The Cortez Club

The Cortez Club has been a fixture of the La Paz diving scene since 1995. Situated at the La Concha Beach Resort, the centre provides a direct gateway to the diverse marine ecosystems of the Mer de Cortez.

As a PADI 5 Star IDC centre and Gold Palm member, they have built a reputation for professional standards in Baja California Sur. Their long history in the region allows them to navigate the local waters with a level of expertise that is hard to match, ensuring every dive is both an adventure and a well-managed excursion.

The centre operates with a high level of professional accreditation, holding the NOM133 Business certification. This distinction is specific to the region and reflects their commitment to safety and operational standards.

Their team is composed of certified instructors and captains who manage everything from standard recreational dives to specialised expeditions. This includes dedicated trips for observing orcas and mobula rays, as well as technical support for rebreather divers.

The centre offers a comprehensive range of PADI training, starting from the Discover Scuba Diving programme through to Open Water Diver and Advanced Open Water Diver. For those looking to specialise, they provide courses in Wreck Diver, Deep Diver, Drift Diver, and Underwater Navigation.

Professional training is a core part of their offering, with paths leading through Divemaster, Assistant Instructor, and the Instructor Development Course (IDC). They also host specialised training such as the PADI Enriched Air Diver course, Dry Suit Scuba Diving, and various photography and videography courses.

The centre operates expedition boats designed for specific encounters, including trips to observe orcas and mobula rays. These vessels accommodate up to 8 passengers per trip.

For day diving, the schedule allows for multiple dives per outing, with returns typically occurring in the early to mid-afternoon depending on whether you are running a two-tank or three-tank itinerary.

Full rental kit is available on-site for those not travelling with their own equipment, including regulators, BCDs, and cylinders. You can also hire essential accessories such as masks, snorkels, and fins.

For those looking to extend their underwater experience, the centre provides Nitrox support. They also cater to technical divers, offering support for semi-closed rebreather (SCR) diving, including the provision of diluent and oxygen cylinders.

The waters here are home to impressive pelagics and seasonal visitors. You may encounter hammerhead sharks, silky sharks, or bull sharks, as well as whales including Blue whales, Humpback whales, and Fin whales, which are present year-round. From October to May, whale sharks may also be spotted.

In the reef environments, you will find a vibrant array of life including Grouper (Epinephelus), various species of Snapper (Lutjanus), and large schools of jacks and tuna. The rocky reefs and pinnacles are adorned with Sea fan (Gorgoniidae), brain corals, and soft corals, providing a backdrop for colorful tropical reef fish.

Macro life and smaller residents include Octopus (Octopus vulgaris), giant seahorses (Hippocampus kuda), and various species of moray eels, such as green moray eels and jewel moray eels. You can also find garden eels (Gorgasia), stingrays, and various species of sea turtles (Cheloniidae).

Seasonal highlights include mobula rays during the late spring and summer, and the opportunity to see orcas or pilot whales throughout the year.

Divers should be aware of constant currents at sites like La Reynita, which can make certain dives more dynamic. Some offshore expeditions, particularly those targeting marlins, can encounter heavy swell and wind-driven waves.

While many sites are accessible to beginners, others require more experience due to currents or the nature of the terrain. Always check with the team regarding the specific conditions for your chosen site on the day of departure.