Cabo San Lucas Dive Operators & Sites

[High Plains Drifter]

Hi All,

A buddy and I will be heading down to Cabo San Lucas the 2nd week of October and plan on diving at least a few days while we're down there. So far, we do have a day trip scheduled up to Cabo Pulmo, but I'm looking for anyone's thoughts on dive sites (and dive shops) in or near San Lucas. While my friend is an accomplished diver, I have only about 50 dives logged, so I'm also looking for dives commensurate with my noobie status . One of the shops we're looking into is Underwater Diversions -- anyone have any experience with them?

Thanks,
HPD

[frrdiver]

I recomend AMIGOS DEL MAR, they are in Cabo San Lucas, www.amigosdelmar.com Depends on your stay stay they will prepare a dive package for you. Cabo Pulmo is good, actually is the only reef in the area, but is a long, long trip from Cabo, and you will spent like two hours driving, and like 45 min on a dirt road to get there. Other alternatives is the Arch (Diving with Sea Lions) and also ask for Gordo Banks dive site, you can see schools of Hammer Heads sharks and mantas. End of October visibility decrease due to the plankton, but increase the possibilities of Big Animal Encounters!!! ENJOY CABO AMIGO

[Zenagirl]

I've always heard good things about Amigo Del Mar as well and plan to use them when we get down to Cabo in the next couple of years (our friends have a timeshare there now!).

Please post a trip report when you return!

[High Plains Drifter]

I recomend AMIGOS DEL MAR, they are in Cabo San Lucas, www.amigosdelmar.com Depends on your stay stay they will prepare a dive package for you.

-They were also recommended to me. A second recommendation goes a long way. Thank you.

also ask for Gordo Banks dive site, you can see schools of Hammer Heads sharks and mantas. End of October visibility decrease due to the plankton, but increase the possibilities of Big Animal Encounters!!!

-I'm glad you mentioned that. I asked the folks at Underwater Diversions about Gordo Banks and they said that shark encounters there had dropped considerably in the last few years. As a result, they rarely go. Don't know whether that's true or a case of a dive shop not wanting to make the trip when there are sites more easily accessed. I'll see what Amigos has to say.

Please post a trip report when you return!

-Consider it done.

[Chocoholic]

Here's a third vote for Amigos Del Mar. I use them every time I go to Cabo. Just email them, Kevin the owner usually answers back in a couple days. He said that he lives there all the time and his favourite time to dive is Sep, Oct and Nov. I took an AOW class from them and was happy with it.
The across the bay sites are nice too but my fav is sea lion rock. Cabo Pulmo was excellent, but it was a really long drive on dirt road for part of it.
Have fun. choco

[bellbadboy]

We went last year and used Tia Sport. They are right on the beach in front of the hotel Melia. There is parking in front of the hotel, grab your gear and walk down the stairs to the beach and they are right there. No waiting and no reservations. It's about $80 for a 2 tank dive out to any of the dive sites there. They are super cool and very safe. When you are done thay will hold your gear and you can eat and drink on the beach at a great restraunt next door.

[drewcandoo]

I did the padi referral with my daughter in july at Underwater Diversions in Cabo. Dive master was great. Owners name is Dustin. You would need to check for scheduled dives if you want to go outside the bay area.

[Chocoholic]

So how was your trip and how warm was the water?

[divingchef]

I live in Cabo and use Adventuras Azul. They are a smaller operation, but seem to know their stuff.....a little less "tourist" than the others....

You can also set up some dive/fish trips.....get in the water with a hooked up marlin like Guy Harvey.....

Pretty cool.....

DD

[High Plains Drifter]

Sorry, I spaced off with an update on the trip. In general, it was great. While we were down there, we were only able to get in three days of diving. The first place we hit was Cabo Pulmo, about 2 hours north of Cabo San Lucas.

For those who don't know, Cabo Pulmo claims to be home to the only living coral reef in western North America. We used the only (I think) dive operator there, the Cabo Pulmo Dive Center, located at the Cabo Pulmo Beach Resort (Cabo Pulmo Beach Resort - Cabo Pulmo Marine Park Baja Mexico.). The dives themselves were awesome with lots of fish (see below). Getting to the dive sites was a chore though. There was so much chop on the water that they almost cancelled the day's dives. Luckily they didn't, although two on the little panga we took to the dive site probably wish they had. The waves were too much and it wasn't more than 10 minutes on the water before a couple people got sick and started "chumming." Conditions under the surface were great -- warm water, good viz. We were dropped on end of the reef and just let the current move us to the end. Because conditions above water weren't good, and since we only had one day, our sampling of the marine reserve was a small one. I'd be interested to hear from those who have been able to hit more sites.





Cabo San Lucas, where we spent our last two days diving, is another story. We were very pleased with the operator, Underwater Diversions, but the dives themselves weren't the most exciting. The currents at Lands End made for an exhausting dive, and the sand fall at Neptune's Finger wasn't very impressive, particularly when I saw that it had to be kick-started by the dive master. These obviously aren't dives for one wanting to get away from the crowds. The other dive operators, plus the glass bottom and fishing boats moving through the area made for a very noisy dive (constant sound of engines overhead). It didn't seem to bother the fish though.




I forgot to add -- the water was very warm. My computer said 87 at the surface in Cabo San Lucas! It was 83 at 100'. WARM!!!