Quino del Mar, Mexico

Exposure protection. A 3mm wetsuit will generally do in September, but by mid-October, 3mm wetsuit with a hooded vest is recommended. Midday dives usually require less thermal protection but a light hood is useful for night dives because of high krill concentrations. Divers are required to bring gloves, dive light, and rash guard for sun protection while snorkeling with whale sharks. Onboard, clothing is casual, and hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen are highly recommended for sun protection. Quino del Mar liveaboard does have some dive gear available to rent. The BCDs, regulators, Shearwater Peregrine dive computers, and HP100 steel tanks are available for rent on board. All rental equipment is allocated on a first-come-first-serve basis. Divers should plan on bringing an exposure suit, mask, fins, snorkel, and SMB as these are not available on the boat for rent. There are no dive shops in Puerto Peñasco offering rentals so all personal gear needs to be packed prior to leaving home

Water temperatures in the Sea of Cortez will vary with the season and specific itinerary. Midriff Islands, July to mid-September: Water temperatures range from 73–78°F (23–26°C) in the north and warm to 79–84°F (26–29°C) by mid-August. After mid-September, the water temperature cools by 2°F per week. Mid-September to October (Explore Baja itinerary): Temperatures start in the high 70s°F (25–27°C) in the north and warm southward towards the mid-80s°F (29°C+). By the season's end northern sites cool to the low 70s°F (21–23°C) while southern sites remain in the mid-80s°F. September to October (Southern Safari): This Sea of Cortez liveaboard itinerary has the warmest temperatures of the year and remains in the mid-80s°F (29°C). One 3mm wetsuit normally suits all divers, while colder divers can take 5mm wetsuit, hood, or vest on top

Quino del Mar liveaboard is famous for its freshly prepared meals. Each day starts off with a continental breakfast consisting of fresh fruit, cereals, bagels, yogurt, and coffee. Mid-morning it's a hot breakfast ordered to your liking after the first dive. Lunch features homemade soups, plated entrees, and salads. Afternoon snacks may feature ceviche with fruit or an assortment of cheeses and sandwiches. Dinner is served as a three-course meal complete with salad and entrée course followed by home-made dessert. Soft drinks, coffee, tea, beer, and wine are included except complimentary beer and wine after the final dive of the day. Special dietary requests can be catered for such as for vegan or gluten-free needs-please advice with notice. The occasion can also be celebrated be it birthday, anniversary, or others, special arrangements can be made upon request

Required certifications: All divers must have an Open Water certification. The well-organized dive deck has a personal dive station for each diver, including an ample camera table, numerous power points, and compressed air to maintain diving gear. Dives are made from two 18' Achilles inflatable pangas, each with a dedicated driver who monitors divers' bubbles. Entries are by backroll, and at the end of the dive, divers jettison their weight belts and BCDs before boarding back on with the aid of robust ladders. The passengers are divided into three groups, each with a divemaster, and dives use a guided group format. Certified buddy teams, with experience in diving together can dive semi-independently using safe limits provided by the tour leaders. All divers should be in good health, maintain basic buoyancy skills and have recent diving experience. A private divemaster may be arranged as an extra

The Explore Baja liveaboard itinerary covers over 700 miles of the Sea of Cortez, from one end of Baja California to the other. This Sea of Cortez liveaboard adventure will combine the remote Midriff Islands with the clear, warm waters of the south. Divers will find virgin walls and reefs, home to both macro species and large pelagics. The north is perfect for macro photographers, with nudibranchs, seahorses, and jawfish, while the south offers whale sharks, sea lions, mobula rays, and schooling fish. These dives can include the following marine life encounters: humpback whales, pilot whales, fin whales, sperm whales, orcas, dolphins, and mobula rays. So far, quite common are sightings of blue-footed boobies, frigate birds, cormorants, and yellow-footed gulls. A trip will always include dives in Loreto National Park, snorkeling with whale sharks, optional hiking, or kayaking on remote islands

Socorro is the name of the liveaboard itinerary, taking divers 250 miles south of Baja California to an active volcanic archipelago called the Revillagigedo Islands. Home to a weird marine ecosystem, Socorro attracts those large pelagic species hardly ever seen anywhere else. Divers and snorkelers can expect to see giant manta rays, schooling hammerhead sharks, tiger sharks, silky sharks, Galapagos sharks, oceanic whitetip sharks, large schools of jacks, and barracuda. Humpback whales visit from mid-February to mid-April, sometimes singing underwater, and sometimes making surface appearances. Whale sharks are more common in November, December, and May; bait balls and pods of false orcas - May. The underwater landscape features rocky outcrops, boulders, and dramatic walls. Strong currents and sometimes choppy conditions make Socorro liveaboard diving for advanced divers only. Travel time to Socorro Island is about 26-28 hours each way