Recommendation for Cabo San Lucas dive shop - Dive Cabo or Manta Dive?

[nat_siriu]

Planning a trip to Cabo San Lucas for the first time. I will be there early May and want to do some local dives (Marine park + Corridor), Gordon Banks and Cabo Pulmo. Been researching for dive shops and now down to 2 shops; Dive Cabo and Manta Dive. I was also considering Seecreatures but they have never responded to my email. So it was hard to gather more info.

I see some commends and trip reports on both Dive Cabo and Manta Dive but still if you can share more experience here, it would be super helpful!

My findings and questions:

• Dive Cabo has a cheaper price for both dive trips and rental gear than Manta Dive => What are the differences between these two dive shops that defer difference in prices? Does Manta Dive use better/bigger boats or better quality rental equipment?
• For Gordon banks, Dive Cabo leaves from their sister shop in San Jose and dive with air vs Manta dive leaves from CSL so longer time on the boat but dive with Nitrox. I would prefer Nitrox dive but unsure about the longer journey on the boat (probably rough sea?). => How is the boat ride to Gordon banks like? Is it worth using Nitrox proving that we can stay deeper longer? Or air dive is ok? Dive Cabo mentioned that they didn't do Nitrox for Gordon Banks to avoid Oxygen toxicity.
• Cabo Pulmo dive in May => Question: Cabo Dive said CP in May is not a good. I saw great reviews on this forum about CP and would love to dive there but is it worth going for a day trip in May?

Any additional comments are very welcome too! Thank you!!

 

[Manuel Sam]

Don't know either dive operator, so can't help you there.

Weather and water conditions are unpredictable. May 26-June 1 2021 were calm, but I would not use that as predictor for May 2022. The beauty of riding a car or van to San Jose and then boarding a boat in San Jose is that it will be much faster than by going there by boat from Cabo, and you can take a nap during the car ride there and back without dealing with potentially choppy seas and possible seasickness. And I guess based on what you said, that would be with Dive Cabo, which means that you no longer have to decide between Nitrox and air for Gordo Banks because by default they dive it with air.

When I have dived Gordo Banks, it was at 125 feet. If you dive Nitrox, depending on the Nitrox mix and your computer, you can easily get distracted and OOPS yourself below the depth limit at which your computer will go into alarm for potential oxygen toxicity. Granted, my guess is that there is a lot of safety factor built into the calculations and your computer, but do you really want to risk it? I am no expert , but as I understand it, if the seizure or passing out occurs, there is no warning. That is why Solmar usually gives us a 28% mix when we dive Roca Partida in Socorro.

No doubt that Nitrox extends bottom time by increasing no deco time. But it is also a function of the mix, your computer, the MOD you set your computer to, how deep and how long your previous dives were (ie how much residual nitrogen) and how long since your last dive(s). Discuss with your dive guide.

If you decide to go with Dive Cabo and therefore dive Gordo Banks on air, to maximize no-deco time, you have to have the least amount of residual nitrogen from prior day's diving,: you might consider diving with Nitrox the previous day before you go to Gordo Banks. Or you might consider skipping the 2nd dive the day before. Or both. With that many hours since the previous dive, my guess is that your computer will have cleared or come very close to clear.

 

[azstinger11]

Planning a trip to Cabo San Lucas for the first time. I will be there early May and want to do some local dives (Marine park + Corridor), Gordon Banks and Cabo Pulmo. Been researching for dive shops and now down to 2 shops; Dive Cabo and Manta Dive. I was also considering Seecreatures but they have never responded to my email. So it was hard to gather more info.

I see some commends and trip reports on both Dive Cabo and Manta Dive but still if you can share more experience here, it would be super helpful!

My findings and questions:

• Dive Cabo has a cheaper price for both dive trips and rental gear than Manta Dive => What are the differences between these two dive shops that defer difference in prices? Does Manta Dive use better/bigger boats or better quality rental equipment?
• For Gordon banks, Dive Cabo leaves from their sister shop in San Jose and dive with air vs Manta dive leaves from CSL so longer time on the boat but dive with Nitrox. I would prefer Nitrox dive but unsure about the longer journey on the boat (probably rough sea?). => How is the boat ride to Gordon banks like? Is it worth using Nitrox proving that we can stay deeper longer? Or air dive is ok? Dive Cabo mentioned that they didn't do Nitrox for Gordon Banks to avoid Oxygen toxicity.
• Cabo Pulmo dive in May => Question: Cabo Dive said CP in May is not a good. I saw great reviews on this forum about CP and would love to dive there but is it worth going for a day trip in May?

Any additional comments are very welcome too! Thank you!!

Our trip to the banks was relatively calm and offered a nice view of the corridor on the way/back, but your mileage may vary. We used Manta and I they used a pretty lean nitrox blend (28% i believe) so 1.4 PPO2 gets your to the recreational limit. Hitting the banks is sort of a guessing game based on the currents and the captain. We did 2 dives on the bank and neither time hit them instead just ending up doing open water ascents in the current.

Cabo Pulmo for us was a wash and we were in a "decent but not great time to go". Having done some other exploring in the Baja and talking to the locals, I don't think i'll ever day trip back to cabo pulmo. I will return, but i'll be staying onsite. That was a really long day and for us the diving was good but not great (and not worth the day trip hassle). I know it can be mind blowing good there, but it feels like you need more than 2 tanks a day trip gives you to sort of "guarantee" it, and obviously even then no guarantees.

 

[nat_siriu]

Thank you both for your comments.