Scuba Diving in Cabo San Lucas

The waters off Cabo San Lucas are among the most dramatic dive sites on the peninsula. A protected marine area surrounds Land's End, and the underwater scenery is as theatrical as the Arch above it: granite walls dropping into blue, a submarine canyon, and the strange sand falls that pour like a waterfall over the edge of a trench. Two-tank dives for certified divers leave the marina in the morning, visit two sites with a surface interval between, and usually return by early afternoon. Dive operators supply tanks, weights and a guide, and many can rent the rest of the gear.

Cabo's dive reputation rests on variety. Close to the Arch you find rocky walls and boulder fields where sea lions glide past divers, schools of jacks, snapper and bait fish move in curtains, and eels and nudibranchs sit in the crevices. The sand falls, a flow of sand cascading down a slope into deep water, are the best known of the local sites and draw divers who want something unusual.

Other sites run along the Corridor and the nearby coast, where visibility, depth and current change with the day. Conditions are best on calm mornings, and the plan can change if swell or current make a site unsafe.

Water temperature varies by season. Summer and autumn are warm and often clear, with more tropical species visiting, while winter is cooler and sometimes rougher, though migrating whales add a bonus on the surface and occasionally in the sound of a dive. A 3 mm wetsuit is typical in most months and a thicker one is comfortable in winter. Certified divers should bring their certification card and log book, and many operators ask for recent experience. Anyone who is not certified should look for a discover scuba or resort course, which is a different product.

Safety and manners matter here. The marine park is busy with boats, so follow the divemaster's briefing, keep your depth and no-decompression limits, and stay clear of the sea lion colony's haul-out rocks. Do not touch or feed marine life, and use reef-safe sunscreen on the boat.

If you are flying, remember the usual rule to leave a surface interval, normally eighteen to twenty-four hours, before a flight. Combine a dive morning with a relaxed afternoon on Medano Beach, or pair it with a sunset sail on a different day for the above-water view of the same rocks.

If you have not dived recently, say so when you book. A short refresher or a shallower first dive is common, and a good divemaster will welcome the information. Check your gear fit before leaving the dock, since a leaking mask or an ill-fitting wetsuit ruins a dive. Keep a safe distance from the sea lions at the haul-out rocks, because they can be curious and sometimes bite when approached.

Photographers should ask about group size and bring a lens that handles low light, as the water is not always crystal clear. Non-divers in your party can still enjoy the boat ride or join a snorkel departure, which keeps couples and families together on the same morning. Bring a dive computer if you own one.