Tell me about diving in the Mexican Riveria

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kkrepps

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Scuba Instructor
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Southern New Mexico
My wife and I are going on our first cruise ever in January. We have friends that invited us that go every year. So... my wife was talking to her friend and before you know it I was calling RCI for reservations. OK, now no crap about being on a cruise :argue:

Here's the question. Both of us are experienced divers. We're both instructors, worked a resort in Belize for a time. We usually take dedicated dive vacations and are much more familiar with the Caribbean and Australia than the western side of Mexico. So far our idea of a cruise is a 7 day liveaboard.

Since we're going on the cruise anyway and since we, of course, would not want to pass up a dive if we have the chance what is everyone's diving experience with Cabo, Mazatlan and Puerte Vallarta. We'd like to get in 2 dives, maybe. Any tips, dos, don'ts, anything helpful given the limited time we'll have and have to deal with the cruise crowds
 
Water temps in January will be cooler; however, it's whale watching season in Cabo at that time. Humpbacks & California Gray among the large ones; pilots & smaller ones will be actually traveling up the Sea of Cortez.

You can almost certainly arrange a dive with an outfitter on the marina (that's where the cruise ship ferryboat will land you) when you arrive; or if you're feeling organized, you can prearrange your dive. There is no cruise ship pier (yet) in Cabo, so the ship(s) have to park out in the bay. You take the ship's shuttlecraft (I'm not sure what the official name is, but you know what I mean) to the marina, and back. Some folks do parasailing, waterski, & jetski from the back of the cruise ship.

Most outfitters in Cabo do 9am, 11am, and 2pm dives (more or less, and Mexican time :wink: ). The cruise ships tend to arrive between 7 & 9am in Cabo, and depart afternoon/evening, depending on the exact schedule. You should easily be able to do the 11am/2pm dives if you want to do a two tank.

p.s. I thought the Mexican Riviera was Cancun/Akumal/PDC? Or am I geographically challenged?
 
hdtran - thanks for that info.

We actually spent 10 days camping and sea kayaking on an island in Magdalena Bay north of La Paz several years back. This is where the grays calve. Nothing like being 6 inches above the water and having a gray whale come straight at you and then pass under your kayak with out even rocking you OR sit at breakfast in front of your tent and have a mature gray tail stand and check you out 50 yards away!

Anyway the tourist promotion people are calling Cancun/Akumal/PDC Costa Maya
 
kkrepps:
hdtran - thanks for that info.

We actually spent 10 days camping and sea kayaking on an island in Magdalena Bay north of La Paz several years back. This is where the grays calve. Nothing like being 6 inches above the water and having a gray whale come straight at you and then pass under your kayak with out even rocking you OR sit at breakfast in front of your tent and have a mature gray tail stand and check you out 50 yards away!

Anyway the tourist promotion people are calling Cancun/Akumal/PDC Costa Maya

Wow, that sounds amazing! Thanks for the info re Costa Maya vs Mexican Riviera! I was geographically different!
 

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