish, mantas, marine mammals and big schools. Yet this incredible area seems to keep quite a low profile on the world stage. Even in the Mexico section of this forum there are 20 mentions of Cancun/Cozumel to every 1 about the Pacific coast.

Why is this so?

Has anyone dived this area as well as the likes of Galapagos and Cocos? How does it compare?

 

[drrich2]

The likes of Socorro and the Sea of Cortez plus the great white action at Guadalupe make this part of Mexico among the world's leading destinations for exciting diving with big fish, mantas, marine mammals and big schools.

People post about boat trips to cage dive with the great whites of Guadalupe fairly often on the forum. The cost of those trips is substantially higher than many of the 'coral reef drift dives of Cozumel' cost.

Great whites are said to be cool water sharks, and people I see cage diving with them are usually wearing wet suits. What do the water temp.s run on the Pacific side?

For comparison's sake, how about linking us to (and describing here) a couple of trips (maybe one live-aboard, one land-based?) you consider serious competition for a Cozumel trip (maybe we can stack your proposal against staying at Scuba Club Cozumel, or maybe Aldora Villas and diving with Aldora).

I'm interested to see how the options stack up myself.

Richard.

 

[GregT943]

It comes down to cost. Diving Coz and Cancun is less than half the cost of a liveaboard to Socorro. The diving is very different at those locations, and also the topside is obviousley very different. They can't really be compared to each other. If I had the option I would dive Socorro over Coz and Cancun anyday. But sadly my wallet won't let me. I love diving in Coz, but seeing large sea life is what I really enjoy.

 

[diversteve]

Shhhh....don't tell everyone.

 

[Augustus]

ok back to your question. I have never been to Galapagos but I have been to Cocos and Socorro. My take. Cocos for hammerhead action is great. I love the sea hunter boats and the "action" trips they make between dives if they see something happening. Socorro is various things depending on when you go. Early season its Mantas (given) and likely friendly dolphin and maybe whale sharks. Throw in random encounters with a few hammerheads and other sharks. Late in the winter season you have whales and mantas and dolphin plus random sharks. Later in the season (spring) well never been. Offhand for the cost difference I would say go Socorro. They are both great locations for pelagic action. If cost is not a factor I think I would still say go to Socorro.

 

[OnTheSpot]

Thanks for the replies. They seem to paint a picture similar to what I thought. The holiday experience (not to mention the style of diving) and cost make the 2 coasts of Mexico completely different propositions. It seems hardcore divers are more likely to be attracted to the Pacific coast (costs permitting). Whereas for beach-style holiday with a few nice dives the Caribbean coast may be the best (although prob a few places in Baja might beg to differ). And yes, DiverSteve it does seem to be a bit of a secret.

Am hoping to make a trip their in 2014. Will prob focus on the Pacific since I much prefer liveaboards to land-based and have heard such rave reviews about exciting encounters with the mega-fauna of Socorro and Sea of Cortez.

 

[NoBadDives]

I have been on the Rocio Del Mar (RDM) 6 times (4 to Socorro and 2 to the northern Sea of Cortez). The boat and crew are first rate. The cabins all have brand new memory foam style mattresses. The Media room is the most advanced I have ever seen on a live aboard. I'm not sure about the dessert faux pas mentioned above...we always had some sort of dessert after dinner on the RDM. The diving in the Sea of Cortez is truly unique and changes dramatically throughout the year. What you see can change by just moving the boat a few miles. I have over 500 dives in the Sea of Cortez and it continues to surprise me. The RDM also makes the trip out to Socorro. I have done this trip 6 times (4 on the RDM, 2 on the SMV). Socorro should be on everyones bucket list. Sharks galore (including whale sharks), Dolphin interaction (the real kind, not "dolphin experience" crap), huge schools of jacks and tuna, bait balls, and whales. I am going in February 2013 and hope to catch Humpbacks on scuba (2 spots still available if you're interested ). If you are tired of the same old Caribbean diving, check out the sera of Cortez, Socorro and the Rocio Del Mar.

 

[TSandM]

I think the diving in the Pacific is more challenging diving, too -- you're WAY offshore, currents can be strong, you're diving in very deep water . . . I know I wouldn't have considered the trip we are going to do in March, when I was a more novice diver. In addition, the water is colder, so people who only own 3 mil wetsuits are not going to be excited about it.

I love liveaboards (LOVE living on a boat, actually) and I'm very excited about our upcoming trip. But I wouldn't counsel many of our students to consider it, and most of them probably couldn't afford it, anyway (not cheap!). For what the boat costs, you could fly to Egypt and spend a week on the MV Tala, in 80+ degree water.

 

[OnTheSpot]

Offshore, currents, deep water, loads of fish, loads of big creatures. Sounds like my cuppa tea.