sea of cortez dive sites map

Temperatures can vary from site to site and are usually in the range of 70 to 82°F (21-28°C), although thermoclines can make the temperature gauge in your dive computer work hard. Throughout the shallows sea lions are likely to play joyfully all around you, darting this way and that with incredible ease. Particularly fearless and fun are the juveniles, of which there are many in August and September. Signs of climate change in the Sea of Cortez seem to be evident in the fish that are now found here in San Carlos. A unique dive site that slopes down to 45 ft where a wall of big boulders drop down to 90 ft. The Sea of Cortez is a truly beautiful place with natural wonders, wildlife and culture. Central Sea of Cortez Mexico Dive Map & Reef Creatures Guide Franko Maps Laminated Fish Card Map – January 13, 2017 by Franko Maps Ltd. (Author) 4.5 out of 5 stars 2 ratings. The central peak, with its shallow depths and relatively flattop, is the primary dive site and anchoring location The advice we got from Dive The World was very informative and the staff we spoke to were very helpful. The Sea of Cortez, also known as the Gulf of California, is a unique corner of the Pacific Ocean. It is a great site for sea lions that may swoop and swim around you like the playful puppies of the ocean that they are. With a max depth of 35 ft, great visibility, coral heads, walls covered with gorgonians and hundreds of schooling fish Swanne Reef is an excellent dive site. A unique dive site that slopes down to 45 ft where a wall of big boulders drop down to 90 ft. The topography consists of a pinnacle featuring a series of shelves and caverns that you can explore on the look-out for creatures as diverse as giant jawfish, sea horses and horn sharks. FOR SALE! I stayed north of town, at Campo Archelon ( resendizshidalgo@yahoo.com ),which attracts an eclectic mix, including visiting scientists, assorted Baja legends, and nonlegends like me. Here big schools of green jack find shelter from larger predators, at any given time you can be surrounded by them just to see them disappear when other fish or a sea lion comes by. Cormorant feeding, near La Paz. There is no guarantee of such behavior here but these and other ray species can be sighted at La Vela. As long as divers are cautious and respectful, mama sea lions have no problem allowing their pups to play with visiting scuba divers and snorkelers. Our D.M. La Paz, Baja & Sea of Cortez Underwater Photos . There’s a multitude of fish life and several species of ray buried in the surrounding sand. This results in a high diversity of smaller species, but have no fear, there are some large species spectacles as well. Another great sight seen underwater while diving in Baja. To truly appreciate the beauty of La Paz, you have to look beneath the surface! In depths of 80ft (25m) a large reef is found populated by gorgonias of all types, brain corals, large schools of brightly coloured tropical fish, rays, green, zebra & jewelled morays. Here you can spot various different nudibranchs such as Chromodoris baumanni, Elysia diomedea, Flabelliina iodinea and Glossodoris sedna which is indigenous to the northern part of the sea, although it has been introduced elsewhere. Subject to currents. Female sea lions may appear relaxed, but they keep a close eye on their pups at Los Islotes dive site in the Sea of Cortez. These inquisitive creatures take great interest in those visiting their home. The Sea of Cortez, also known as the Gulf of California, is a 700 miles (1,126 km) stretch of water sheltered from the Pacific Ocean by the Baja California peninsula. Diving With The Cortez Club. Hammerhead sharks and tunas join them in the blue, meaning there is always plenty of big stuff to look out for when diving here. The wreck has formed an “artificial reef” attracting a wide variety of marine life. Occasionally dense clouds of krill may be present bringing with them the promise of whales. We were met by Mariachi bands and entertained by young singers and dancers in beautiful Mexican dress. A local dive site boasting a large number of coral heads, small caves and overhangs. Whales sharks are commonly spotted throughout the year with juveniles more frequent between late September and the end of November. At this time they come to feed on the plankton blooms so do not expect great visibility. More Reading: Where Can You Swim With Seahorses (Best Place To Scuba Dive With Seahorses) But of course, the Sea of Cortez is also known for Mobula Rays. The sea was calm and the colors of the sea changed often from dark blue to green and turquoise. New Marina C3, App 201 10.00 - 17.00 +201281414499 info@blueplanet-liveaboards.com. Cross over the U.S.-Mexico border below the California state line and you've entered the great Baja peninsula. Show more. The El Arrayo, Punta Martir dive sites includes a sea wall dive which extends down 40 metres (120 feet). -- Alexander Thrane, Norway. Head to Dolphin Dive Baja for tours and equipment. July to November is the Sea of Cortez liveaboard season, although shore diving is possible year round. Schools range from between six to hundreds travelling in a clockwise direction around the seamount for unknown reasons. Our unsurpassed service is geared toward a hassle free and relaxing dive experience. Situated half a mile north of Isla Espiritu Santo are Los Islotes, two large rock islets one of which is a natural arch. These are few dive sites from our ever-growing lists of great dives. Once home of a colony of Sea Lions who occasionally return to visit their old home. Unlike Guadalupe and Socorro, there is beautiful reef scenery here and a wide array of smaller marine species, as evidenced by the nudibranch lovers' favorite dive site, La Vela. The plankton-rich currents of the Pacific along the western coast of California Sur and sheltered waters of the Sea of Cortez support whale sharks, dolphins, giant manta rays and schools of sharks such as scalloped hammerheads. Enjoy spectacular diving in the Baja California Peninsular aboard the MV Valentina Liveaboard Mexico. These islets are home to a colony of over 200 Californian Brown Sea lions. Side One is a map of Baja and Sonora surrounding the Sea of Cortez with descriptions of 12 major dive regions. As a seamount El Bajo is home to an abundance of sea life, mass schooling fish (amber jacks, tuna etc), octopus and the impressive Panamic Green moray; a colony of over fifty can be found in a small canyon. La Paz has some more stellar sites in the Sea of Cortez, and is a favorite of the locals. Also know as “la loberita” was home to some 150 California Brown Sea Lions some 20 years ago, they probably changed their site or residence due to the north winds that slam against the face of this dive site during the winter storms. Discover some of the best dive sites in the world. Diving through the centre of this natural rock formation brimming with life one can expect to see dense shoals of silver sardines, blue and gold King Angel Fish and yellow surgeon fish amongst golden cup corals. While many of the sites close to shore can be dived as day trips, liveaboards operate here and provide the best means of experiencing all that this wondrous stretch of water has to offer. When diving "the washing machine of lost souls" it is easy to imagine that each of the thousands of schooling jacks represents a soul as their sheer mass of numbers surrounds you and blocks out the light. Lorenzo tried 3 times at the El Bajo seamount dive site to encounter with them, but to no avail. Duration inc. flights: 10 days; Price inc. flights: From £ 2,295 pp; Trip type: Tailor-made trip idea For further reading on the climate and water temperature at Puerto Penasco on the Sea of Cortez, visit HikersBay. Side Two is an identification guide with fish, shark and … Share your diving experiences & keep track of your dives online! Schooling fish and a Mexican Hogfish, Photo by Mike Bartick with a Nikon D200, Nikon 10.5mm fisheye lens . Underwater circumnavigation of these islands is invariably exciting and always visually diverse. Both propellers are exposed and many of the trucks which where her cargo are still visible and their tyres remain inflated to this day. Schools of hammerhead sharks and encounters with manta rays, breaching mobula rays and magnificent whale sharks are also headlining diving attractions of the Sea of Cortez. See all formats and editions Hide other formats and editions. Voted as one of the most enjoyable sites by our divers. Hooray, you received our letter! Jun 7, 2017 - Diving around the world. These can include Panamic sergeant majors, Cortez damselfish and Beaubrummel damselfish. These vessels were confiscated by the Mexican government for the illegal transportation of immigrants, and remained in their possession until the golden opportunity arose of taking advantage of the situation to create an artificial reef. When at the surface the smell from the bird droppings that cake the rock of La Vela, meaning 'the sail', encourages a swift submersion. Find comfortable dive temps between 73 and 86 degrees Farenheight from May through November. Photo by Linda Blanchard. Diving San Carlos reports and photos have been provided by Feliza Rios (El Mar Diving Center), Mike Huhn (Ocean Sports San Carlos), Russ Fontaine, Johan Broere and Becky & Jim.Diving Report: August 10, 2016. NOTE: this is an Advanced Open Water Dive. This reef is now marked with a channel marker to avoid more incidents. 7. The wall can play host to jewel morays and Panamic morays. One of the caves has a … This is a “must dive” site! Divers can see sea lions, mobula rays, dolphins, huge schools of fish, manta rays and whale sharks. This dive is subject to current, but is home to over 8 giant pacific manta rays. Winter sees frequent visitors from the open ocean including humpback and sperm whales. The larger bulls become pugnacious and territorial during the mating season in protection of their harem. The Sea of Cortez, also known as the Gulf of California, is a unique corner of the Pacific Ocean. The Sea of Cortez, narrow yet deep, is home to a variety of dive sites from exposed pinnacles with heavy current to protected coral reefs. Sea lions are present all year round. Price New from Used from Map, January 13, 2017 "Please retry" $5.99 . It lies between mainland Mexico and Baja California. The months between June and November are the very best time of the year to visit the area. That is what makes diving in the Sea of Cortez special compared to other locations on Mexico's Pacific coast. The Sea of Cortez has some amazing Technical Dive sites and promises some amazing encounters for divers qualified to dive technically. Other dive sites were memorable, especially "Loberia de San Francisquito", where California sea lions were performing acrobatic tricks for our group, and the elusive Mexican barracudas were present. This site is among the most beautiful in the area. Water of all shades of blue sits against an arid desert backdrop and an assortment of islands. Skip to content. A rock islet just north of Isla Cerralvo with a lighthouse. It’s coastline (4,000 kilometers/2,500 miles) makes it second only to the Malay Peninsula in terms of length. We request that you get in touch and we can discuss the dives you want to achieve in the Sea of Cortez. Whale Island. They seem to stare quizzically at these strange humans jumping in the water as they waddle in an ungainly fashion over the rocky land. The MV Valentina Liveaboard visits the abundant dive sites of the Sea Of Cortez from August to November where divers can hope to see sea lions, huge schools of sardines and hammerhead sharks, and the amazing diving of the Socorro Islands to look for humpback whales, manta rays and whale … Diving San Carlos Reports. Here, you will find information on how to get to the Sea of Cortez. You will find all your equipment waiting for you on the boat in the morning, which will be moored at our private jetty. 'Las Animas' is named after the church bells which ring to summon lost souls and 'El Lavadero' translates as "the washing machine". The top of this reef is only 6 ft deep and it is covered with living coral where a wide variety of creatures find and call it home. This site is where the famous wreck of the “Salvatierra” hit bottom some 35 years ago you can still find the deep gauge left behind by the big ferry, now barely visible because it is so overgrown by corals and sea fans. Although the Sea of Cortez is perhaps most famous for its cetaceans, visitors to La Paz frequently find themselves delighted by the California sea lion. Show more. While the Gulf of California is famed for large animal encounters, it also delivers on a macro scale. Large groupers, sea fans, brain corals and conger garden eels are among the attractions, which make this a favourite site. This is a truly thrilling and spectacular site to see in the Sea of Cortez. Also known as Gulf of Mexico, Sea of Cortés or Vermilion Sea (in Spanish Mar de Cortés or Mar Bermejo or Golfo de California) Gray whales are most commonly encountered between January and March when they seek sheltered bays to mate and give birth. 7 Moray eels! You will most likely drop in here in shallow waters and descend to between 8 and 10m before then making your way down a steep wall to deeper sections of the site at 30 to 40m. Underwater you can expect unforgettable scuba encounters with playful sea lions at sites throughout the area.Schools of hammerhead sharks and encounters with manta rays, breaching mobula rays and magnificent whale sharks are also headlining diving attractions of the Sea of Cortez. One of the first spots to dive on a northern Sea of Cortez liveaboard cruise is Angel Island. Los Islotes dive site Hundreds of boobies rest and ease their bowels atop Pedro Martir, another pre-dive delight to the senses in the Sea of Cortez. Sea lion, photo by Mike Bartick . In the months prior to that you may witness the birth of this new generation. This is our popular night dive site, where on can see huge sleeping Parrot Fish cocooned in their own mucus hiding their scent from potential predators and upon waking, swim free of the cocoon. The Baja peninsula is home to unique flora and fauna that have evolved in near isolation, so it's no surprise that the Sea of Cortez divin… Within the sea there are thousands of islands, pinnacles and rocks around which are countless liveaboard dive sites. As a result, the swells of the Pacific have little effect here meaning the seas are often flat calm. On the 18th November 1999, two Chinese metal vessels named Fang Ming and Lapas03, of 56 meters and 36 meters of length respectively were sunk close to Isla Ballena. Divers may also come across seahorses here such as the Pacific seahorse in and around the wall where innumerable blennies poke their heads out, octopus skulk from crevice to crevice hunting, and swarms of little reef fish dance around. The Sea of Cortez separates the Baja California Peninsula from the Mexican mainland. Between the islands is a sand shelf containing a large “garden” of conger eels – these peculiar creatures feed by extending their bodies vertically from holes in the sea floor, swaying in the currents whilst waiting for passing morsels. Head to Los Islotes, where you can dive through an arch, swimming with sea lions and parrotfish. Dive Site Maps, Here you can find some of the dive site maps by a diving safari. In late spring and summer this site is visited by “Mobula Manta”, some times seen in pairs and small groups but a lot of times they will completely block out the sun because they will school in the thousands as a squadron, definitely one of the most amazing sites in the Sea of Cortez. Bahia de los Angeles is a little fishing town with big diving fun. The flat rock inside the cove is home to a small colony of California sea lions which dive and play with the divers. 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