Baja California in july / August with a 7 years old kid ?

[Manuel Sam]

I also read for los islotes that is closed for snorkeling with sea lions during the summer. That's why I had in mind to try swimming with the smaller colony -> Perhaps it would be less intimidating for a 7 years old kid?

Since I only did snorkeling and freediving out of La Ventana (in 2022), I don't know what dive sites the La Ventana dive operators frequent. If I had to guess, they might go to La Reina's sea lion colony because San Rafaelito, as Chavodel8en mentioned, is a bit further, actually inside the mouth of La Paz Bay.

I dove La Reina in 2019, and also snorkeled and freedived there in 2022. At least on those occasions, all I saw were adult sea lions and they pretty much kept to themselves, with the large male doing the rounds and barking every so often if people got too close. It is usually the juvelniles that are more playful, inquisitive and more prone to interact with people. Granted, this was in May so there shouldn't have been any juvemiles at that time.

Another place with good marine life in that general area is Cabo Pulmo. It is nonetheless abut 2 hours away from the airport and about 2 1/2 hrs from La Paz. But if you are also doing Loreto, adding Cabo Pulmo might be overextending yourselves a bit too much over a two week span. And in terms of lodging, you might find it comfortable but a bit spartan.

 

[Chavodel8en]

Wahoo! Thank you very much for all the tips !
Yes, I agree, car rental insurance are never clear. Some said that all is covered when you pay with a VISA PREMIER card but some said the opposite...

I also read for los islotes that is closed for snorkeling with sea lions during the summer. That's why I had in mind to try swimming with the smaller colony -> Perhaps it would be less intimidating for a 7 years old kid?

Hotel catedral is the one that I also listed ;-)

Im not sure if you mean San Rafaelito when you say "smaller colony" or some of the other sites.

I visited los Islotes in November (snorkeling & diving) and San Rafaelito (snorkeling). There is a small cave at los Islotes we went to scuba, where the baby sea lions came and munched on our offered arms. Very fun for us, maybe too much for a child. However, we invited the interaction by entering the cave and extending our arms to them.

Besides the cave, at both los Islotes (bulls and mixed groups) and San Rafaelito (juveniles) the sea lions just swam around us, not really closely approaching. I would think the state of the seas would be more intimidating to a 7 year old than the sea lions (it was a bit surgy the day we went to San Rafaelito)

If you are in La Paz, boat tours to Balandra beach often include a short round of snorkeling at San Rafaelito, but I thought it was not enough time .

I really liked Hotel Catedral, very good price when we went (~$100/night - 2 persons). Tons of great seafood in La Paz.

 

[kalani80]

Hello again.
Thank you for all the informations.
Concerning sharks dive? What are your experiences?
Is is possible to dive with hammerheads in El Bajo?

Thank you

 

[Manuel Sam]

I saw HHs in El Bajo in 1995. I made two dives there in 2019 and didn't see any. It's a luck thing, I think, in that they are not always seen, and also, the weather has to cooperate. We were planning to go this past November and once we got out of La Paz Bay, the wind and sea conditions dictated that we abort and go dive elsewhere. It'd be best if you ask the operator you choose. I am also told that in July - August, the visibilty isn't that good, so that reduces the chances of seeing them even further.

There is also Las Animas further north. I saw them there in 2001 and a rather recent Nautilus video from a Sea of Cortes liveaboard trip reported seeing them. I think that Dan has a video in this forum from his Sea of Cortes trip last year that showed hammerheads, not sure where. Not sure if La Paz operators go that far tho - I think that it is primarily liveaboard territory. Hereagain, ask the dive operator that you choose.

Cabo Pulmo has bull sharks but the divesite that has the most consistent and numerous sightings, El Vencedor, is one of the five divesites in Cabo Pulmo that is heavily regulated by the Park officials. That means that once they exceed the quota of divers per day and/or the week, the dive site is closed for the remainder of the week. Granted, I went in November, which is about the busiest time of the season. Perhaps July-August will be easier to dive it.

Sorry, for the less than optimistic anwer to your quest for sharks.