Page 313 - Mexico Diving From the Caribbean to Pacific Isles
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he ride can get harsh in big seas, espe- striking shades of brown, often dotted with ing conditions, the area is best suited for
T cially on a 90-minute return trip. With a different species of cacti. Unusually shaped experienced divers. The visibility can often
speedy boat you can arrive at Isla Angel de pinnacles rise from the water. They look as drop to twenty feet or less, making wide-
la Guardia in under an hour and is packed
with resident California sea lions. Forests though they are covered with snow, but the angle photography challenging. The water
of yellow-polyp black coral swayed with
the currents, Be prepared for a menag- “snow” is actually guano, so be prepared is often green, not blue. But, the Midriff Is-
erie of sea life including green sea turtles,
finescale triggerfish, yellowtail snapper, to descend fast to avoid the noxious smell. lands are a great destination, with many
and swirling masses of Mexican barracuda.
Male sea lions darted so close with bared undiscovered areas. Divers with a sense of
teeth I could almost tell what they had T he Sea of Cortez is home to one of the adventure will thoroughly enjoy this trip.
last eaten. The variety of sea life of the largest colonies of sea lions, and on
Midriff Islands if far ranging and diverse. Dmany dives, they come out to play with the ivers can explore the Sea of Cortez’s
natural treasures via a new live-aboard,
I t is not unusual to see sperm whales, pilot divers. The sea lions are very curious about
whales, fin whales, huge pods of dolphins, divers, often swimming very close to inves- the 110-foot Rocio del Mar. The boat is
and the largest fish in the ocean—the whale
shark. Multi-colored nudibranchs, stingrays, tigate. They seem to enjoy imitating the di- owned and operated year-round out of
moray eels, and octopus can be around eve-
ry corner. But part of the beauty of this envi- vers’ behavior; if a diver spins around, the Puerto Peñasco, a small Mexican fishing
ronment is the shear walls of the islands and
the contrast of blue waters with the towering sea lion often copies his movements. They town, by Francisco “Lolo” Sandoval (a long-
rick faces. The islands have shear walls with
will swim rapidly towards you and veer off time boat captain) and his wife, Dora (an
at the last second, providing the same sen- avid diver and dive instructor). The Rocio
sation as sailfish attacking a bait ball. The del Mar was custom built with the diver in
Midriff Islands has many advantages includ- mind: It features 10 air-conditioned state-
ing being a short trip from California. The rooms with private baths, large open patios,
water temperature is comfortable—rang- a media room with leather sofas and con-
ing from 75˚F to 85 ˚F, depending on the venient little extras like showers on the dive
time of the year. Because of the possibil- platform and plenty of wet-gear storage.
ity of strong currents and rapidly chang-
