Sea Lion Colony - Sea of Cortez
At the Sea Lion Colony, you'll spend your dive surrounded by playful California sea lions. They're curious creatures, often nipping fins or nudging divers, making for an interactive experience. It’s a shallower site, great for photographers and divers who enjoy close encounters with marine mammals. We’d suggest this one for anyone looking for something a bit different from a typical reef dive.
- Location
- Sea of Cortez, Mexico, North America
- Coordinates
- 23.382048, -109.414560
Marine Protected Area: Cabo Pulmo
Best Time to Dive in Sea of Cortez
The warmest water temperatures in Sea of Cortez occur in September, averaging 30.4°C. The coolest conditions are in February at 21.1°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 22.2°C
- February: 21.1°C
- March: 21.5°C
- April: 22.6°C
- May: 24.8°C
- June: 27.1°C
- July: 29.1°C
- August: 30.1°C
- September: 30.4°C
- October: 29.8°C
- November: 27.6°C
- December: 25.1°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Sea of Cortez
- Anegada Rock
- Bait Boat - 10-30m (wreck)
- Barco Encayado (wreck)
- C29 (wreck)
- Cabo Pulmo
- Cabo Pulmo Divers
- Cabo San Lucas - 20m
- Chileno Reef (reef)
- COLIMA - 18m (wreck)
- CONQUISTADOR - 19m (wreck)
- El Bajo
- El Bajo - Cabo Pulmo - 17m (pinnacle)
- El Bajo de los Meros
- El Bajo Seamount (reef)
- El Bajo Sea Mounts - 26m (pinnacle)
Nearest Dive Centres to Sea Lion Colony
- Cabo Pulmo Divers - ["PADI"]
- Cabo Pulmo Travel - PADI, SSI
- CERRALVO DIVERS
- Dive in la Paz
- Divers Inn - ["PADI"]
- Hipoxia Freediving - SSI
Marine Life in Sea of Cortez
Home to 197 recorded species including 172 reef fish, 14 whales & dolphins, 5 sharks & rays, 3 other, 1 sea cucumbers, 1 seagrass & algae.
Notable Species
- Gray Whale (Eschrichtius robustus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Orca (Orcinus orca) - Whales & Dolphins
- Cowfish (Tursiops truncatus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Cortez Rainbow Wrasse (Thalassoma lucasanum) - Reef Fish
- Barspot Cardinalfish (Apogon retrosella) - Reef Fish
- Spotted sharpnose puffer (Canthigaster punctatissima) - Reef Fish
- Puffer (Sphoeroides annulatus) - Reef Fish
- Porcupine (Diodon holocanthus) - Reef Fish
- Atlantic Silverstripe Halfbeak (Hyporhamphus unifasciatus) - Reef Fish
- King Angelfish (Holacanthus passer) - Reef Fish
- Large-banded Blenny (Ophioblennius steindachneri) - Reef Fish
- Longfin silverside (Atherinella eriarcha) - Reef Fish
- Amarillo snapper (Lutjanus argentiventris) - Reef Fish
- Sea Bass (Epinephelus labriformis) - Reef Fish
- Mulet (Mugil curema) - Reef Fish
- Mottled Soapfish (Rypticus bicolor) - Reef Fish
- Tinsel squirrelfish (Sargocentron suborbitale) - Reef Fish
- Mojarra (Eucinostomus currani) - Reef Fish
- Herring (Harengula thrissina) - Reef Fish
- Jewel moray (Muraena lentiginosa) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Sea Lion Colony
Based on average water temperature of 26.0°C, currents 9 cm/s.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 26°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories