A whaleshark swims by as we anticipate encounters at the whaleshark sanctuary of El Mogote.
Brown sea urchins can be found at the sublittoral zone.
A moray eel slithers into it's den.
A sea lion swims by chaecking us out.
Off in the distant another male swims by.
In anticiaption of the sea lions swimming within view.
A Giant Hawkfish looks on.
Can you make out the elusive Sea of Cortez octopus?
Photographing nudibranchs.
A sea turtle swims by.
A Bullseye stingray lays quiet on the seafloor.
A brown sea cucumber feeding on the seafloor.
A Guinea Fowl Puffer in it's golden phase.
Diving down to a wreck.
Orange cup coral.
A Puffer fish lays hidden in the rocks as the divers swim by.
The visibility is pretty good revealing the amazing abundance of marine life.
The group gets ready for their first dive.
The Sea of Cortez, located off the eastern coast of the Baja Peninsula in Baja, Mexico, offers a Galapagos type setting playing host to some of the rarest and most beautiful marine life encounters on earth. The area is rated as one of the top 10 spots for SCUBA diving on the planet. It is truly the “aquarium of the world” boasting an amazing diversity of marine life to include eels, stingrays, manta rays, sea lions, sharks and whale sharks.
Our live-aboard expeditions on board Panterra’s 110 ft. live aboard, the MV Adventure, takes our guests on a voyage of discovery departing from the city of La Paz, Mexico, a few hours drive from famous Cabo San Lucas. The ship is fully equipped for diving featuring staterooms (double/quad) with air conditioning. It has a very large dive deck with individual dive stations for your gear, 2 support satellite skiffs with outboard engines supporting the dive activities, ensuring safety at all times.
In the areas we will be diving (the southern Sea of Cortez) a year round water temperature of 20°- 25° Celsius (70° to 80°F) can be experienced in the first 10 meters (30’) of water. These temperatures support the warm tropical waters that come in from the South Pacific.
Below the 10 meter (30’) depth, seasonal water temperatures are generally as follows:
WINTER/SPRING (Dec. – April) – Water temperature drops to 10 – 15° Celsius (50–60°F) freezing out the tropical waters.
SPRING SUMMER (May – July) - The water temperature rises during this time, and the thermoclines can be found deeper. Water temperatures can change gradually from a surface temperature of 22° Celsius (75°F) and plunge to 14° Celsius (60°F) at 20 meter (60’) depths. This is considered cold water diving requiring 4 – 6mm wetsuits.
LATE SUMMER FALL (August – November) – The water temperature is 25° Celsius (80°F) to depths of 20 – 35 meters (60 – 100’). This is prime time for diving with tropical water temperatures. Divers require a 3 – 5 mm wetsuit.
Because of the plankton-rich waters seasonal variations in the plankton concentration can be experienced in unmistakable layers or masses. As a general rule, visibility in May/June is 10 – 13 meters (30’ – 40’) and, later in the season, October/November visibility is 27 – 35 meters (80’ –100’).
One can usually expect calm seas and minimal distance between dives. While most of the diving is considered moderate, there are places suitable only for advanced divers.
Tropical storms may occur during summer and fall, similar to that of the Caribbean. They generally occur from mid-September to mid-October. La Paz and its waters tend to be protected from storm swells by the peninsula land mass to the west and the larger islands to the east. Air temperatures cool at night often requiring light pants and a jacket. The hottest months are August/September.
The start of the winter season brings with it the north winds and rough seas making sport diving undesirable. The season for scuba diving is May – November.
Our expeditions are geared toward diving, however, you will also have time for other activities. One can expect being able to hike on desert island trails and explore the surrounding geology, meander through mangrove lagoons by panga, kayak along pristine shorelines and stargaze into the night.
There is something magical about the Sea of Cortez. It is a world of a different time, place and rhythm, giving divers an experience with an amazing diversity of marine life encounters. Imagine diving with sea lions, snorkeling with whale sharks, exploring a seamount with circling hammerhead sharks while watching a giant manta ray glide by, observing a school of tuna and jacks or exploring a wreck. This is just the beginning where we have mentioned only a handful of the Cortez Dive Sites one can anticipate visiting. Our ship offers a live-aboard dive vacation soon not to be forgotten!
2012 Dive Expeditions:
(please click on title for Expedition Brochure in PDF format)
1. Journey Into the Mysterious World of the Whale Shark
La Paz, BCS, Mexico
8 Day Expedition
June 9 – 16 - 8 spots left
Diver Information Form – to be submitted with the initial deposit.
If you want an unique vacation experience that is fun and rewarding, our all inclusive adventure travel expeditions are exactly what you are looking for.
Our Sea of Cortez expeditions leave from La Paz, Baja California Sur Mexico. La Paz is a few hours north of the famous Cabo San Lucas and south of scenic Loreto.
