Retirement plan to support my "habit"

[JamesBon92007]

There only a few cruiships coming to Loreto every year (like 7 or 8) and they anchor in the bay. Definitly not a cruiship destination, and hopefully stays like this.
Hotel President doesn't exit any more as far as i know. There are several really good hotels, villas and a couple of all inclusive resorts (these ways far from town). As for dive shops, there are a couple in Loreto. Back then there was only one ran by and american couple. We run Blue Nation Baja (www.bluenationbaja.com), check it out, there is plenty of information there about our National Park, divesites etc.
Nowadays most of the tour operators and hotels will have some english speaking staff, and you will totally get by speaking it in town.

I'm now not even sure how I called them--the phone number I have had one too many numbers. I already looked at the Blue Nation web site and it looks good to me. Judging from the Google Earth pictures it looks like driving might not be as hectic there as in some other places I've been. I might actually rent a car there. How long is the drive from Nopolo to Loreto? I found several nice-looking AirBnBs in Nopolo and only a few in Loreto. The prices seem to be lower in Nopolo too. The cheaper it is the longer I can stay So far I have not located a dive shop in Nopolo but I'm still looking. Is there much shore diving around there?

Just a couple of years ago, my experience on Cozumel was "the cruise ship" was in the port. Now it's six or seven of them sometimes. The part that surprised me was some of the vendors I talked to said they usually put the cruise ship people in a van and go for a tour and the vendors are not seeing an increase in sales. They used to raise the prices when the ships docked and lowered them when they left. They still do that? I've not been to Cozumel for about eight months. In Vallarta I've had people that I'd barely just met tell me not to buy anything when the cruise ships were there

@scubadada We need an "Agree" button because I don't "Like" what you said but that doesn't mean it isn't true.

 

[Azur Salino]

I'm now not even sure how I called them--the phone number I have had one too many numbers. I already looked at the Blue Nation web site and it looks good to me. Judging from the Google Earth pictures it looks like driving might not be as hectic there as in some other places I've been. I might actually rent a car there. How long is the drive from Nopolo to Loreto? I found several nice-looking AirBnBs in Nopolo and only a few in Loreto. The prices seem to be lower in Nopolo too. The cheaper it is the longer I can stay So far I have not located a dive shop in Nopolo but I'm still looking. Is there much shore diving around there?

Just a couple of years ago, my experience on Cozumel was "the cruise ship" was in the port. Now it's six or seven of them sometimes. The part that surprised me was some of the vendors I talked to said they usually put the cruise ship people in a van and go for a tour and the vendors are not seeing an increase in sales. They used to raise the prices when the ships docked and lowered them when they left. They still do that? I've not been to Cozumel for about eight months. In Vallarta I've had people that I'd barely just met tell me not to buy anything when the cruise ships were there

@scubadada We need an "Agree" button because I don't "Like" what you said but that doesn't mean it isn't true.

The cruiship issue has been very controversial in every place I've lived/worked/visited. I have a strong opinion about it too. Definitly not the kind of tourism that takes care of a place, and it leaves comparatively less money to the destination than the regular stay over visitors.
Nopolo is literally 10 minutes away from Loreto by car. They are the same municipality. You can either drive to Loreto or Puerto Escondido to get on a dive boat, o they can pick you up in Nopolo beach (there is a small cove where this is possible). That's why there is no need of a diveshop there, and Nopolo gets really seasonal. It's a pretty place but most of the houses are time shares. Now is low season that is why you find cheaper prices there, but I guess that will change towards the end of the year.
There are reasonably priced hotels and rooms in Loreto, but sometimes you can not reach them online as easy.
There is almost no shore diving spots around Loreto. Nopolo beach is next to a big rocky outcrop where you can snorkel and possibly go for an easy dive.

I've just been diving with a family that drove all the way down through Baja, with kids and all. Driving here nowadays is not what it used to be, and roads are way better now

 

[JamesBon92007]

I've just been diving with a family that drove all the way down through Baja, with kids and all. Driving here nowadays is not what it used to be, and roads are way better now

I just put Loreto in my GPS and it's a 21 hour drive from here. I think I'll fly, at least for the time being. Perhaps I'll find some other destinations along the way to break it up.

Alaska Airlines seems to have a monopoly on flights from LAX so perhaps it's time to get on their frequent flyer program. If I hurry my recent flight to Hawai'i might still be eligible. I have not thoroughly checked out flights from Tia Juana but it would have to be considerably cheaper than LAX to make it worthwhile for me. There is an Amtrak station just a few blocks from me but so far it doesn't seem to go anywhere that I want to go to. It would be great if it went to LAX or the CBX but all routes appear to involve buses and considerable walking.

 

[Azur Salino]

Flight connectivity has much to improve here, but it will get there. There is a flight from Los Cabos to Loreto operated by Aereo Calafia! You might want to check that one out, since flying to Los Cabos is way easier and its like a 30 min flight to Loreto from there.

 

[Steelyeyes]

I found my old copies of "The Baja Book" and my notes from the 80s and the hotel I called was Hotel Presidente. Not sure if it was Loreto or Nopolo. Like I said, they didn't know of any scuba facilities nor did I find anyone who spoke Ingles but supposedly there was a dive shop there at the time, at least according to the book. Of course now I speak a bit more Spanish so now I can ask a lot more questions. That phone call was one of the reasons I bought a small, portable scuba compressor that will run on 15 amps 110 volts.

Meanwhile I just took a little walk around Loreto on Google Earth and I sure like what I see. I'll bet they don't get any cruise ships there, right?

I've been diving around Loreto twice. Dolphin Dive Loreto is a good 5 star PADI outfit. They only have air available. I recently heard about another shop setting up that will have Nitrox.

Loreto is a nice town. It's safe and friendly. The diving there is good, but cold in the winter months. In February we used dry suits with light to medium undergarments. Water temp was 67-69F.

The only cruise type ships that get near Loreto to my knowlege come into Puerto Escondido just south of Nopalo and those ships are small adventure type cruises. No room to dock a bigger ship there.

If you get down there tell Rafa at Dolphin Dive Craig says hello.

 

[Azur Salino]

I've been diving around Loreto twice. Dolphin Dive Loreto is a good 5 star PADI outfit. They only have air available. I recently heard about another shop setting up that will have Nitrox.

Loreto is a nice town. It's safe and friendly. The diving there is good, but cold in the winter months. In February we used dry suits with light to medium undergarments. Water temp was 67-69F.

The only cruise type ships that get near Loreto to my knowlege come into Puerto Escondido just south of Nopalo and those ships are small adventure type cruises. No room to dock a bigger ship there.

If you get down there tell Rafa at Dolphin Dive Craig says hello.

There are a few big cruiships anchoring in the bay and disembarking people in Loreto too. Not too frequently, but there they are anyway! Heard rumours of a smaller hop-on hop-off ship that will possibly start running voyages around the Cortez in the future...who knows

And yes, we do NITROX We can do Trimix too, although the tech community is still to be developed around here

 

[JamesBon92007]

Flight connectivity has much to improve here, but it will get there. There is a flight from Los Cabos to Loreto operated by Aereo Calafia! You might want to check that one out, since flying to Los Cabos is way easier and its like a 30 min flight to Loreto from there.

Alaska had a sale and we got tickets for about 1/2 price! We're flying direct out of LAX. See you in December! It looks like I'll be trying out my new 7mm.

 

[Azur Salino]

Alaska had a sale and we got tickets for about 1/2 price! We're flying direct out of LAX. See you in December! It looks like I'll be trying out my new 7mm.

That's greeeeeat Looking forward to the December!