Moving to albuquerque NM and looking for places to dive and people to dive with

[Bhtmec2]

Well I was just just told by HQ yesterday that they are moving me to Albuquerque NM. What am I getting into? Coming from the Caribbean and diving every week to NM? I need info on what is there to do in regards to Diving in NM.

I could go anywhere on the coast but in the middle of the high desert, guess I upset someone at HQ....

Help me and paint a better picture........

Guess is will need to find some new dive buddy's and a dive shop that does REC and Tech diving.......

Signed a Depressed Diver..!!!!!

 

[diversteve]

There's the Blue Hole - I haven't dove it. Santa Rosa, New Mexico : City of Lakes It recently made the national news. Divers hope to unlock secrets of underwater cave closed for years - NBC News

Check with [user]robint[/user] if she doesn't see this. She lives there and her husband has an affiliation with one of the shops IIRC.

 

[Dive-aholic]

Santa Rosa has the Blue Hole, which is a small diameter, deepish (90 something feet) hole. Lots of training goes on there. You'll likely get bored after a few dives. There is also Perch Lake (I think that's the name) not too far away. It has an airplane sunk there but visibility is not that great (maybe 5'). Also rather small lake. I was able to swim the perimeter in about 30 minutes. And then there's the airport in Albequerque which will get you to a lot of dive locations in a matter of hours.

 

[Bhtmec2]

Yeah.... I was afraid that there would be few places to dive...... Landlocked and NM = high cost if you love to dive.....

Guess I will start skydiving more and diving less.

 

[diversteve]

From Albuquerque San Carlos, MX would be a 12ish hour drive - depending on the border crossing. In the summer it's decent warm water diving - boats go out to an island with a large seal colony. Or it's possibly a quick flight to Guaymas then a short cab ride over - how I do it from Phoenix. San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico Diving

There's about 8-9 dive boats there - 6 of which are owned by Gary's Dive Shop. Really popular for divers from Phoenix and Tucson on long weekend trips. One of the shops from both cities have their own dedicated dive boat moored there. A couple times a year the Phoenix shop - El Mar charters a bus for their trip down. In October if you can time it right you can dive with scalloped hammerheads before they migrate south - we missed it by a week a few years ago.

Another option in the spring/summer is liveaboard diving on the Rocio Del Mar. They move the boat up to Puerto Penasco/Rocky Point in the summer months and dive the Midriff Islands in the Sea of Cortez. it's a good boat (disclaimer - I know the owner) my buddy did it last year. The best way to get there is fly from Abq to Phx then take their shuttle down. Rocio Del Mar Liveaboard - Midriff Islands

How do you feel about hot-air ballooning?

 

[Bhtmec2]

I love hot air balloons. I jump out of them!

 

[diversteve]

Well you'll have a few to choose from then:



The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta - Welcome to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

 

[Bhtmec2]

Toooooo many choices.......

I have been thinking about a Powered Paraglider for out there. Lots of things to see from the air......

Still rather dive.......

 

[DandyDon]

Blue Hole is 84 ft at the most. Perch Lake is more boring, but there is a 200+ foot lake on private property - the name escapes me, if you have the Tech skills and the contacts to get in. Some who dive it do post here.

Albuquerque is a cheap, non-stop flight to Los Angeles, then lots of boats going to Catalina and other Channel Islands. Kelp diving is interesting, but you'll need the heaviest suit you can get, hood, heavy gloves, and I like neoprene socks inside my oversized boots.

Albuquerque is also the gateway to exploring ruins and sights like you've probably never seen. Don't go to Bandelier National Monument on a weekend - too crowded, including foreign nationals from the bomb factory, but nice other days. The Ice Cave was interesting, with an ice covered floor in the heat of summer. So much more around and to the west.

Welcome to the Great American desert.

 

[Dive-aholic]

Oh yes, Rock Lake. Difficult to get access to though.