AZTinman
Contributor
Just returned from a weekend dive trip to San Carlos, Mexico, with a group from Desert Divers out of Tucson. The group caravaned down. The only downside to the trip was a 5:30 a.m. departure time. Our group had a lot of divers who were doing their open water certs so they planned to get some dives with students on local sites completed on Friday afternoon.
Other than a local night dive on Saturday, all of my other dives were done off Isla San Pedro. As we arrived on Friday afternoon, the dive shop received reports that Hammerheads had been spotted off the South Point of the Island.
Diving conditions off Isla San Pedro were excellent. For the most part, water temps were above 80 degrees. We experienced some thermoclines and pockets of colder water, but diving was comfortable. Several divers dove in board shorts, others opted for skins and 3mm suits.
Visibility for Saturday dives off the South Point and another location on the east side of the island was easily 50-65 feet. A pretty good surge was present at the point and a group of divers who attempted to get to the area where the Hammerheads hang out were stopped by strong current. There was no shortage of underwater critters on the east side of the island.
Sunday, the crew opted to take us to a site on the west side of the island. The site was so amazing divers opted to dive the site twice. The site was loaded with King Angelfish, and California Sea Lions. Finescale Triggerfish, Panamic Sargent Majors and a myriad of other fish species were present. Visibility had to have been 75+ feet. I doubt any of the divers finished diving the site without seeing Green Morays. Several reported seeing Jeweled Morays and Octopi. I found myself wishing I had purchased field guide or Sea of Cortez fishes ID chart. I wont go back to San Carlos without one.
Sea Lions were present at all dive sites we did on the Isla San Pedro and the critters were really interactive with divers. Those at the west side site were a little on the pushy side. One grabbed one of my dive partners hair. Another grabbed one of my fins and I actually got bumped several times by others.
Visibility wasnt very good (10-15 ft) at the local dive sites immediately around San Carlos. Some of the OW cert activities they had planned for students on Friday afternoon had to be postponed due to low visibility and current. Visibility presented difficulties for our night dive as well. My UK Light Cannon got a good workout. The night dive was still enjoyable. We saw lots of Lobster and a couple of good sized Green Morays. I was hoping to see Octopi moving around, but theres always next time.
The ride out to Isla San Pedro took a little over an hour and we were joined by a pod of dolphins on both trips out. Our return on Sunday afternoon provided a major treat. We passed through a pod of dolphins which had to have had hundreds of dolphins in it. The boat/dive shop crew said it was the largest pod they had ever seen.
Overall, diving San Carlos was a great experience and Ill go back. Its definitely a good spot.
-AZTinman
Other than a local night dive on Saturday, all of my other dives were done off Isla San Pedro. As we arrived on Friday afternoon, the dive shop received reports that Hammerheads had been spotted off the South Point of the Island.
Diving conditions off Isla San Pedro were excellent. For the most part, water temps were above 80 degrees. We experienced some thermoclines and pockets of colder water, but diving was comfortable. Several divers dove in board shorts, others opted for skins and 3mm suits.
Visibility for Saturday dives off the South Point and another location on the east side of the island was easily 50-65 feet. A pretty good surge was present at the point and a group of divers who attempted to get to the area where the Hammerheads hang out were stopped by strong current. There was no shortage of underwater critters on the east side of the island.
Sunday, the crew opted to take us to a site on the west side of the island. The site was so amazing divers opted to dive the site twice. The site was loaded with King Angelfish, and California Sea Lions. Finescale Triggerfish, Panamic Sargent Majors and a myriad of other fish species were present. Visibility had to have been 75+ feet. I doubt any of the divers finished diving the site without seeing Green Morays. Several reported seeing Jeweled Morays and Octopi. I found myself wishing I had purchased field guide or Sea of Cortez fishes ID chart. I wont go back to San Carlos without one.
Sea Lions were present at all dive sites we did on the Isla San Pedro and the critters were really interactive with divers. Those at the west side site were a little on the pushy side. One grabbed one of my dive partners hair. Another grabbed one of my fins and I actually got bumped several times by others.
Visibility wasnt very good (10-15 ft) at the local dive sites immediately around San Carlos. Some of the OW cert activities they had planned for students on Friday afternoon had to be postponed due to low visibility and current. Visibility presented difficulties for our night dive as well. My UK Light Cannon got a good workout. The night dive was still enjoyable. We saw lots of Lobster and a couple of good sized Green Morays. I was hoping to see Octopi moving around, but theres always next time.
The ride out to Isla San Pedro took a little over an hour and we were joined by a pod of dolphins on both trips out. Our return on Sunday afternoon provided a major treat. We passed through a pod of dolphins which had to have had hundreds of dolphins in it. The boat/dive shop crew said it was the largest pod they had ever seen.
Overall, diving San Carlos was a great experience and Ill go back. Its definitely a good spot.
-AZTinman
