Cold water in Cabo in May?

[btobey]

We sail on a 14-Day Panama Canal cruise April 27th. Our last stop is Cabo San Lucas, and our ship is offering many swim/snorkel-type excursions for that port. However, I've heard some mention that the water is likely to be quite cold--is this true? I am NOT one who enjoys a brisk swim; I prefer the warm waters of the Caribbean! :eek:

[SDPadreFan]

The water is generally the warmest between July - November. Jan-Mar; figure low to mid 60's. I'm GUESSING that early May will be in the high 60's or better. It will never be like the warm bath water of the Caribbean, but in late summer it could get close.

 

The 2 bays where most snorkeling occurs (Santa Maria and Chilleno Bay's) are a little more protected and so may be warmer.

[househunter]

We were there on a cruise the first part of May last year and will be there from 05/01-05/11 this year. The water was very cold but we were able to jump in for a few minutes to cool off as the air temps were very hot. No way would we have been able to snorkle though although the catamarans were full of people heading to the snorkle spots everyday!:)

[btobey]

Thanks for the warning, Househunter! Any idea about water temps for Mexican Riviera ports south of Cabo?

[househunter]

We swam in both Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan on that same May trip and the water was MUCH warmer!:)

[btobey]

We swam in both Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan on that same May trip and the water was MUCH warmer!:)

Thanks, that is good to know; we are going to Acapulco and to Costa Rico too.

[mpk]

We were there on a cruise the first part of May last year and will be there from 05/01-05/11 this year. The water was very cold

So B.O.B. or Snuba would be a bad idea in April or May then..?

 

The site below lists the water temperature at the Sea or Cortez at 69.5 to 72.5 degrees F. Are they "fibbing", or does that seem reasonable for Cabo on March 31?

[househunter]

Well this year March and April has been in the low 60's. Check out the Cabo forum on tripadvisor. It is a very active forum and there is a poster who lives there, Caboticket who posts a daily weather report usually including water temps. He is on vacation right now but should be returning later this week. His reports have been really helpful. In our experience the water starts to get into the 70's by July or August and then is finally really warm in the 80's from Sept-Nov. Then it starts to cool down again with Feb-May being the coldest.

[mpk]

Thanks for the info, househunter. It sounded too good to be true. I suspect the site was doing a little fibbing to encourage people to sign up.

[bqkali]

Can you rent a wetsuit? I snorkeled Key West last Easter with a wetsuit and though it was a bit chilly, it was wasn't so brisk that I would have skipped it.

[househunter]

Not sure as the water in the spring is just too cold for me, wetsuit or not so I haven't checked it out. I would assume so but hopefully someone else will know.