Sea of Cortez
and Cabo Pulmo, a UNESCO heritage site
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. And there is an excellent chance of seeing bull sharks at Cabo Pulmo.
Sea of Cortez Sample Itinerary*
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Day 1 – Welcome aboard
Meet at our See Creatures dive center in Cabo at 4:30pm to get kitted up with any rental gear needed for your trip. You’ll board the beautiful Nautilus Gallant Lady, then 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.
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Day 2 to 4 – 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, La Reina, Las Animas, and Cerralvo Island.We are incredibly gratified that the population of mantas and sharks is rebounding, and we should see sharks, a chance of seeing mantas, as well as the more typical Sea of Cortez life.
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Day 5 – Diving Cabo Pulmo
UNESCO Marine park Cabo Pulmo is the easternmost barrier reef in the Pacific and is the story of a reef that was overfished and almost obliterated, before the local village stepped up to protect the place. Cabo Pulmo has since gained national protection and has rebounded in an astonishing way over the last 20 years.The upside is that there is a population of bull sharks, other sharks, and huge schools of fish.
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Day 6 – 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 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. If you are joining one of our Guadalupe great white shark trips, we will be sure to provide seamless transfers to Ensenada. If you are joining one of our Socorro trips, you may be able to board same-day in Cabo San Lucas.
*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 am I going to see in the Sea of Cortez ?
The best of the Sea of Cortez! Huge schools of fish, sea lions, bull sharks, tiger sharks and for the first time in many years, mantas! With typically 100ft + visibility.
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?
Loads! Up to four dives per day! Guests will also have ample time for shore walks, kayaking, paddle boarding, and relaxation.
How much experience do I need?
Snorkelers enjoy these trips because of the nice conditions; however, these are primarily dive trips. Suitable for divers of all experience levels. Guests who are new to diving will likely want to be with a divemaster at all times. Experienced and self-reliant divers are welcome to have complete freedom if they choose. Most divers are in between these two levels.
How do I get there?
It is best to fly into Cabo San Lucas (SJD) the day before. We have excellent contract rates with local hotels and our staff at the Cabo Dive Center will be waiting to take care of you!
How much does a trip cost?
The luxury of a yacht and the functionality of a dive boat for USD$2495.00! Premium suite available for $2995.00. This includes onboard accommodation, food, non-alcoholic beverages, and diving! (Price to be verified)
Blogs
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Swimming with Sperm Whales in the Sea Of Cortez
Recently we spotted a large group of Sperm whales. We had to stop! We got the skiffs in the water very very quickly and told the group to just grab their mask fins and snorkel and go see them.
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Cabo Pulmo Diving expedition
Cabo Pulmo National Park, nesting in a unique landscape shaped over the last 25,000 years, was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1995 because of the significant diversity and importance of the marine species that inhabit the area. Today, the national park is home to 6,000 marine species.
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The Gallant Lady Sails! – Capt. Mike
The Nautilus Gallant Lady is beautiful. Really beautiful. We are so pleased and proud of how she turned out. I feel like a new papa taking loads of baby pic’s!!
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Bahía de los Ángeles is an Unforgettable Experience
The highlight of our first day in the Sea of Cortez was snorkeling with whale sharks.
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Whale Sharks, Orcas, Sea Lions and More in Bahia de los Angeles
Incredible. There must have been 3 or 4 whale sharks that we swam with.
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Our Partner in Bahía: Ricardo’s Diving Tours
For all our Bahía trips, we are working with a local dive company, Ricardo’s Diving Tours, to bring our guests the best possible experience as well as support the local ecotourism industry.
