Dive Sites: North Pacific Coast

Dive Sites: North Pacific Coast

Guadalupe Island

located 150 miles off of the west coast of Baja California, is a fantastic shark dive spot. A volcanic island created by two overlapping shield volcanoes, this subdivision of the Ensenada municipality was declared a nature conservancy in 1928 and recently designated a biosphere reserve. The island itself is fairly desolate, as thousands of goats brought over for herding in the 19th century by Russian whalers and sealers completely decimated its foliage… however under water it is still lush and filled with unique marine species including pinnipeds and Great White Sharks. Guadalupe is a refuge for the North Elephant seal and Guadalupe Fur seals. Eco-tour operators (click here for further information) run charter services for scuba and shark cage divers out to Guadalupe Island throughout the year.

A proud member of the PADI Diving Society

Ensenada

offers good scuba diving off of the rocky shores or Isla Todos Santos and the Punta Banda area. Primarily the best diving in Ensenada can be found around the La Bufadora area. The La Bufadora benefits from a deep submarine canyon that extends from the Continental Shelf into the bay of Ensenada. The peninsula of the Bufadora extends to the edge of the abyss. Cold water upwelling rich in nutrients from the canyon support an explosion of Marine life on the reef. In addition the cold water upwelling results in better visibility ranging between 60 to 120'. There are several small rock pinnacles providing some of the best wall diving in Baja California. The Punta Banda area is perfect for intermidiate divers due to the many protected and shallow coves. Most of the dive spots in the Ensenada area can only be reached by boat, called "pangas" these small boats are usually wooden boats no larger than about 16 feet. Below is a list of types of scuba diving, scuba diving equipment rentals, and dive trips in the Ensenada area of Baja California, Mexico, including La Bufadora at the Punta Banda Peninsula.

La Bufadora

is a small town south of Ensenada boasts excellent boat diving in the Pacific Ocean, with a number of decent dive sites both north and south of the launching cove. There is a sea lion rookery, a cave at 75 feet under a beautiful wall, and a 30 foot arch - not to mention White Rock - a vertical drop over 90 feet deep covered with invertebrates. World renowned Dale's Dive Shop also recommends a submerged pinnacle 100 vertical feet below the surface just to the south, as well as Hidden Cove and the Rock in Tuna Farm. Water temperature is similar to that of San Diego (mid-fifties to low-seventies) and weather is generally mild. Excellent coastal camping is available, or you can rent villas from Dale. For more information, please click here.

Punta Banda

This is a rocky peninsula that juts out from the mainland to form the southern edge of Bahia de Todos Santos. Despite strong surge, the northwest tip of the peninsula provides what is probably the most electric site for diving off the shore. Walls, caves and kelp forests extend over a mile off the tip along a series of small islets. At the other end of the adventure spectrum is Rocas Tres Hermanas (Three Sisters Rock), where easy access, comfortable beach entries, and shallow scuba diving and snorkeling opportunities abound. Numerous other beach entries are possible along both the north and south sides of the point via the many hiking trails.

Isla Todos Santos

Located about 3 miles northwest of Punta Banda are the large Todos Santos Islands. Known for deep, clear waters and immense kelp forests, these islands are a prime destination for fishing, scuba diving and surfing. Professional surfers will be found haunting these secluded waves in the winter months and these visitors give way to fishermen and scuba divers in summer. Three miles north of these islands is a unique reef dubbed Bajo San Miguel. This is a small reef that rises from the seafloor to within 20 feet of the surface and there is an amazing diversity of invertebrates nestled into the rocky crevices.

Johnston's Seamount

offers good visibility, plenty of sea life, and interesting pinnacles and reef structure.

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