- Cabo Pulmo Reef is the only coral reef found in the Eastern Pacific in the Northern Hemisphere and very popular with snorkelers. It is a National Marine Park and there are associated restrictions, which you can view at the park website.
- Bahia Coyote (Bahia Concepcion) has a wealth of snorkeling sites among the small bays and tiny islands that dot the region. The northern section of the Sea of Cortez offers numerous opportunities to snorkel in less-traveled areas.
•Isla Angel de la Guardia is the largest of the Midriff Islands and its warm, deep waters support an abundance of sea life.
•San Felipe is a great destination for dolphin lovers, especially near the rocky outcrop of Roca Consagracion.
• Looking for more places to dive? - The wreck of the Salvatierra ferryboat is located in the San Lorenzo channel just outside of La Paz. It sank in 1975 and lies at a depth of 60 ft.
- El Bajo seamount (roughly 6 miles north of Isla Partida in the open sea) is a group of pinnacles 60 ft. below the water; it is very popular with moray eels, mantas, whale sharks, and hammerheads.
- Isla Las Animas (off the eastern coast of Isla San Jose) is one of the most colorful dive spots in the Sea of Cortez and there are a number of underwater caves to explore.
- If you are headed north for the hurricane season, or just because, there are numerous top-notch dive locations in the Bahia de Los Angeles area.
Practical Matters: Staying Ahead of the Weather
Weather patterns shift with the seasons and this will impact the best choice of shelter from winds. In the summer you will primarily be looking for overnight anchoring spots with shelter from southern winds. In the winter prevailing winds come from the north.
Most protected anchorages or “hurricane holes”
Puerto Escondido near Loreto
Puerto Don Juan, Bahia de Los Angeles area
Pichilingue Bay near La Paz – particularly safe because the bay is farther from the ocean than some, which means it is protected from ocean waves and the only concern is wind waves.
Puerto Peñasco – mainland side of the Sea, North San Carlos and Guaymas – mainland side of the Sea, South.