San Carlos - Kayak Diving

[shopguy]

Anyone ever done any kayak based diving in San Carlos? So far it seems like the Marinaterra Beach Club is the ideal spot to rent kayaks from, because it is closest to the local boat dive spots. I emailed them to see if they are diver friendly, but while I wait for their reply I thought I would see if anyone here has experience they can share.

I drive my own car when I go to San Carlos, but it is a Corolla, so getting tanks from town daily isn't a problem, but I wouldn't want to haul kayaks. Don't need a place that will cater to divers, but must be a place that isn't going to hassle me about carrying gear through their resort and strapping it to their kayaks.

 

[CycleCat]

We have not tried kayak diving but we have been shore diving at the Marinaterra beach club. We actually entered at the beach next to the club and went around the island. The grapefruit size rocks are a bit of a challenge walking in but once in the water it's fine. Another good shore dive is Piedras Pintas. Take the road to the Mirador and turn down to the beach between the two coconut vendors. The rocky peninsula there is good diving as well as the rocky ledge further to the left (east). The gravel and sand beach there is definitely easier entry.

 

[shopguy]

We have not tried kayak diving but we have been shore diving at the Marinaterra beach club. We actually entered at the beach next to the club and went around the island. The grapefruit size rocks are a bit of a challenge walking in but once in the water it's fine. Another good shore dive is Piedras Pintas. Take the road to the Mirador and turn down to the beach between the two coconut vendors. The rocky peninsula there is good diving as well as the rocky ledge further to the left (east). The gravel and sand beach there is definitely easier entry.

Thanks, great info! I have dove Piedra Pintas but only the cove west of the peninsula (6 on map below).

A+B = two options for kayak rentals near water.

1-4 = places I have been on boat dives (#3 has a ship sunk there now, was not there when I dove that area)

5-7 = shore dive areas, thanks for adding 7 to my list of options!

It does seem like Marinaterra is an ideal location, so hopefully they will respond with good news about being diver friendly.

In a few years I will likely have a truck or SUV and be able to haul kayaks around. At that point staying in an AirBnb near Playa Piedras Pintas and entering the water there might be a nice option, and slightly closer for the 20 mile treck to San Pedro Island (joking, not something I'd do in a kayak):

 

[CycleCat]

That whole peninsula between your #6 and Marina Real is good diving, especially that west side. That might be kayak-able from "B" if that is where you are renting a boat.

El Mar dive shop does 3 tank dives to San Pedro. Two tanks at the island and they usually end at the new shipwreck for the last tank.

 

[shopguy]

El Mar dive shop does 3 tank dives to San Pedro. Two tanks at the island and they usually end at the new shipwreck for the last tank.

El Mar is great, just wish they made it easier for non-caravan/group customers to book for San Pedro. You can't book caravan days online, and if you book a non-caravan day, good chance they will not have enough people on the boat to take you to San Pedro. Guess I'll have to make the 90 mile drive to where my cell phone works decently, and call them, not today though, think I have covid today.

 

[AZTinman]

There are some good beach diving areas in San Carlos. I think the El Mar Shop in San Carlos was renting kayaks. It might be worth making a call if you're interested in beach diving or diving from a kayak.

Weekends are the best times to do Isla San Pedro Nolasco trips. The shops in San Carlos usually run boats to the island on weekends. This time of year, colder water tends to reduce the amount of diver traffic. 72 Aquatics in Tucson usually runs a couple of weekend trips to San Carlos every month. 72 Aquatics works exclusively with Ocean Sports in San Carlos. Ocean Sports has a very nice dive boat.

If memory serves me correctly, the Marinatierra Beach Club area provides shore access to the Shangri-La Dive Site. This is an excellent site especially with the onset of colder water. The population of little critters tends to increase with colder water.

-AZTinman

 

[shopguy]

If memory serves me correctly, the Marinatierra Beach Club area provides shore access to the Shangri-La Dive Site.

I couldn't find a location for Shangri-La on Google or Google Maps.

Found this with a picture, and some YouTube videos, but not much else:

Scuba trip: San Carlos, Mexico (October 2017) •

For the third time in 3 months, I went diving in San Carlos. Highlights: an eel burrowing into sand tail-first and a scorpionfish eating a balloonfish!

justineschluntz.com

Is that rock/swim through part of Isla La Jama? The small island just off Marinaterra.

 

[CycleCat]

Marinaterra Beach Club is on the Shangri-La cove. That swim through is on the island there but I would only try it at high tide.

 

[AZTinman]

Yes, as already noted, the swim through is on Isla La Jama (south end of the island). It's a decent sized arch type swim through. I've been told a species of frogfish can be found in the area of the swim through, but I haven't found any yet. The photo from the Planet Scuba trip that you found is a good one.

The swim through on Isla La Jama is larger than the one at the South Point on Isla San Pedro Nolasco. Dive boats sometimes anchor on the west side of the Isla La Jama swim through and divers enter Shangrai-La Cove through the swim through.

Planet Scuba has been gone from Tucson for quite some time now, but there are several Tucson and Phoenix area dive shops that do frequent San Carlos weekend dive trips.

-AZTinman