Gordo Banks

Gordo Banks is a pair of submerged seamounts rising from the deep ocean floor approximately 13 kilometers off the coast of San Jose del Cabo, at the very tip of the Baja California peninsula. These legendary pinnacles attract an extraordinary concentration of large pelagic species, making this one of the most thrilling blue-water dive sites in the Eastern Pacific. The seamounts rise from depths of several hundred meters to within 35 meters of the surface, creating an upwelling effect that brings nutrient-rich deep water to the surface and attracts the entire marine food chain. The main attraction at Gordo Banks is the schooling scalloped hammerhead sharks that gather at the seamounts during the warm months. Groups of dozens to hundreds of hammerheads can be seen circling the pinnacles, a sight that ranks among the most impressive shark encounters available to recreational divers. Whale sharks visit the banks from late summer through autumn, their massive forms materializing from the blue. Giant Pacific manta rays with wingspans exceeding five meters soar through the water column, while silky sharks, wahoo, and yellowfin tuna add to the pelagic spectacle. Gordo Banks is uncompromisingly an advanced dive site. Strong currents, significant ocean swells, depths of 30-plus meters, and often-limited visibility demand experienced divers with excellent buoyancy control and comfort in open blue water. There is no reef to shelter behind — this is pure blue-water diving where divers descend to the seamount top and hold position in the current while the ocean's apex predators parade past. The reward for those with the skills and nerve to dive Gordo Banks is an encounter with raw, untamed ocean that few dive sites on Earth can match.

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