Trip Report - Sea of Cortez, August 2024

Last week, a number of Scuba Shack professionals and longtime friends embarked on an amazing seven-day diving journey to the Sea of Cortez/Gulf of California in Mexico. In a place that Jacques Cousteau once dubbed the "World's Aquarium", our group of divers found spectacular marine life encounters and beautiful scenery while enjoying the comforts and services of Mexico Liveaboards. It was a first for me, both in diving in Mexico and traveling on a liveaboard, so there was plenty of anxiety at the outset. However, as I reflect on the past week, I'm happy to say I have no regrets - but plenty of memories to hold and stories to tell!

Our Adventure

Travels began with a night's stay in Phoenix, giving everyone time to arrive in Arizona and settle in to begin adjusting to the time change and prepare for the trip. Next up was an admittedly lengthy ride with a local shuttle service, Head Out To Rocky Point, from Phoenix across the Mexican border to the port city of Puerto Penasco. There we boarded the Rocio Del Mar, one of two vessels owned and operated by Mexico Liveaboards, and began our travels to the Midriff Islands. 

Over the next three days, our group had the chance to dive on Angel De La Guardia at eight different sites (including a two-for with both a day and night dive) and partake in a whale shark safari with the assistance of local guides. The safari, in particular, was an amazing experience - and all-natural, with no attempt at artificial baiting or containing of the whale sharks. Our smaller group of six were lucky to have multiple swims with the whale sharks, to see these amazing and beautiful creatures up-close.

On Tuesday evening, we sailed south to San Pedro Martin, the southernmost point of our journey. there, we enjoyed seven more dive opportunities with some of the best - but also the most challenging - dive conditions. Here we experienced our second night dive of the trip as well as perhaps the most awe-inspiring dive of the trip - a swim-through with sea lions at Chayo's Cave. Pictures and video cannot do justice to the beauty of passing through this short tunnel only to emerge into a bowl-like cutout with sea lions dancing in the water.

Thursday evening closed with our vessel underway back towards the north, but included a slight detour to follow a massive pod of common dolphins playing in the water. Several of our group loaded up in one of the smaller zodiac boats to follow the dolphins around. By nightfall, we were steadily on our way north to conclude our trip with three more dives on Angel De La Guardia - this time, on the southern point of the island instead of the north. For my part, these were some of the more challenging dives due to some drastic temperature changes - but they concluded in perhaps the most appropriate way: as we finished our last dive, I looked past our group into the deep blue and caught sight of a sea lion coming by one last time to spin and twirl in the water near us before swimming away. It was definitely a fitting end for our dive adventures that week.

The return to port came in the predawn hours on Saturday, and we were back in Phoenix by midday. Though many in the group were ready for the return home, it was definitely bittersweet parting from the crew that had become something of a family and the boat that had been our home for a time. Yet the final impression was positive and inspiring, and likely will inspire some, including myself, to strongly consider sailing on the Rocio Del Mar in the future.

Final Thoughts:

Our travel to the Sea of Cortez was amazing, and the experience was definitely worth it. The diving is challenging, so I would strongly encourage divers to have some experience under their belts before undertaking a liveabord adventure. On a different, and very positive note, those with dietary concerns should rest easy; the food served during the trip was amazing, and all catered to meet various dietary needs (a fact that I personally was immensely appreciative of). Finally, this is definitely a trip for those who have a close dive friend - particularly one you are comfortable being in close quarters with both in the water and on the boat.

Jeff and Donna, former owners of Scuba Shack and the organizers of this trip, were looking for something different when they reached out to Mexico Liveaboards. I can personally say that they found it, and I'm immensely grateful for that - and for a trip full of incredible memories and experiences to be remembered for a lifetime.

Tom Allen - Dive Master