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Scuba Forum / Scuba Locations / September 2005pacific mexico
Can anyone tell me about diving in Los Cabos or Ixtapa > Can anyone tell me about diving in Los Cabos or Ixtapa Los Cabos: 20-30' viz, chillier water on the Pacific side, sea lions, some tropicals. Worth doing once to say you've done it once. Much better to go up the gulf to Cabo Pulmo or La Paz or further. Ixtapa (actually Zihuatenejo): better viz and a bit warmer than Los Cabos. Tropicals, but only small stuff as it's overfished. Still, I'm not sure it's even worth doing once and it's certainly no "diving destination". > > Can anyone tell me about diving in Los Cabos or Ixtapa My follow-up to that a couple of days ago somehow got lost in google. Didn't bother to repost. This was basically what I said to the Q: *> Yes, some "anyone" can. I even know who that "anyone" will *> show in this thread. That prediction would have realized today. > Los Cabos: 20-30' viz, chillier water on the Pacific side, sea lions, some > tropicals. Worth doing once to say you've done it once. Much better to go [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > Tropicals, but only small stuff as it's overfished. Still, I'm not sure > it's even worth doing once and it's certainly no "diving destination". It's not worth even saying "Been there. Done that." :-) It would have been "Been there, many times. NOT done any diving" for me. My line was indirect: *> I've been to each at least twice this year. Never got wet. *> Never got wet there on previous occasions either. -- Bob. > Can anyone tell me about diving in Los Cabos or Ixtapa Do you do Pacific diving in general? If not, don't expect tropical. But there are places from San Diego on down to Los Cabos on both sides that have some remarkable stuff. >> Can anyone tell me about diving in Los Cabos or Ixtapa > > Do you do Pacific diving in general? If not, don't expect tropical. Why wouldn't one expect tropical in Los Cabos or Ixtapa? >>Do you do Pacific diving in general? If not, don't expect tropical. > > Why wouldn't one expect tropical in Los Cabos or Ixtapa? Perhaps I should have said, ``Don't expect Caribbean temperatures and visibility.'' >> Why wouldn't one expect tropical in Los Cabos or Ixtapa? > > Perhaps I should have said, ``Don't expect Caribbean temperatures and > visibility.'' OK, but for the sake of argument, I'll still argue. The water is plenty warm on the Sea of Cortez side of Los Cabos (toward San Jose del Cabo), and temps further up the Sea exceed the Caribbean's in summer, reaching to 90 degrees at times. Viz can also be stunning in the Sea, though admittedly not the 100'+ that you can find in some spots in the Caribbean. Of course there are plenty of spots in the Caribbean where viz sucks much of the time. As for Ixtapa, the water does approximate Caribbean temperatures. The viz is lower, but not terrible, and certainly better than what I've experienced off Ambergris Caye (sorry chilly!), Grand Cayman, and Puerto Rico (cough). Perhaps you should have said "Don't expect Caribbean coral". I wouldn't have argued with that. Even at Cabo Pulmo, which is rumored to be a coral reef, the coral sucks in comparison to anything but the cruise-ship battered reefs off 7 Mile Beach. Still, rocks can be pretty too. Look how many people dive in caves where there's nothing but rocks. The most memorable thing about diving in Ixtapa was the DM on one dive. She had an extraordinarily cute figure and I positioned myself right behind her the entire time. I have no idea if we saw any marine life. On the other hand, the most memorable thing about diving in Cabo Pulmo was a fellow diver who the DM had put in charge. Apparently she was living out there, doing her DM training, and the real DM complained he was too cold. I do remember that she went too fast, getting to the end of the reef while we still had half our air, so she doubled back and had us swim against the current. On the next dive, we rebelliously did our own thing and she, and her mom who was down there visiting her, ended up following us. That's not the memorable part. What was memorable is that she had the most astonishing female body hair. Being half-Guatemalan (her mother was Caucasian American), her hair was thick and black. It also covered almost every inch of her exposed skin and she was wearing a skimpy bikini. All up and down her arms and legs, including a really thick patch covering her inner thighs and extending above the bikini strap to about halfway up her torso. Lots of hair under the arms too. I couldn't keep my eyes off her either. >>>Why wouldn't one expect tropical in Los Cabos or Ixtapa? >> >>Perhaps I should have said, ``Don't expect Caribbean temperatures and >>visibility.'' > > OK, but for the sake of argument, I'll still argue. I'm shocked. > Perhaps you should have said "Don't expect Caribbean coral". Fair enough. All my info on Cabo is hearsay anyway. I've been to Mulege'. My point is, I got the impression the original poster has not dove the Pacific. I gather that a lot of people get turned off by the diving at Los Cabos because ``it's not the Caribbean.'' But that don't mean it can't be great. One gray whale and it's worth the trip... > I wouldn't > have argued with that. Sure you would have. > Even at Cabo Pulmo, which is rumored to be a coral > reef, the coral sucks in comparison to anything but the cruise-ship battered > reefs off 7 Mile Beach. Still, rocks can be pretty too. Look how many > people dive in caves where there's nothing but rocks. In many ways, I prefer them as I generally prefer the Pacific environment. Diving the Sea of Cortez from Mulege' was cold, though, even in June, and not your typical clear water setup. Though the dive operator did say we came the wrong week. > The most memorable thing about diving in Ixtapa was the DM on one dive. She > had an extraordinarily cute figure and I positioned myself right behind her > the entire time. I have no idea if we saw any marine life. Unh hunh. > Fair enough. All my info on Cabo is hearsay anyway. I've been to > Mulege'. I've been meaning to make a road trip down there someday. Some old hippie friends of my mom have some land out at Punta Chivato and have invited me several times. Now that Alaska Airlines has a flight from LAX to Loreto, I'd probably hop on that instead and save about 24 hours of driving each way. > My point is, I got the impression the original poster has not dove the > Pacific. I gather that a lot of people get turned off by the diving at > Los Cabos because ``it's not the Caribbean.'' But that don't mean it > can't be great. One gray whale and it's worth the trip... I enjoyed it for a couple days. The Caribbean really needs to get itself some sea lions. I find them more fun than whales, though I confess I've never dove with a whale before. Unlike further up the Pacific coast, you have a fair selection of tropicals, though nowhere near the variety that you'd find further up the Sea side. At Land's End you can definitely feel the difference between the Pacific and the Sea waters, as dramatic as any thermocline, simply by swimming around to the other side of one of the big rocks. I have few lousy shots up at http://users.adelphia.net/~gmossman/Cabo/cabo_frame.htm . > Sure you would have. No I wouldn't. > In many ways, I prefer them as I generally prefer the Pacific > environment. Diving the Sea of Cortez from Mulege' was cold, though, even > in June, and not your typical clear water setup. Though the dive operator > did say we came the wrong week. One nice thing about rocks is that you can touch them. Coral reefs, for the most part, make a diver keep his hands hands idle. I end up feeling like I'm playing soccer and I've always hated soccer. That's the main reason I bought a camera. With rock diving, you can get up close and personal, able to hold oneself in place for as long as one wants regardless of the current or surge, without having to fin spastically or cause too much damage. The DM in Cabo was much more interactive than your average Caribbean DM, though we finally stopped playing with him after he violently yanked an octopus out of her lair. Later that day I had tacos de pulpo. I guess it's all relative. > I have few lousy shots up at > http://users.adelphia.net/~gmossman/Cabo/cabo_frame.htm . real pretty and the fx on the tech are neat too mk5000 "if you enjoy studying the New York wildlife, this Parisian- style brasserie is overflowing character - anc characters. It serves basic but consistently good fare, and the staff and patrons are really fun, especially at brunch on a sunny weekend"--Duncan Quinn > The Caribbean really needs to get itself some sea lions. I find them more > fun than whales, though I confess I've never dove with a whale before. ? >> The Caribbean really needs to get itself some sea lions. I find them >> more fun than whales, though I confess I've never dove with a whale >> before. > > ? Sea lions are pinnipeds of the Otaridae family. They have cute puppy-dog eyes and love to play with divers, especially me: http://users.adelphia.net/~gmossman/Galapagos/jpg_Sea_Lion.htm Whales, on the other hand, are big bloated cetaceans, unfriendly to most divers and they emit a horrible noise that they call "song". I've heard better song in the worst of karaoke bars. I don't have a picture of a whale because they aren't very photogenic, a fact that demonstrates their relative unfriendliness at least as compared to sea lions. I do, however, have a picture of a whale shark. Whale sharks are much quieter and, in my opinion, that makes them better: http://users.adelphia.net/~gmossman/Galapagos/jpg_Whale_Shark.htm Hope that clears it up for you. > http://users.adelphia.net/~gmossman/Galapagos/jpg_Sea_Lion.htm > http://users.adelphia.net/~gmossman/Galapagos/jpg_Whale_Shark.htm > > Hope that clears it up for you. Those might be the worst underwater photographs I have ever been directed to. I cannot imagine how bad they must have been before you beat them to muddled pulp in post-production. >> http://users.adelphia.net/~gmossman/Galapagos/jpg_Sea_Lion.htm >> http://users.adelphia.net/~gmossman/Galapagos/jpg_Whale_Shark.htm [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > to. I cannot imagine how bad they must have been before you beat them to > muddled pulp in post-production. I can show you worse if you'd like. Here's a truly horrible one of the underside of a manta that will make you cringe: http://users.adelphia.net/~gmossman/Kona/jpg_Manta_at_Night_7.htm See, now you can't say that the first two were the worst you've ever been directed to. > "W.E. O'Neil" <we_o@anesthesiaop.net> wrote in message >> Those might be the worst underwater photographs I have ever been directed >> to. I cannot imagine how bad they must have been before you beat them to [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > See, now you can't say that the first two were the worst you've ever been > directed to. Ah, note my comment again please--- **might** be the worst---. You can't claim the glory yet my friend. Plus, since you didn't "Shop the sh.t out of it" (or whatever photo editor you may use) it just wouldn't qualify. A truly horrible photo must be so bad after editing that one submits to fearful consideration at what the unedited image may have looked like. Truth is, I kind of like your manta. I myself have much worse shots from Kona when a couple of 'em loop de looped in front of the lights, and I managed to get all kinds of plankton, worms, fish and other ocean minutia to join in the image. What a bunch of monkeys we are to take shots, when no shot exists. > Ah, note my comment again please--- **might** be the worst---. You can't > claim the glory yet my friend. Plus, since you didn't "Shop the sh.t out > of it" (or whatever photo editor you may use) it just wouldn't qualify. A > truly horrible photo must be so bad after editing that one submits to > fearful consideration at what the unedited image may have looked like. I don't think I shopped the sea lion too much. It was there and I snapped it and if you know sea lions, they rarely wait around for a good pose. Plus I was sick with some sort of cold or flu and barely made it down on the dive and barely noticed the sea lion until the last second because he was following behind me most of the dive. I have a few pics from other divers of the sea lion right on my a.s. If only I had a camera up my a.s . . . > Truth is, I kind of like your manta. I myself have much worse shots from > Kona when a couple of 'em loop de looped in front of the lights, and I > managed to get all kinds of plankton, worms, fish and other ocean minutia > to join in the image. Then please post your worse shots so that mine don't have to be the worst. That Kona shooting was real tough, trying to keep the camera steady when the belligerent monsters come right at your head full speed. A few of my shots were better, but you wanted the worst. > What a bunch of monkeys we are to take shots, when no shot exists. I shoot digital and never hit capacity, so I don't worry about bad shots. Any shot is better than no shot at all, especially if you can make out what's being shot. Mainly I like to shoot so I can ID the fish that otherwise fail my brain by the time I get to the fish ID book. If you want arty, here's a pretty, albeit dark, ling cod from Farnsworth Reef: http://users.adelphia.net/~gmossman/SoCal/jpg_Lingcod.htm And here's a kelp bass which shows interesting composition. The kelp vines behind it almost make it look like it's walking on legs: http://users.adelphia.net/~gmossman/SoCal/jpg_Kelp_Bass_3.htm "Greg Mossman" <mossman@qnet.com> pounded away at his keyboard resulting in: :I shoot digital and never hit capacity, so I don't worry about bad shots. :Any shot is better than no shot at all, especially if you can make out :what's being shot. I don't worry about bad shots either. I get rid of them. Dan Bracuk If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure. > "W.E. O'Neil" <we_o@anesthesiaop.net> wrote in message >> What a bunch of monkeys we are to take shots, when no shot exists. > > I shoot digital and never hit capacity, so I don't worry about bad shots. I shoot digital for most things, but since I shoot RAW, depending on the card and my downloading laziness between dives I can, and sometimes do, hit capacilty. But that isn't why I dislike taking what I know will be a bad shot. > Any shot is better than no shot at all, especially if you can make out > what's being shot. I would disagree with you, but I am not the disagreeable type. > Mainly I like to shoot so I can ID the fish that otherwise fail my brain > by the time I get to the fish ID book. Absolutely. For those who enjoy fish ID it's a useful tool. My perspective, right or wrong, is I only care about ID'ing the animals I have imaged well. > I shoot digital for most things, but since I shoot RAW, depending on the > card and my downloading laziness between dives I can, and sometimes do, > hit capacilty. But that isn't why I dislike taking what I know will be a > bad shot. My camera is pre-RAW >> Any shot is better than no shot at all, especially if you can make out >> what's being shot. > > I would disagree with you, but I am not the disagreeable type. That's too bad, for I am very disagreeable and will disagree with everything you say just to spite you. > Absolutely. For those who enjoy fish ID it's a useful tool. My > perspective, right or wrong, is I only care about ID'ing the animals I > have imaged well. I disagree. All the animals I want to ID have been imaged very well upon my retinae. It's not my fault or the fish's fault that my camera can't keep up. > My camera is pre-RAW No it's not. I just doesn't record to RAW-------not to be disagreeable or anything. >> I would disagree with you, but I am not the disagreeable type. > > That's too bad, for I am very disagreeable and will disagree with > everything you say just to spite you. It is very difficult to annoy or offend me. But I admit that your carpet-bombing technique does seem to score a number of hits with other posters/readers. >> Absolutely. For those who enjoy fish ID it's a useful tool. My >> perspective, right or wrong, is I only care about ID'ing the animals I >> have imaged well. > > I disagree. I know. > All the animals I want to ID have been imaged very well upon > my retinae. ...and considering the quality of your photographs, this is a good thing. Because on that evidence only, one might identify a Balaenoptera musculus as a Gammaracanthuskytodermogammarus loricatobaicalensis. By the way, that's a fine use of inflected form. Most people would have simply written "retinas". I can see you are a high achiever. "Greg Mossman" <mossman@qnet.com> pounded away at his keyboard resulting in: :That's too bad, for I am very disagreeable and will disagree with everything :you say just to spite you. No you wouldn't. Dan Bracuk If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure. >>Fair enough. All my info on Cabo is hearsay anyway. I've been to >>Mulege'. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > I'd probably hop on that instead and save about 24 hours of driving each > way. It was 13 from San Diego plus a random time for border wait. Absolutely beautiful, though. And exciting. Especially those unmarked speed bumps. The dive operation in Mulege' took a little getting used to, but I ended up liking him quite a bit. Swiss guy named Andy. But it's not the most luxurious setup in the world. >>My point is, I got the impression the original poster has not dove the >>Pacific. I gather that a lot of people get turned off by the diving at [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > have a fair selection of tropicals, though nowhere near the variety that > you'd find further up the Sea side. I was really amazed at the mixture. I kept experiencing a kind of spatial vertigo, looking at a fish that I know from SD, then a fish from the Caribbean... > It was 13 from San Diego plus a random time for border wait. Absolutely > beautiful, though. And exciting. Especially those unmarked speed bumps. > > The dive operation in Mulege' took a little getting used to, but I ended > up liking him quite a bit. Swiss guy named Andy. But it's not the most > luxurious setup in the world. I know a Swiss guy named Andy. Thirteen hours is pretty impressive, considering it takes me a couple hours just to get to Ensenada from San Diego and that's on the toll road. Stopping for drinks along the way probably makes the difference. I can't drive more than an hour at a time in Mexico without liquoring up. Speaking of this, on the way back from Cabo Pulmo, I stopped for a couple cold beers to accompany me on the long road back to Los Cabos. I cracked open the first and too a big gulp and there was chunky stuff in it. Nasty. The second beer was OK. > I was really amazed at the mixture. I kept experiencing a kind of spatial > vertigo, looking at a fish that I know from SD, then a fish from the > Caribbean... How'd you know it was the same fish you know from SD? They all look alike to me and that's a pretty long swim for a mere fish. > I cracked open the > first and too a big gulp and there was chunky stuff in it. Nasty. The > second beer was OK. The beer was fine, but I carried a roach back in my dive bag. But the scorpion in the sink was really cute. >>I was really amazed at the mixture. I kept experiencing a kind of spatial >>vertigo, looking at a fish that I know from SD, then a fish from the >>Caribbean... > > How'd you know it was the same fish you know from SD? They all look alike > to me and that's a pretty long swim for a mere fish. His name's Fred. He commutes with the whales. > The beer was fine, but I carried a roach back in my dive bag. But the > scorpion in the sink was really cute. That's living on the edge. Haven't you seen Midnight Express? The only scorpion I've ever seen in Mexico was in a jar in Cuernavaca, where I was temporarily living with a divorcee, her two kids, and the 15-year-old maid. The lady took in students from the language school, like me. Another of the students was a hispanic English prof from Cal Poly Pomona, who, just like some profs here, insisted he knew everything. He didn't know much Spanish, regardless of his hispanic origins, which is why he was in school with me. He also didn't have very good people skills, just like some profs here, which is why the maid was showing me and my Oregon roomie the scorpion she had caught and was planning on placing inside one of the prof's shoes. We talked her out of it. > His name's Fred. He commutes with the whales. A Californian fish that actually carpools? Probably one of those northern Californian radicals. >>> Can anyone tell me about diving in Los Cabos or Ixtapa >> >> Do you do Pacific diving in general? If not, don't expect tropical. > >Why wouldn't one expect tropical in Los Cabos or Ixtapa? The prevailing ocean currents are from the north, bringing considerably colder water than you would find at the same lattitude in the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, or US east coast. Inquire in advance regarding the water temps and bring the correct exposure protection.  SignatureCharlie Hammond -- Hewlett-Packard Company -- Ft Lauderdale FL USA (hammond@not@peek.ssr.hp.com -- remove "@not" when replying) All opinions expressed are my own and not necessarily my employer's. |
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