Sea of Cortes

Conditions on the Sea of Cortes differ greatly depending on the time of year, dive site and tidal flow. Visibility inside the bays can be as low as 1 meter with visibility at the outer island and sea mounts having well over 30 meters. Average visibility would be about 15 to 20 meters but once again this can change from day to day.

Temperature also depends heavily on the time of the year, depth and currents. Temperature can range from 93 degrees on the surface in October to 57 degrees underwater in May. In general the water temperature in surface from July to December is around 75 to 85 degrees with less than a 5 degree temperature change at depth.

Currents are found at most locations and they also can vary from no current to a 5 knot current in less than an hour. Most of the time there will be at least a light current up to 1 knot at most dive sites.

Islands North to South

Isla San Clemente - This island is the furthest away from La Paz before you get to the Midriff islands. there are two dive sites on the island, one on the NE point drops off to over 40 m where there is an abundance of fish and black coral as well as a strong current. The other is just around the corner with rocky boulders and fish down to 20 m on the north face of the island.

Isla San Diego - located over 1 km. from San Diego Island is a small area of rocks that comes above water level about 1 m. Depths around these rocks are about 10 m and the underside is full of caverns and grottos that you can easily swim trough. The reef extends SW and curves around like a horseshoe to depths of 30 m Turtles can usually be found resting all over the reef and whale sharks and mobulas are rarely seen when there is a strong current flowing over the reef. The fish life around the rocks is incredible and it is like swimming in an aquarium. Look out for nudibranch, sea horses and blue spotted jawfish. this is also excellent for night dives if there is no current.

Isla Las Animas - This small island has some of the best diving sites in the Sea of Cortes, anywhere you jump in the water around the island is a good dive spot. The northern rock and eastern pinnacles are frequented by small aggregations of hammerhead sharks as well as lots of schooling fish and even sailfish. The southern sea mounts also have hammerheads and occasionally whales sharks or manta rays.

All these areas usually have strong current flowing over the reef. The fish life including the north and east side of the island have a series of caverns, some extending well beyond the limits of recreational divers.The cove on the west side is a great night dive as it is protected from the currents and there are a few sea lions that live on the west rocks. It is also possible to see and snorkel with buttienose dolphins, pilot whales and even giant squid at night.

Rocas de las Focas - A small set of rocks that breaks the surface of the west of island Francisquito. Both sides drop off to a sandy bottom in about 20m and there is a small colony of lions that play on the rocks. there can be current here and usually lots of reef fish with a occasional school of barracuda.

Marisla Sea mount - Also known as "El Bajo", is actually 3 separate sea mounts rising up close together. While it is possible to visit all three in one dive. There is usually a strong current that prohibits this, the northern sea mount is most famous for aggregations of hammerhead sharks wich are normally found to the NE in 40m of the water. The tops of the sea mounts are all around 20m and the middle sea mount is covered with large green moray eels. Lots of schooling pelagic fish can be found here and occasional sightings of whale sharks and manta rays.

Los Islotes - This is the largest sea lion rookery in the Sea of Cortes. Depth is usually around 5m but it can drop off over rocky boulder to 20m or more. The sea lions are the highlight of the dive with pups playing with the divers from September to October. At the west side of the island is another sea mount called "El Bajito", with the top at 5m and dropping off to 30m around the sides. This used to be one of the primary spots for collecting pearls and there are still lots of oysters in the broken waffle like terrain on the top.

Isla Ballena - A small reef extends from the western side and drops off to 30m where there is another small sea mount. small reef fish and eels are found in the rocky boulders at 20m.

Balandra - A beautiful cove on mainland Baja, has inside the western tipe of marine sanctuary. Visibility is usually not very good and the reef starts from 1 to 15m where there is a sandy bottom. In the sand there is a 5m statue of Christ holding a triton shell and also very large jewfish can be found in their holes in the sand.

La Reina - This is another small rock that has a navigation light on the top of it and a small sea lion colony. All sides drop off to 20m with a shipwreck in the sand on the southern side. There are several blue spotted jawfish in the sand by the wreck and seahorses, frogfish and even a sea spider can be found on the reef. There is usually a strong current here and whale sharksand mantas have been spotted here as well.

Isla Cerralvo - A small rock off the NW side of the island is called Carpenter Rock. the reef drops off on the E side to 20m and off the W side to over 40m. Another sea mount can be found to the NW of Carpenter Rock. This sea mount starts in 15m and drops off once again to over 40m. Lots of reef fish cover both areas and this is one of the best areas in the Sea of Cortes to find the giant seahorses and frogfish.

Information provided by:
Scott Sundby of Amigos del Mar dive shop and Solmar live-aboard dive boat in Cabo San Lucas
Telephone: (624) 143-0505.