A viral video shows a close encounter with an injured great white shark in shallow water off Baja California. This page has been archived and is no longer updated. Immerse yourself into the crystal clear waters of the Sea of Cortez and interact with mako sharks, smooth hammerheads, silky sharks and or even blue sharks. During the summer and fall, divers flock to the Sea of Cortez for a chance to swim with whale sharks. The once thriving hammerhead population has been greatly diminished and now sightings are rare. To avoid disturbing them a "rebreather" is recommended, which requires specialist training. Dive the Sea of Cortez, one of the most biologically diverse places on the planet. The frill shark, also known as a Frilled shark usually lives in waters of a depth of 600 meters and so it is very rare that this shark is found alive at sea-level. We all like to indulge in a good fish tale. August to November is the season for liveaboard diving in the Sea of Cortez. Cetaceans are commonly spotted and include vast pods of dolphins, porpoises, pilot whales, killer whales and even sperm whales and humpback whales. We finally figured out where the humboldt squid are and it’s quite a trek to get there! The most likely reason Scalloped Hammerheads school in the Sea of Cortez is "refuging": the seamounts serve as meeting places conveniently near a rich food supply. Three days of diving with hammerhead sharks and manta rays in La Paz was unable to erase the rumor from our unconscious moments. Log in, The story of the USS Indianapolis, the most famous shark attack in history, Fun fact: Sharks don't urinate like other fish, New study finds dangerously high levels of heavy metals in Caribbean sharks, Endangered Species Spotlight: Ganges Shark, The 15 worst shark-themed movies of all time, Viral video shows man smoking weed from shark carcass, New device could deter unwanted shark bycatch, Trump vetoes drift-net fishing bill in California, Researchers create new shark tagging software, US and Canada form new white shark research group, Shark Hero Talks: Melissa Cristina Marquez. The chance of you seeing a great white shark while in the Sea of Cortez are slim. El Bajo. BBC © 2014 The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. As a seamount El Bajo is home to an abundance of sea life, mass schooling fish (amber jacks, tuna etc), octopus and the impressive Panamic Green moray; a colony of over fifty can be found in a small canyon. Hammerhead shark, video still by Walter Marti . Head to one of these exciting destinations to get up close and personal with hammerhead sharks, creatures that have been patrolling the deep for thousands of years. Some Excellent Books. The whale sharks are one of the main reasons I’ve come to La Paz, the laid-back capital city of Baja California Sur, a Mexican state on the Baja California Sur peninsula. This all went down in a shallow water bay on the Sea of Cortez. Thanks for the kind words. In the 70s, hundreds of hammerhead sharks were often seen at El Bajo, a sea mount and dive site. The ocean near Cabo San Lucas has the richest biodiversity of marine life for snorkeling and freediving including various species of rare sharks … Pangas (classic Mexican wood and fiberglass boats) are the norm for resort diving. … In fact, their nickname is Gentle Giants. In spring, the Sea of Cortez is a good place for sighting whales, including gray whales,finback whales, and the occasional 80 foot (24 m) blue whale. The Sea of Cortez. Several operators have larger, more "traditional" dive boats. In the spring the plankton rich water in the Sea of Cortez near La Paz, Mexico provide excellent feeding and breeding grounds for a variety of marine animals including whales, dolphins, sea lions and whale sharks. Discover the dive sites around Espiritu Santo and expect plenty of large marine life including sea lions, hammerheads and whale sharks. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Shot in November of 2009 on the RED ONE M sensor using the Gates "Deep RED"… Sharks typically have seals for dinner, so you’re not on the menu. The seaside Mexican town of La Paz is the perfect base for an ocean of adventure in the Sea of Cortez. Los Cabos - Dive with Fascinating Hammerhead Sharks at Gordo Banks (Mexico) There are a few places in the world where you can go on a scheduled hammerhead shark dive. El Bajo. In 2013 the 38m M/V Valentina Liveaboard underwent a re-fit to … However, an underwater cinematographer once filmed a pair of Scalloped Hammerheads copulating in the Sea of Cortez, the sharks locked together and falling to the seabed in graceful slow-motion. The Sea of Cortez is an interesting place. Sep 4, 2015 - hammerhead sharks sea of cortez - Google Search Local boat and dive operators organise trips to the El Bajo seamount. The plankton-rich currents of the Pacific along the western coast of California Sur and sheltered waters of the Sea of Cortez support whale sharks, dolphins, giant manta rays and schools of sharks such as scalloped hammerheads. If you know of a destination which offers a great opportunity to dive with Sharks, or you have a story to share with us about diving in any of the places described in this page, please post your message in our Destination Message Board. A great white shark that briefly stranded in the Sea of Cortez last month has been spotted again – and it's alive and well. As you can clearly see, this is one GIGANTIC great white shark so when the tide went out and the water level plummeted to just a few feet the shark was no longer able to leave the bay because it was more or less stuck on the bottom. Type and press enter to search. Sea Of Cortez, Mexico. Swim with sea lions, manta rays, hammerheads and whale sharks. An enormous great white shark found itself trapped in shallow water after the tide went out, and one man with balls of steel decided to get really close to that shark. Although great white sharks have been known to visit the area in the Gulf of California, also known as the Sea of Cortez, which may be a nursery for the species. Here you can learn about the 10 species of hammerhead sharks, which range in size from about 3 feet to 20 feet (1 to 6 meters) in length. See Whale Sharks Up Close. Great White Shark Diving Specialist. This all went down in a shallow water bay on the Sea of Cortez. The Sea of Cortez (or Gulf of California) lies between the Baja California Peninsula and mainland Mexico. Discover the dive sites around Espiritu Santo and expect plenty of large marine life including sea lions, hammerheads and whale sharks. The Sea of Cortez is a popular Mexico scuba diving destination, especially for whale fans. For those who tell the tale, the Black Demon is said to be a shark as long as a school bus, reaching lengths of 50 feet or more. In order; El Bajo, La Reina, Las Animas/San Francisquito. Scalloped Hammerheads gathering at an underwater seamount in the Sea of Cortez. In part one of our series on "Whale Sharks, Sea Lions and Gray Whales: Adventures in La Paz", we head out to sea to swim with whale sharks, the largest fish in the sea. Schools range from between six to hundreds travelling in a clockwise direction around the seamount for unknown reasons. What happened to the hammerheads of El Bajo in LaPaz, Mexico? Down at the tip of the peninsula as well as near Socorro Island, you might be lucky enough to run across whale sharks and manta rays, in the correct season. We are seeing hammerhead sharks at El Bajo and Los Animas and mantas at La Reyna although not as abundantly as before. Great White Shark Diving While all these species are in the area of diving in the Sea of Cortez, some dive boats will focus on encounters with whale sharks, the largest fish in all the oceans. Top predators such as sharks also returned in numbers, as did schooling fish and a whole plethora of marine life. The Cabo Pulmo Reef has eight fingers of hard coral reef, which provide a safe haven for many of the 800 species of marine animals found throughout the Sea of Cortez. To people who live here or visit, the Gulf is clearly a special place, where stark, rocky desert meets this inland sea's sparkling waters. Dives i… The team explore how a unique ocean paradise, home to the greatest variety of whales and dolphins in the world, is under threat. Highlights: whale sharks, hammerhead sharks, shark action, dolphins, whales, manta rays, schooling fish & big pelagics ... July to November is the Sea of Cortez liveaboard season, although shore diving is possible year round. Don’t let the name scare you—these beautiful Sea of Cortez sharks are nothing like the man-eating sharks in Jaws. The jacks are often joined by schools of tuna and the main spectacle; Hammerhead sharks. It is usually considered to be a black shark, and less commonly as a whale, measuring about 60 ft (18 m), similar to the estimated length of the Megalodon. Few European divers have, as yet, had the opportunity to discover for themselves the amazing, unusual and adventurous diving that the Sea of Cortez has to offer. With Mark Halliley, Lucy Blue, Philippe Cousteau Jr., Tooni Mahto. Aside from possible encounters with hammerheads frequent visitors to the seamount include; whale sharks and giant pacific manta rays. You might see hammerhead sharks in the Sea of Cortez or hear a variety of whales including humpbacks in the Pacific Ocean. La Paz and Loreto on the southern interior and Los Cabos (Cabo San Lucas and San Jose Del Cabo) at the southern tip are the staging areas for expeditions to … Duration inc. flights: 10 days; Price inc. flights: From £ 2,295 pp; Trip type: Tailor-made trip idea [PDF], Shark species face extinction amid overfishing and appetite for fins. My dives there were fairly shallow (for diving), but I don’t know if they would work for snorkeling. All else, though can be wonderful sites, are just second best. How to best dive the Sea of Cortez . There are two main areas for diving: La Paz and Cabo Pulmo. Especially when that fish is a shark. Its body shape and the number of gill are similar to fossils of sharks which lived 350,000,000 years ago. Hammerhead sharks are extremely shy. Almost 20 years ago schools of hundreds of hammerhead sharks were seen at the seamount of El Bajo. Swim with the Big Guys-- The Sea of Cortez and Socorro are cornucopias of marine life.In addition to large schools of colorful fish angelfish, snapper, jacks and tuna, you have a very good chance of swimming with manta rays, whale sharks and hammerhead sharks. Most were a max depth of 40-90 feet. Discover the dive sites around Espiritu Santo and expect plenty of large marine life including sea lions, hammerheads and whale sharks. Some of the greatest changes threatening the world's oceans today can be seen in this stretch of water. Sailing among the scattered islands along the shore of the Baja peninsula, we will snorkel with young sea lions, walk along desert island ridges and palm-lined arroyos, visit a remote fishing village and kayak into a mangrove lagoon. La Paz is the gateway to the Sea of Cortez, where amazing creatures like the whale shark live in one of the most abundant and wonderful ecosystems in the world. It is also one of the best places on the Sea of Cortez for scuba diving and snorkeling. They dive in stormy seas to investigate how a giant predator, the cannibalistic Humboldt squid, is invading this sea, and search for the threatened hammerhead shark. The Sea of Cortez is also home to the whale shark. During this 9-day Sea of Cortez expedition you will enjoy warm days and cool nights, kayak quiet coves, walk forest trails and explore crystal clear tide pools. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so. Enjoy Whale Sharks Up Close. Dive category: Specialist. Many hammerhead sharks live in warm waters fairly close to shore, although most of them are not considered much danger to humans. The legend of El Demonio Negro, the Black Demon, has persisted for as long as people entered the waters of the Gulf of California, also known as the Sea of Cortez, between the Baja Peninsula and the state of Sonora. Whale sharks are plankton-eating sharks (not whales). You can also find starfish, angelfish and wrasse of various shapes and sizes throughout the region. Along the West coast of Mexico you have several options to spot these magnificent creatures, with a day trip or liveaboard. Mar 29, 2012 - Manta offers gordo banks diving and swimming with sharks in los cabos. My dives there were fairly shallow (for diving), but I don’t know if they would work for … swim with sharks cabo san lucas is a memorable dive experience. Worldwide many tens of millions, possibly over 100 million sharks, are being caught each year. Between them they offer exceptional whale-watching opportunities, plus diving with hammerhead sharks and sea lions. In order; El Bajo, La Reina, Las Animas/San Francisquito. While the Pacific is cold, the Sea of Cortez is at its warmest so many boats change their itineraries during these months. Our Company; Shark Conservation; Reviews; Adventures. Although sightings have now become less common than in previous years, divers flock to El Bajo, about 27 nautical miles from La Paz, to see the schooling sharks. Get a glimpse of these gigantic fish and watch them in their natural habitat, hunting and exploring. Diving trip in November 2016 to Baja California Sur, Mexico. A video shows a 14-foot-long great white shark in shallow water in the Sea of Cortez off Baja California. The Sea of Cortez is protected on its western side by the long peninsula of Baja California (the second largest in the world at 1,200km) and to the east by the Mexican mainland – creating a huge, relatively shallow playground perfect for marine life and for divers. Sea of Cortez is in general quite calm with the possibility of big waves, however, each liveaboard has their own minimum dive experience level, please always check this before booking and it is important to remember your dive logs/logbooks. Its body shape and the number of gill are similar to fossils of sharks which lived 350,000,000 years ago. Along the West coast of Mexico you have several options to spot these magnificent creatures, with a day trip or liveaboard. Home; About. There are over 25 dive sites near the shores of La Paz and diving can be done year-round. The legend of El Demonio Negro, the Black Demon, has persisted for as long as people entered the waters of the Gulf of California, also known as the Sea of Cortez, between the Baja Peninsula and the state of Sonora. They eat microscopic plankton—definitely not people—and … Enter and Book Now These gentle giants generally move south as the season gets later. We started diving here many years ago when giant mantas were common and multiple schools of hammerhead sharks would swirl around El Bajo. The Sea of Cortez is also famed for its encounters with giant Pacific manta rays, which like whale sharks are harmless plankton feeders. Directed by Matthew Gyves. The frill shark, also known as a Frilled shark usually lives in waters of a depth of 600 meters and so it is very rare that this shark is found alive at sea-level. Some divers spend their whole life to find the filter feeding Rhincodon Typus, and here he was waiting at the edge of a story from a stranger where a long dirt road touches the Sea of Cortez. Hammerhead sharks also show up in the Sea of Cortez during September. Destination: Mexico; When to go: Sep-Nov; Duration inc. flights: 10 days; Price inc. flights: From £ 2,295 pp; Island Escapade. The decline in shark population in El Bajo is a worrying sign for sea life throughout the Sea of Cortez. The strikingly beautiful Sea Of Cortez is formed by the long peninsula of Baja California to the west and the mainland of Mexico to the east. A Guardian article about shark species facing extinction. Hammerhead sharks are extremely shy. Mission Hammerhead Sharks: ON! Duration inc. flights: 10 days; Price inc. flights: From £ 2,295 pp; Trip type: Tailor-made trip idea It's a blazingly warm fall day as we load our scuba gear into a small boat at the Cortez Club, the epicenter of the La Paz diving and snorkeling scene.I'm about to head out into the Sea of Cortez in search of hammerhead sharks, that elusive creature I've been determined to come face to face with since my first dive experiences more than twenty years ago, and I'm trying to think positively. Hammerhead sharks are unmistakable—they have a unique hammer- or shovel-shaped head. The Sea of Cortez has a reputation for whale sharks. Here hammerhead sharks school in groups of up to 200 or even an amazing 2,000, colonies of sealions live undisturbed and Grey Whales come to mate, give birth and make their winter home. As far as I’m concerned, there are three places to dive here. Whale sharks are the largest fish in the ocean. The MV Valentina Liveaboard visits the abundant dive sites of the Sea Of Cortez from August to November where divers can hope to see sea lions, huge schools of sardines and hammerhead sharks, and the amazing diving of the Socorro Islands to look for humpback whales, manta rays and whale sharks from November to May. Cross over the U.S.-Mexico border below the California state line and you've entered the great Baja peninsula. Los Cabos - Dive with Fascinating Hammerhead Sharks at Gordo Banks (Mexico) There are a few places in the world where you can go on a scheduled hammerhead shark dive. Sea of Cortez and Socorro aboard M/V Valentina. This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. The water is approximately 80°F (27°C) and these are the best months for hammerhead encounters in the region. Hammerheads are vital to the health of the ocean; they weed out the sick and injured and help keep marine life in balance. Commercial fishermen hit the place really hard in the 1990’s before the government of Mexico enacted exclusionary zones and marine protected area. Dive the Sea of Cortez, one of the most biologically diverse places on the planet. Hammerhead sharks congregate in big groups at this time of year at offshore reefs such as Fish Rock, a popular diving spot 100km south of Coffs Harbour. This stretch of the Pacific, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of the most diverse seas in the world and home to more than 3,000 marine species, including hammerhead sharks, sea lions, and sea turtles. To our surprise, with plenty of luck and perfect weather we managed to get over 7+ silky sharks in flat seas and blue waters. ARKive gives a comprehensive summary of facts and figures on the great hammerhead. Another shark that also puts La Paz on the map in the '80s was the hammerhead shark. The decline in shark population in El Bajo is a worrying sign for sea life throughout the Sea of Cortez. 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