escape the crowd

Shark diving in Cabo

Dive Gordo Banks : If you’re a certified diver seeking a different kind of adventure then this is for you!

Gordo Banks | An exhilarating deep dive in the Sea of Cortez

Inner and Outer Gordo Banks dive site

The underwater topography of Los Cabos is filled with seamounts that funnel currents through the area bringing nutrients to the canyons between them. These areas become feeding grounds for an abundance of fish that, in turn, attract larger predatory pelagics thanks to the high concentration of potential prey.

Seven miles offshore from San José del Cabo marina, we find one such seamount called 'Gordo Banks'. Its highest peak lays at 31m/102ft below the surface and its rocky surface is covered with black and wire corals. The top of the seamount is usually visited by schools of jacks, snappers and creole fish which, in turn, invite predators such as tuna, wahoo, marlin, silky sharks, tope sharks and of course.... schooling hammerheads!

Shark diving in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

This unparalleled dive site is rich with incredible and abundant wildlife. What an unique experience to dive at Gordo Banks with schooling hammerheads, hound sharks, school of jack, rays and other pelagic life! There are no guarantees in nature and shark sightings are dependent on water clarity, the depth where they choose to swim, currents, moon cycle and other things we can’t control. In any case, we can explore the bank or just have a blue water dive among shadows and shapes that shift in the blue - often to come closer and make an appearance but sometimes to just disappear from view. Squadrons of mobula ray, lone whale sharks and even humpback whales have frequented this dive site on numerous occasions.

Wildlife and diving conditions

Deep diving in Gordo Banks requires :

good physical fitness
a mastery understanding of deep diving techniques
dive planning ability
experience in blue water drifts

We need a MINIMUM of 4 divers to run shared tours to Gordo Banks

Ready to explore? Let us guide you in this adventure

Dive Explore

Total 4 Dives

You can choose whether you prefer to dive standard air or Enriched Air Nitrox. Air is recommended on this bottomless dive site due to depth limits of Nitrox but we do offer this option to those who hold the certification. Maximum fills are 28%.

Day 1: 8am – 12pm : 1 x 2 tank local deep checkout dive (air) in Cabo San Lucas

Day 2: 7am – 1pm : 2 Tank Air dive or 2 Tank 28% Nitrox dive

Cost
Air Package: $385pp
Nitrox Package: $405pp
Equipment $35 per day.
What’s included:
Tanks/ Weights / Drinks / Snacks / Go Pro footage / extra safety diver for large groups
Who is it for?
Advanced Open Water divers that want to Escape The Crowd with a love of exploring the deep blue ocean!

Dive Expedition

Total 5 Dives

We often describe Gordo Banks as a ‘hit and miss’ dive site because nothing is guaranteed in nature and so we offer a third dive at one of the local dive sites on the way back in this package. Please check out our blog for these dive site descriptions.

Day 1: 8am – 12pm : 1 x 2 tank local deep checkout dive (air) in Cabo San Lucas

Day 2: 7am – 2.30pm : 2 tank dive at Gordo Banks | 3rd tank in Los Cabos

Cost
Air Package: $485pp
Nitrox Package: $515pp
Equipment $35 per day.
What’s included:
Tanks/ Weights / Drinks / Snacks / packed lunch / Go Pro footage / extra safety diver for large groups
Who is it for?
Advanced Divers who want to maximize their boat time and log a few more dives! Also for divers who enjoy exploring the pelagic life in the deep blue and the different critters on the reefs of Los Cabos.

Dive and Whale Watching

Total 4 Dives - Dec 15 to Apr 15

A FANTASTIC opportunity to Escape The Crowd and enjoy whale watching in the secluded waters of the East Cape. The humpback whale is the most acrobatic of whales! During their annual migration from Canada to the abundant waters of Los Cabos we often see many of them breaching, slapping and fluking at the surface of the water. If we are very lucky we might even see them at the Bank!

Day 1: 8am – 12pm : 1 x 2 tank local deep checkout dive (air) in Cabo San Lucas

Day 2: 7am – 2pm : 2 Tank dive Air or 2 tank dive Nitrox followed by 1 hour of extra whale watching.

Cost
Air Package: $450pp
Nitrox Package: $470pp
Equipment $35 per day.
What’s included:
Tanks/ Weights / Drinks / Snacks / packed lunch / Go Pro footage / extra safety diver for large groups
Who is it for?
Advanced Open Water divers that want to Escape The Crowd and enjoy the magnificent display of humpback whales after an exhilarating dive at the bank.

Nitrox Package

Total 3 Dives

Take an online course before your arrival about the benefits of using air with a higher oxygen content. Using ‘enriched air’ increases your maximum bottom time. This is ideal at Gordo Banks although enriched air does limit your depth. On arrival your instructor will walk you through tank analysis and go over a review of the theory.

Day 1: 8am – 11am 1 hour Nitrox workshop/tanks analysis and 1 tank check out dive.

Day 2: 7am – 1pm 2 tank Nitrox dive at Gordo Banks

Cost
$575PP
What’s included:
Online theory / equipment / processing fee / tanks / weights / drinks / snacks / Go Pro footage / extra safety diver for large groups
Who is it for?
Advanced Level certified divers in good physical health looking for an adventure – done the right way! For students who want to choose dive electives specific to deep drift diving.

PADI Advanced Open Water package

Total 7 Dives

Gordo Banks is an advanced dive site. If you’re at the Open Water level then you can elect to do the PADI Advanced Open Water course in 2 days before your Gordo Banks trip.

Day 1: 8am – 1.30pm Peak Performance Buoyancy Dive, Drift Dive, Navigation.

Day 2: Deep Dive, Nitrox Dive Introduction

Day 3: 2 Tank dive Gordo Banks

Cost
Air Package: $825pp
Nitrox Package: $785pp
What’s included:
Online theory / equipment / processing fee / tanks / weights / drinks / snacks / packed lunch on day one / Go Pro footage / extra safety diver for large groups
Who is it for?
Open Water Level certified divers in good physical health looking for an adventure – done the right way! For student who want to choose dive electives specific to deep drift diving.

Deep Diving Specialty Package

Total 5 dives

4 deep dives make up the specialty qualification. Take the online portion of the course before your arrival with eLearning. On Day 1, plan and make 3 deep dives ranging from 90ft/27m to maximum 130ft/40m. Complete your 4th Deep Dive at Gordo Banks

Day 1: Day 1: 7am – 1.30pm 3 Tank Deep Dives (air)

Day 2: 2 Tank Gordo Banks

Cost
$645pp
What’s included:
Online theory / equipment / processing fee / tanks / weights / drinks / snacks / Go Pro footage / extra safety diver for large groups
Who is it for?
Advanced Open Water Diver Level certified divers in good physical health looking for an adventure – done the right way! For students who want to choose dive electives specific to deep drift diving.

Project Aware Shark Conservation Package 4 dives

Learn about the devastating impact of overfishing and the shark finning industry has on sharks. Have a presentation and knowledge review before visiting Gordo Banks to evaluate human impact on the sharks that live there and the environment they live in. Receive a Specialty certification on completion.

Day 1: 8am – 12pm : 1 x Local checkout dive (air) in Cabo San Lucas

1pm – 3pm Shark Conservation Presentation.

Day 2: 7am – 1.30pm : 2 x Shark Conservation dives at Gordo Banks

Cost
Air Package : $480pp
Nitrox 28 Package : $500pp
What’s included:
Equipment/Tanks/ Weights / Drinks / Snacks / Go Pro footage / extra safety diver for large groups
Who is it for?
Advanced Level certified divers in good physical health looking for an adventure – done the right way! For students who want to choose dive electives specific to deep drift diving.

DIVELOG

From our Divemasters

Gordo Banks Trip Report – October 2023

October 1 Continuing with the warmer-than-average conditions, 3 divers boarded the Apex boat for a 2 tank dive out at Gordo Banks. Arriving at the bank at 7.55am ready to dive! The visibility was slightly lower than usual Diving conditions Wildlife encounters October 3 Today our divers took a private boat from Cabo San Lucas…

Gordo Banks Trip Report – September 2023

September 3 One of the warmest starts to September Gordo Banks trips for years! We had a group of 4 divers that were looking forward to some clear, warm dives regardless of the sharky activity! Diving conditions Wildlife encounters September 14 Continuing with the warmer-than-average conditions, 3 divers boarded the Apex boat for a 2…

Gordo Banks Trip Report – August 2023

August 3 Another warm summer’s morning with the unrelenting sun and heat. We left at 6.30am sharp and enjoyed the smooth, breezy ride on the fast Apex arriving at the bank before everyone else! Diving conditions Wildlife encounters

Who we are

Laura is the team leader at Cabo Private Guide. After a period traveling the world as a dive center manager she finally settled down in Cabo San Lucas and created a new dive product dedicated to affordable private dive guides for a safer, better experience.

Laura has been a professional diver for 11 years and has over 5000 dives - many of them on deep blue drift dives or with sharks! Laura has a team of Specialty Instructors of equal expertise who are seasoned guides at Gordo Banks.

Laura has a team of guides of equal expertise for larger groups.