Anonymous
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San Diego to baja (week)
Hi,
I was hoping u guys could help. i've got 11 days off and want to escape the lousy weather in europe. so i'll be in and around san diego in the
beginning of february.
what i want to do is spend about a week in baja. i've been to mexico and central america before, so I know 1 week isn't a lot. but it's all i've got
and i want to make the most of it...
my questions...
what's the weather like in baja...north/south...is it warm enough to go swimming in either the pacific or the sea of cortez? what's the closest nice
place from tijuana to do some diving/snorkeling? what r some intersting places to visit?
what's baja like?
i've been researching this on the web...but somehow the answers i've got so what are more than confusing to me.
hope u can help!!
thanx a lot!
sunny
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Ken Bondy
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Closest place to San Diego for diving
would be Punta Banda, just south of Ensenada. There you will find good cold-water diving/snorkeling and several operators/dive shops. Water will be
cold (55-60F) and you will need a 6-7mm wetsuit or drysuit. You should also be familiar with diving in kelp.
++Ken++
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wilderone
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You might consider diving off San Diego's kelp beds and going to Bahia de Los Angeles for your Baja experience. You can still dive there too, and you
can make it in a day, and see a lot of what Baja is all about. Baja California is very diverse, so an answer to "What is Baja like" is not simple.
It depends on what you enjoy. There are rural ranches, pine forests, pristine beaches, mines, mission ruins, desert landscape, fossils, small town
charm, wineries, hot springs. Are you aware of the annual grey whale migration and the whale nurseries of Baja? Maybe you'd like to pet a baby whale
at Scammons Lagoon near Guerrero Negro. You could drive here in a long day. You will never forget the experience.
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Ken Bondy
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Good suggestion wilderone
I answered assuming they WANTED to dive in Mexico. But the logistics would be easier to dive in the San Diego area and they would see much the same
thing.
++Ken++
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BrianBenson
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Bahia de los Angeles is a must stop
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fishinrich
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My two centavos
My advice to you would be get on a plane and fly to cabo. That will be the ONLY place with warm clear water and no wind. LA bay water temp is in the
50's along with anything on the pacific side. And in my opinion that is way to cold for human contact There are many dive operators out of cabo to
meet all your needs. fishin rich
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Ken Bondy
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fishinrich you go right to the jugular
that's the best suggestion so far. Wish I had thought of that.
++Ken++
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Anonymous
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hey, thanx everyone 
i'll look into the diving around SAN. is it a lot more expensive there than in baja?
what's the weather like around this time of the year? i guess the pacific coast (water temp) would be really cold...and the east coast warmer? is it
warm enough to go to the beach and go swimming without a wetsuit ?
50...i'm used to that really...live in france *lol* but i wouldn't mind warmer water for a change...
so, thanks again, u've been a big help,
cheers,
sunny
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Sharksbaja
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Expensive on Cabo
A couple of friends just told they spent 20+ dollars for a couple of shots of tequila recently in Cabo. Me thinks them odd. Where were they drinkin'?
They probably got the goooooood stuff because they didn' know they had 57 varieties avail.. But still....... it is quite expensive. Comparable to any
fancy resort town.
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wilderone
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You can just get in the water at La Jolla cove and swim around that area. It's a marine preserve. If you want, you could rent a kayak a block from
La Jolla Shores beach and paddle out to the kelp beds - a short paddle - and dive there. There are many, many divers every weekend in this area who
could give you advice, or call the dive shops once you get in San Diego. The water temp is 54-56. Weather very unpredictable.
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Bruce R Leech
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Location: Ensenada formerly Mulege
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Mood: A lot cooler than Mulege
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Might as well go to Miami Beach as Cobo, you wont see Baja there only good for spending money.
Bruce R Leech
Ensenada
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Packoderm
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I think it is possible to have a perfectly fine experience in Baja via Cabo. I'd fly to Cabo, kick back in a fancy resort for two days, then begin an
adventure. You could rent a car (maybe a SUV if you have the bucks) and go to La Paz via the dirt road past Cabo Pulmo. I'd bring backpacks full of
camping gear and snorkeling gear (no need for heavy wet suits) and enjoy the last bastion of East Cape camping for several days, for it is certain to
be gone forever before too long. La Paz is nice for a few days. Then, you could return to Cabo by way of Todos Santos. I think this itinerary just
might be the best bang for the allotted time given. I believe that the East Cape drive could be considered a touch of the "real" Baja.
P.S., Cabo San Lucas doesn't have to be expensive if you take the time to find the bargains. For instance, you can find a lobster dinner at the
Sleepless Lobster for as cheap as anywhere else in Baja. You can find a cheap hotel if you look around. However, I would spring for two nights at a
beachfront resort such as Las Misiones or Melia San Lucas. Why not.
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