Sea of Cortez

“Life on the Nautilus Gallant Lady has been a dream! The food has been incredible and as a vegetarian, they have come up …” News – 29 November 2021
“I brought my 16-year-old son along with me onboard the Nautilus Gallant Lady for a five-day diving voyage through the Se…” News – 9 November 2021
“On both dives we had a lot of different reef fish and moray eels. Then on the second dive we had some more interaction w…” News – 16 August 2021
“It was full of barber fish, leopard groupers, different types of eels and healthy corals. After that amazing dive we wen…” News – 16 August 2021
“On our way drifting north it was breathtaking to see the amount of snappers, rainbow wrasses, parrot fish and angel moor…” News – 16 August 2021

The very best of the Sea of Cortez

The Sea of Cortez is an interesting place. We started diving here many years ago when giant mantas were common and multiple schools of hammerhead sharks would swirl around El Bajo. Commercial fishermen hit the place really hard in the 1990’s before the government of Mexico enacted exclusionary zones and marine protected area. Our beautiful sea has come back to life but it is different than before. Whale sharks are still resident seasonally off La Paz. The sea lions at Los Islotes were never impacted. Humpback whales still show up every winter. And the huge schools of panamic fish are as abundant as ever before. We are seeing hammerhead sharks at El Bajo and Los Animas and mantas at La Reyna although not as abundantly as before. We finally figured out where the humboldt squid are and it’s quite a trek to get there! We discovered the stunning number of whale sharks at Bahia de Los Angeles in the northern sea of cortez.

Experience life more deeply

It’s not Socorro. It’s not Guadalupe Island. The Sea of Cortez is a unique and different destination with it’s own charm – and generally calm water – albeit not the same number of big animals as our other destinations. We welcome the opportunity to give you more information and ensure that we meet your expectations.

Your Sea of Cortez Adventure looks like this*

Day 1 – Welcome aboard
Drop by our SeeCreatures dive centre in Cabo to get kitted up with any rental gear you might need and to take advantage of a complimentary warmup dive at Land’s End. Or if you prefer, sign up for some additional Cabo diving before embarking our beautiful Gallant lady. Please be back at the dive centre by 4:30pm to boat your liveaboard and depart for the Sea of Cortez. There will be a cocktail hour on the deck to watch the sunset. Enjoy a smooth overnight run continuing north.
Day 2 to 7 – Exploring southern Sea of Cortez
We’ll be exploring the best of the southern Sea of Cortez including our old favourites: the wreck of the ferry Salvatierra, beautiful Suwanee Reef teeming with life, the charming sea lions at Los Islotes, giant mantas at La Reyna, Las Animas, and Cerralvo Island. Years ago, we stopped offering trips into the Sea of Cortez because the mantas and sharks had disappeared. We are incredibly gratified that the population is rebounding, and we should see sharks, a chance of seeing mantas, as well as the more typical Sea of Cortez life.
Day 8 – Always sad to say goodbye to our guests!
Always a sad time for us. It’s time to say goodbye and disembark the boat in Cabo at 8:30 am for either SJD airport or our dive center in Cabo San Lucas. It doesn’t have to be goodbye for long, as we hope to see you again very soon.

*Our captains and crew will do their very best to give you the most spectaculary dive experience.

Given weather and animal sighting itinerary may vary.

You may wonder…

What are your COVID-19 protocols?

Our job is to keep our guests and crew safe. Now more so than ever during the COVID-19 crisis. Please find our latest covid protocols here.

What am I going to see in the Sea of Cortez ?

Cousteau called the Sea of Cortez the aquarium of the world. Expect to see a lot of fish. A LOT of fish! Whale sharks in season. California sea lions. Giant manta rays at one particular site. A variety of shark species possibly including hammerheads (noting that the Sea of Cortez is nowhere near as sharkie as Socorro), several shipwrecks, garden eels and diving cormorant birds.

When should I go?

Water temperatures and visibility in the southern Sea of Cortez improve dramatically in mid July through the first norte winds at the end of November. Our trips run from August-November.

How many dives do I get?

We will do our best to offer 4 dives on every dive day. Please keep in mind that Mother Ocean can be capricious and this may not always be possible.

How much experience do I need?

Our Sea of Cortez trips are perfect for divers of all experience levels. This is the perfect destination for newer divers. We have always specialized in catering to experienced self-reliant divers and offer a lot of freedom and flexibility for those who want it. Photographers on these trips will never feel rushed and we are happy to leave you on your own to get that perfect shot.

When should I fly in?

Your ship boards at 4:30 pm on departure day. We recommend planning on flying in by 1:30 pm allowing for an hour or longer to clear immigration and customs and collect your bags. It’s a 35 minute drive from the airport to SeeCreatures Dive Centre which is our meeting point. Of course, we recommend that you fly in early to enjoy Cabo San Lucas and sign up for some additional diving.