El Mar. I figured it was just a typo or misremembering the name. It’s Arizona, half the names are El, Del, or Los.
San Carlos/Sea of Cortez diving info?
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It's El Mar - Del Mar is a posh city in SoCal just north of San Diego. Known for the horse track.
I believe Gene Foster retired a few years ago - his daughter Tanya runs the shop now. I don't get down there often but I didn't see him at the last spring sale - he usually was at those. Not that you'd know it unless you knew who he was and said hi.
Museum is kind of a stretch - it's one shop counter, the display area behind it and some stuff out front in one area under the balcony in the store.Some coll old gear though.
It's too far from Tucson although Mesa is SE of Phoenix, you'd have to drive all the way thru Tucson first. On I10 which they've been expanding for at least a decade. And frequently close part on the weekends.
There's also a Del Mar Aquatics but it's on the other Mexoco coast - in Cozumel.
I believe Gene Foster retired a few years ago - his daughter Tanya runs the shop now. I don't get down there often but I didn't see him at the last spring sale - he usually was at those. Not that you'd know it unless you knew who he was and said hi.
Museum is kind of a stretch - it's one shop counter, the display area behind it and some stuff out front in one area under the balcony in the store.Some coll old gear though.
It's too far from Tucson although Mesa is SE of Phoenix, you'd have to drive all the way thru Tucson first. On I10 which they've been expanding for at least a decade. And frequently close part on the weekends.
There's also a Del Mar Aquatics but it's on the other Mexoco coast - in Cozumel.
AZTinman
Contributor
Most Tucson area divers who travel to San Carlos simply use the truck route crossing on the west side of Nogales. It's fast and much more of a direct route than other points of entry/routes indicated in other posts here. The road south from Nogales is a toll road that's relatively safe as well. Twenty bucks (US) at the first south bound toll station will get you enough pesos to pay the toll at the remaining toll booths. Other roads from the border to San Carlos have more potential safety issues (country west of Nogales and Hermosillo can be spooky with potential cartel activity). 72 Aquatics (formerly Desert Divers) out of Tucson has been running trips to San Carlos twice a month for over twenty years without issues. They use the Nogales truck route crossing. It's worth noting, the return trip back up the toll road to Nogales requires tolls to be paid in pesos.
As noted in other posts, water temperatures in March will require a heavy wetsuit, multiple wetsuit layers, or a dry suit. Spring visibility isn't usually the greatest. March is often windy. If the wind is too heavy, the boats will not go out to Isla San Pedro Nolasco; you'll stay at local dive sites.
Again, as noted El Mar has a really good dive boat in San Carlos. Ocean Sports (used to be a sister shop associated with the Tucson Desert Divers Shop) also has a really good boat. Ocean Sports operates independently (Alcantar family in San Carlos) now, but maintains a good working relationship with the Tucson shop. Both of these shops do reliable air fills. Their twin diesel-drive boats are well-maintained and crews are very experienced. If you want to book a slow dive boat, Gary's can help with that.
There is no Best Western in San Carlos. What used to be a Best Western changed hands and names several years ago. If you're with a group that's looking for a place to stay, it's worth looking at a site like Home Away. We use the site when we're looking to rent a condo and there are usually lots of options.
Most of the diving is done at Isla San Pedro Nolasco and some local dive sites. There are a couple of wrecks (a ferry and a Japanese tuna boat) that don't see much action due to depth. The shops typically use the same local sites. A lot of Arizona and Mexican dive shops use San Carlos trips to do open water cert checkouts for new divers. Make sure your group gets booking dates scheduled in advance.
If you do deeper depths off Isla San Pedro Nolasco, it's worth noting that I've been hearing some accounts of divers seeing sharks from time to time. Sightings have been very infrequent. If you happen to see a shark, it will likely be a bull. There are bull sharks that occasionally make appearances living in the deep underwater canyons between the island and mainland. Aggressive behavior hasn't been an issue. White shark sightings are even less frequent than sightings of bulls, but I've heard a few reports. Shark finning has really reduced shark numbers in the Gulf of California.
Gene Foster is still active at El Mar Dive Center. While his daughter Tonya runs the business end of things, Gene makes sure the Mesa and San Carlos shops are maintained. He also plays a role in the regular maintenance of El Mar's dive boat in San Carlos. I enjoy visiting with Gene. He is one of the guys who pioneered scuba diving in San Carlos and has incredible knowledge about the Gulf of California, particularly the Sonora side.
-AZTinman
As noted in other posts, water temperatures in March will require a heavy wetsuit, multiple wetsuit layers, or a dry suit. Spring visibility isn't usually the greatest. March is often windy. If the wind is too heavy, the boats will not go out to Isla San Pedro Nolasco; you'll stay at local dive sites.
Again, as noted El Mar has a really good dive boat in San Carlos. Ocean Sports (used to be a sister shop associated with the Tucson Desert Divers Shop) also has a really good boat. Ocean Sports operates independently (Alcantar family in San Carlos) now, but maintains a good working relationship with the Tucson shop. Both of these shops do reliable air fills. Their twin diesel-drive boats are well-maintained and crews are very experienced. If you want to book a slow dive boat, Gary's can help with that.
There is no Best Western in San Carlos. What used to be a Best Western changed hands and names several years ago. If you're with a group that's looking for a place to stay, it's worth looking at a site like Home Away. We use the site when we're looking to rent a condo and there are usually lots of options.
Most of the diving is done at Isla San Pedro Nolasco and some local dive sites. There are a couple of wrecks (a ferry and a Japanese tuna boat) that don't see much action due to depth. The shops typically use the same local sites. A lot of Arizona and Mexican dive shops use San Carlos trips to do open water cert checkouts for new divers. Make sure your group gets booking dates scheduled in advance.
If you do deeper depths off Isla San Pedro Nolasco, it's worth noting that I've been hearing some accounts of divers seeing sharks from time to time. Sightings have been very infrequent. If you happen to see a shark, it will likely be a bull. There are bull sharks that occasionally make appearances living in the deep underwater canyons between the island and mainland. Aggressive behavior hasn't been an issue. White shark sightings are even less frequent than sightings of bulls, but I've heard a few reports. Shark finning has really reduced shark numbers in the Gulf of California.
Gene Foster is still active at El Mar Dive Center. While his daughter Tonya runs the business end of things, Gene makes sure the Mesa and San Carlos shops are maintained. He also plays a role in the regular maintenance of El Mar's dive boat in San Carlos. I enjoy visiting with Gene. He is one of the guys who pioneered scuba diving in San Carlos and has incredible knowledge about the Gulf of California, particularly the Sonora side.
-AZTinman
OP
Thanks, Tinman!
The couple of sites I found with info are suggesting that water temps will be around 63 - 65F.
Does that sound right? For a bottom temp? At 100 - 130'? (or whatever the deeper dive depths are in that area)
If it's going to be 63 on the bottom, I should be fine with my 5mm, hood, and gloves. If that's the surface temp and it's going to be in the 50s on the bottom, then I'll probably just take my drysuit. I would just take my drysuit, but I'm concerned about luggage space, given the bulkiness of my drysuit and undergarments.
AZTinman
Contributor
At 100'-130' water temperatures will be cold in early March. If I owned a dry suit, I'd use it for diving around San Carlos during the winter and spring. The underwater topography drops off pretty quickly into deep submarine canyons around Isla San Pedro Nolasco. About the only reason for diving that deep around the island is an effort to see scalloped hammerheads congregate off a ridgeline that runs off the south point of the island. This event usually occurs sometime in October.
I usually tease friends who insist on diving deep around the island about going deep to just look at rocks. Unless you're extremely lucky to encounter something at 100'-130' there's just not much to see. There's usually upwelling occurring from the deep water canyons in March so visibility isn't usually very great. Murky water in the upper regions of a deep water submarine canyon has little appeal to me, but that's just me.
There is a local dive site called Sea Mount right outside the entrance to the San Carlos Marina that can be interesting. Divers can get down into +100' range and there's cool stuff to see. Black coral actually begins to appear about halfway down the sea mount. The drawback to the site is that current is often too strong. It's not a fun dive when the current is ripping (been there... done that).
Tidal exchanges in the Gulf of California are significant. A lunar calendar can give you a good idea of what to expect. If your dive dates are in the neighborhood of a full or new moon, currents associated with tidal exchanges will be significant. The different dive operators will factor in what's happening with current when making decisions about which dive sites they'll use.
-AZTinman
I usually tease friends who insist on diving deep around the island about going deep to just look at rocks. Unless you're extremely lucky to encounter something at 100'-130' there's just not much to see. There's usually upwelling occurring from the deep water canyons in March so visibility isn't usually very great. Murky water in the upper regions of a deep water submarine canyon has little appeal to me, but that's just me.
There is a local dive site called Sea Mount right outside the entrance to the San Carlos Marina that can be interesting. Divers can get down into +100' range and there's cool stuff to see. Black coral actually begins to appear about halfway down the sea mount. The drawback to the site is that current is often too strong. It's not a fun dive when the current is ripping (been there... done that).
Tidal exchanges in the Gulf of California are significant. A lunar calendar can give you a good idea of what to expect. If your dive dates are in the neighborhood of a full or new moon, currents associated with tidal exchanges will be significant. The different dive operators will factor in what's happening with current when making decisions about which dive sites they'll use.
-AZTinman
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@AZTinman
As always a great detailed report ! Sharing your knowledge and experience is appreciated.
In contrast to diversteve every time I call I never have difficulty contacting Gene - -- most recent was about 5 days ago- last Thursday- he was and is always available for a chat. I suspect Gene , being retired just hangs out.. .
Do you recall when the late Jim Williams was involved with the shop ? or Pam (?) Leongoski (Spelling ?) was the manager of the shop ? Time certainly flies when you are having fun !
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
@diversteve stated
"Museum is kind of a stretch - it's one shop counter, the display area behind it and some stuff out front in one area under the balcony in the store.Some coll old gear though."
Perhaps Museum is a stretch - It would possibly be more appropriate to identify it as "a vintage dive equipment collection." either term is acceptable to me
You mist give Gene credit he has taken the time to collect vintage equipment, refurbish it, research it's origin and place it on display for the current divers as well as the divers in the future education.
SDM
As always a great detailed report ! Sharing your knowledge and experience is appreciated.
In contrast to diversteve every time I call I never have difficulty contacting Gene - -- most recent was about 5 days ago- last Thursday- he was and is always available for a chat. I suspect Gene , being retired just hangs out.. .
Do you recall when the late Jim Williams was involved with the shop ? or Pam (?) Leongoski (Spelling ?) was the manager of the shop ? Time certainly flies when you are having fun !
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
@diversteve stated
"Museum is kind of a stretch - it's one shop counter, the display area behind it and some stuff out front in one area under the balcony in the store.Some coll old gear though."
Perhaps Museum is a stretch - It would possibly be more appropriate to identify it as "a vintage dive equipment collection." either term is acceptable to me
You mist give Gene credit he has taken the time to collect vintage equipment, refurbish it, research it's origin and place it on display for the current divers as well as the divers in the future education.
SDM
AZTinman
Contributor
Thanks for the kind words Dr. Miller!
I'm not sure Gene is really in retirement mode. He's always busy around the shop every time I'm in there. Some weeks back, I dropped by and picked his brain concerning white sharks in the Gulf of California. I was doing some quick research for a chapter I needed to add to the book I'm putting together. Gene stopped doing what he was doing to visit with me. Among some other insights, he shared a quick story about the size of a set of massive white shark jaws that hung in a Kino Bay restaurant in the old days.
Last summer, I quit my job to focus on finishing the book I've been working on. My former employees still contact me and ask me how I'm enjoying retirement (LOL). I've just about given up on explaining that I simply shifted into another line of work.
El Mar (The Sea) has changed a lot since guys like Gene and you pioneered scuba diving in places like San Carlos, Sonora. I visited with a gal a couple of years ago who gave me the shore location of a beach near San Carlos where she used to dive with manta rays regularly. The beach, she spoke of, is a place I know and unfortunately, manta rays don't come there any more. The Gulf of California is still a remarkable place; it must have been incredibly remarkable when you guys started diving around San Carlos.
I'm going to the northern gulf tomorrow to chase photographs of whales (humpies & fins). Interestingly, one of the charter companies I'll be using is called Del Mar Charters.
-AZTinman
I'm not sure Gene is really in retirement mode. He's always busy around the shop every time I'm in there. Some weeks back, I dropped by and picked his brain concerning white sharks in the Gulf of California. I was doing some quick research for a chapter I needed to add to the book I'm putting together. Gene stopped doing what he was doing to visit with me. Among some other insights, he shared a quick story about the size of a set of massive white shark jaws that hung in a Kino Bay restaurant in the old days.
Last summer, I quit my job to focus on finishing the book I've been working on. My former employees still contact me and ask me how I'm enjoying retirement (LOL). I've just about given up on explaining that I simply shifted into another line of work.
El Mar (The Sea) has changed a lot since guys like Gene and you pioneered scuba diving in places like San Carlos, Sonora. I visited with a gal a couple of years ago who gave me the shore location of a beach near San Carlos where she used to dive with manta rays regularly. The beach, she spoke of, is a place I know and unfortunately, manta rays don't come there any more. The Gulf of California is still a remarkable place; it must have been incredibly remarkable when you guys started diving around San Carlos.
I'm going to the northern gulf tomorrow to chase photographs of whales (humpies & fins). Interestingly, one of the charter companies I'll be using is called Del Mar Charters.
-AZTinman
Ghetto Diver
Contributor
I am still laughing about Aztinman's description of Gary's boats.
Slow is an understatement.
Last time out with them, I commented to one of the crew about the odd noise (twin diesel boat). "Only one engine sir". He even opened the hatch to show me.
Apparently they cannibalized that vessel to keep another running.
Whenever my daughter and I outbound on a dive boat, she always remarks "you remember that slooow boat in San Carlos?" Our last trip there was 6-7 years ago. Their fish taco SI lunch was good though.
We found ourselves bouncing betwwen El Mar and Garys to catch a boat that had enough people to go. El Mar is top notch.
I did quite a bit of shore diving there. Brought my tanks down and got fills at El Mar.
We stayed at a condo in Playa Blanca...very nice.
Lots of good times there.
Slow is an understatement.
Last time out with them, I commented to one of the crew about the odd noise (twin diesel boat). "Only one engine sir". He even opened the hatch to show me.
Apparently they cannibalized that vessel to keep another running.
Whenever my daughter and I outbound on a dive boat, she always remarks "you remember that slooow boat in San Carlos?" Our last trip there was 6-7 years ago. Their fish taco SI lunch was good though.
We found ourselves bouncing betwwen El Mar and Garys to catch a boat that had enough people to go. El Mar is top notch.
I did quite a bit of shore diving there. Brought my tanks down and got fills at El Mar.
We stayed at a condo in Playa Blanca...very nice.
Lots of good times there.
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AZTinman
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No Sam, the book is about California sea lions. My publishing consultant suggested I add a chapter about the predator-prey relationship between sea lions and white sharks after the recent alleged shark attack in December that killed a commercial Hookah fisherman in the northern gulf. I had collected some material while watching interactions between white sharks and sea lions out at Isla Guadalupe and collected information from sources from areas within the gulf. Some of the information I gathered from gulf fishing communities was eye-opening.
The presence of white sharks in the gulf is not a common topic among people who dive there. Initially when I began diving in the Sea of Cortez, I was told white sharks weren't there at all. Obviously, people who believed this were out of touch with reality. Few divers encounter white sharks in the gulf because people don't have the appeal sea lions or dead whales do.
Anyway, we're just about ready to send the book to the printer. Our designer is in the process of finishing a few final tweaks and the publishing consultant is proofreading what we hope will be the final draft.
-AZTinman
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