lookig for cabo dive operator recommendation

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seamason

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going to cabo in early June and looking for some recommendations on a good operator, preferably non cattle boat, non hand holding for experienced divers. I have seen several comments on Amigos del mar, any others?
 
Howdy and welcome to SB!

Is that in Mexico? If so, please check that forum and try our Search feature. Complete your Dive Info for better responses. :thumb:

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:cowboy2: don


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We used Amigos Del Mar twice. It was about 5 years ago when Kevin was the manager. Very friendly operation and we had some great dives with them. Most of the diving is deeper as everything starts around 60'. Make sure you go to sand falls and the blow hole if conditions are good. Hope you have a great trip!
 
I dove with Blue Adventures in Nov. and would give them high marks. Good DM's and a great location.
 
Thanks, They were one of the operators I was considering.
 
I've been diving with Underwater Diversions the past couple of summers and would recommend them. Usually the operators will take you to Pelican Rock for your first dives as a checkout before going to the other local sites. Not particularly overwhelming as a dive site but you might get lucky and see some yellow sea horses. If you dive out at Neptune's Finger you might get to dive with the sea lions. Very fun but the surge can be strong. If you have the time, I would go to Cabo Pulmo, a two hour drive to the East Cape. Cabo Pulmo Beach Resort and Dive Center does a good job. The themoclines can be pretty exhilerating! So be prepared!!
 
Hi Seamason,

Here's an update of a piece it did for my "Dive Workshop" column in "Rodale's Scuba Diving":

“Los Cabos is at the far southern tip of Baja California Sur, Mexico, and consists of Cabo San Lucas, the more developed, touristy city commonly referred to as just “Cabo,” and nearby, the much quieter, colonial San Jose del Cabo. Los Cabos is not dedicated to diving in the way that destinations such as Cozumel and Grand Cayman are. Rather, it attracts visitors who are looking for nice beaches (La Playita to La Ribera), excellent fishing (good chance to hook a marlin), golf (a Jack Nicklaus-designed 27-hole golf course), or heavy partying (don’t miss Squid Roe and Latitude 22).

The Diving
This is not Caribbean diving, so don’t expect bathtub-warm water, great vis and dense sponges or coral. Do expect diverse fish life, including a broader variety of butterflyfish and surgeonfish than in the Caribbean.

For a shallow and easy warm up dive, try Chileno Beach. Sites include Chileno Reef, a protected finger reef that starts at the beach and extends out about a half mile, and Santa Maria Cove. Somewhat deeper but easy and still close by are Sand Falls and The Abyss, where you can expect to see sea lions. At times, these sites can be crowded, and are popular with novice divers.

The big draws are Cabo Pulmo Marine Park and Gordo Banks, which are for at least moderately experienced divers due to depth and current. Boat rides to these sites are long, and dive operators charge a premium and require advance booking. You can drive to Cabo Pulmo in about two hours, or fly in on Aero California if you’ve got the bucks. There’s a dive operator that’ll pick you at the landing strip and whisk you off for a day of diving. Cabo Pulmo is a national marine park, and is the only true living coral reef in the area. Sites include El Cantil, The Rock, El Bajo and the more advanced abyssal Los Frailes Trench to the south. There’s a chance you’ll encounter whale sharks and mantas in this region in season. Plan on diving in the 90- to 100-foot range. At Gordo Banks, well off San Jose del Cabo, hammerheads hang out in season, and bull sharks and dolphin can occasionally be sighted. You can easily go to recreational limits and below.

Dive Conditions
January to May is the winter season. Look for air temps ranging between 70F and 80F, water temps between 65F and 75F, and vis between 30 and 60 feet. June to December is summer season, with air temps between 80F and 95F degrees, water temps between 80F and 85F, and vis between 50 and 100 feet.

Dive Operators
Dive ops in Cabo San Lucas include Amigos del Mar (generally my recommendation), Cabo Diving Services, Cabo Acuadeportes and Land’s End. You may stay at or dive Cabo Pulmo from the Cabo Pulmo Beach Resort, or go with an independent shop such as Pepe's Dive Center.

Where to Stay
There are plenty of accommodations in a variety of price ranges. Plaza Las Glorias is a nice resort right in town on the marina in Cabo San Lucas. The resort has a ferry to Playa Medano, where it has a hotel beach club. Those preferring to avoid the noise, bustle and incessant time-share sales pitches of downtown Cabo San Lucas will want to stay outside of town at places like the mega-resort Westin, all-suites Solmar, or a personal favorite, the small, intimate and not inexpensive Twin Dolphins."

Have fun.

DocVikingo
 
I will also reccomend Underwater Diversions. Groups are small, if you are an experienced diver you will get an experienced dive. Only dive op on Cabo that i've seen that has DM's that are fit and don't smoke. On special arrangements with Underwater Diversions I did a more advanced dive than the rest of the divers on the boat, just myself and a local guy that happened to come for some fun diving of his own. We dove from lands end to neptunes finger. One of the most fun dives I've done. Saw life that I wouldn't have seen otherwise on a more typical dive format. Underwater Diversions is American owned and managed. Dustin is a gringo and he runs the shop. IMO, the most professional dive op in CSL. Two thumbs up!
 

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