Explore Gordo Banks

Diving at Gordo Banks is challenging, but extremely rewarding. With a max depth of 40-45m and rough surface ocean conditions, this dive is meant for experienced divers only. Once you descend below the surface, however, you will feel like you’ve been frozen in time with nothing but blue around you as you wait for curious hammerhead sharks and other pelagic megafauna to swim your way.

The seamounts that this dive site is centered on are also part of the attraction of this site. The tops of the seamounts are an exciting landscape to explore: deep cracks, canyons, sponges, and black coral are some of the highlights.

While many liveaboard dive operations depart from Cabo San Lucas, which is approximately 20km from Gordo Banks on the tip of Baja California, the majority of them have the destination of Guadalupe Island or Socorro Island. Since Gordo Banks is only a 1.5 hour boat ride from shore, diving via liveaboard dive boat is not necessary, and most local dive shops and resorts offer daily trips to this site.

Courses and Events

Instructor Training Course

To join the SSI Instructor Training Course (ITC), you must be a certified Divemaster or hold an equivalent qualification. This comprehensive program is part of SSI’s 2-Step Instructor Training Approach. It begins with the Instructor Training Course combination, supported by immersive digital learning. After successfully completing the ITC, you will attend the Instructor Evaluation (IE) to become an SSI Open Water Instructor. As a certified instructor, you’ll be able to independently teach key SSI programs such as Open Water Diver, Advanced Open Water Diver, Enriched Air Nitrox, Diver Stress & Rescue, and Dive Guide. Need more time or want to gain hands-on experience before becoming a full instructor? You can take the Assistant Instructor portion as a standalone step. This allows you to assist with real student courses, build valuable teaching experience, and then complete the Instructor Evaluation at your own pace. The possibilities are endless – start your scuba diving instructor career now!

03 May +1 More
€1,909.82
$2,200.00

Divemaster

The Divemaster program is the first step on an exciting journey. Earn the respect of your dive buddies and become an ambassador for diving by taking the Divemaster program. All you need to get started are 40 verified/logged dives and certifications in Deep Diving, Navigation, Night & Limited Visibility or at least 5 logged/verified dives experience in each area plus Diver Stress & Rescue. You will be certified as a Dive Guide after successfully completing the Divemaster program. When your interest is to turn your passion into a profession by guiding certified divers, teaching Ecology programs, assisting instructors or even becoming an instructor yourself, your next step is the Divemaster Upgrade with a minimum of 60 logged/verified. Upgrade to Divemaster right away or any time after by self-studying the Science of Diving materials, passing the Digital Final Exam which makes you an SSI Professional.

03 May +1 More
€1,302.15
$1,500.00

Dive Activity

Diving in Gordo Banks

Diving at Gordo Banks is primarily a deep dive. The top of the shallowest seamount is at approximately 40m depth, which means that divers must be at least Advanced Open Water certified. Due to the strong currents and rough ocean conditions, it is also recommended that divers have at least 100 logged dives before attempting to dive Gordo Banks.

Top Wildlife Sightings in Gordo Banks

Though not guaranteed, Gordo Banks is best known for its schools of hammerhead sharks. Due to the site’s offshore location, other open-ocean species such as mackerel, tuna, jack, snapper, groupers, eagle rays, cow-nose rays, manta rays, silky sharks, and whale sharks can be spotted here as well. The megafauna are more likely encountered during the cooler months.

Wildlife Sightings are Based on User Generated Content

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 200

Alamy-WaterFrame

Moray Eel
592 Sightings
J
52
F
39
M
50
A
29
M
23
J
49
J
54
A
33
S
49
O
63
N
63
D
88

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 7

iStock-Michael Zeigler

Sea Lion
472 Sightings
J
47
F
40
M
34
A
12
M
17
J
2
J
7
A
28
S
58
O
52
N
81
D
94

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 300

Alamy/Reinhard Dirscherl

Octopus
107 Sightings
J
12
F
6
M
0
A
0
M
1
J
7
J
14
A
13
S
9
O
10
N
11
D
24

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 25

iStock/Juliosanjuan

Eagle Ray
91 Sightings
J
0
F
9
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
2
J
14
A
6
S
17
O
4
N
19
D
20
iStock-crisod

Reef Manta Ray
60 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
2
M
0
J
9
J
12
A
9
S
12
O
7
N
0
D
9
AdobeStock-Magnus

Humpback Whale
39 Sightings
J
13
F
4
M
4
A
2
M
2
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
3
O
3
N
2
D
6

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 600

iStock/ultramarinfoto

Wrasse
37 Sightings
J
0
F
17
M
5
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
10
A
1
S
0
O
4
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 130

AdobeStock-JirinaVFR

Pufferfish
642 Sightings
J
57
F
52
M
59
A
35
M
38
J
53
J
53
A
39
S
46
O
50
N
69
D
91

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 90

Shutterstock-Rich Carey

Angelfish
433 Sightings
J
42
F
48
M
39
A
16
M
22
J
34
J
34
A
33
S
48
O
32
N
34
D
51

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 100

iStock-burnsboxco

Parrotfish
335 Sightings
J
30
F
29
M
25
A
13
M
18
J
18
J
27
A
22
S
36
O
28
N
37
D
52
Show More

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 80

iStock/Extreme-Photographer

Stingrays
271 Sightings
J
34
F
18
M
23
A
11
M
15
J
31
J
47
A
17
S
18
O
3
N
16
D
38

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 3

Shutterstock_Leo Lorenzo

Trumpetfish
248 Sightings
J
26
F
24
M
23
A
6
M
15
J
21
J
27
A
20
S
19
O
19
N
15
D
33

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 130

Shutterstock_Krzysztof Odziomek

Butterfly Fish
220 Sightings
J
28
F
12
M
9
A
5
M
12
J
13
J
15
A
19
S
26
O
19
N
27
D
35

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 20

iStock-stephankerkhofs

Porcupinefish
170 Sightings
J
21
F
15
M
10
A
5
M
11
J
8
J
18
A
21
S
13
O
5
N
13
D
30
iStock-June Jacobsen

Whitetip Reef Shark
108 Sightings
J
11
F
6
M
7
A
13
M
1
J
0
J
7
A
11
S
4
O
14
N
0
D
34

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 25

AdobeStock_Vladimir Wrangel

Boxfish
97 Sightings
J
16
F
19
M
8
A
0
M
6
J
7
J
15
A
8
S
4
O
3
N
0
D
11

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 20

Shutterstock-Lewis Burnett

Guitarfish
89 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
25
A
15
M
11
J
17
J
15
A
6
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 40

iStock-wrangel

Triggerfish
89 Sightings
J
15
F
11
M
5
A
0
M
0
J
3
J
4
A
14
S
9
O
2
N
10
D
16

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 250

Shutterstock-Henry_and_Laura_Whittaker

Grouper/Basslets
87 Sightings
J
2
F
11
M
8
A
0
M
8
J
4
J
13
A
6
S
18
O
13
N
0
D
4

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 85

iStock-mirecca

Surgeonfish
84 Sightings
J
12
F
0
M
7
A
0
M
3
J
10
J
7
A
12
S
16
O
11
N
3
D
3

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 250

iStock-Miguel-Angelo-Silva.

Scorpionfish
83 Sightings
J
10
F
0
M
0
A
9
M
2
J
13
J
10
A
6
S
0
O
13
N
0
D
20

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 8

Alamy-Reinhard Dirscherl

Bannerfish
82 Sightings
J
20
F
9
M
8
A
5
M
5
J
15
J
5
A
3
S
2
O
7
N
0
D
3

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 90

Shutterstock-Levent Konuk

Goatfish
79 Sightings
J
16
F
0
M
0
A
5
M
3
J
11
J
11
A
19
S
9
O
3
N
2
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 55

k

Lobster
77 Sightings
J
9
F
16
M
13
A
0
M
0
J
3
J
2
A
6
S
9
O
10
N
0
D
9

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 110

iStock-Rainer von Brandis

Snapper
73 Sightings
J
8
F
0
M
6
A
3
M
0
J
10
J
7
A
10
S
3
O
6
N
2
D
18

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 150

Shutterstock-aquapix

Sweetlips and Grunts
65 Sightings
J
15
F
11
M
0
A
0
M
3
J
12
J
0
A
13
S
3
O
3
N
2
D
3

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 40

iStock-Hoatzinexp

Jackfish
64 Sightings
J
7
F
10
M
5
A
0
M
0
J
10
J
9
A
5
S
15
O
3
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 120

AdobeStock-Composer.

Flounder
57 Sightings
J
0
F
6
M
0
A
0
M
2
J
6
J
8
A
8
S
11
O
4
N
0
D
12

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 30

SSI-Peter-Schinck

Stonefish
57 Sightings
J
12
F
9
M
0
A
0
M
6
J
2
J
7
A
0
S
0
O
7
N
0
D
14

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 60

iStock-Global_Pics

Spiny Lobster
45 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
7
J
3
A
6
S
16
O
10
N
0
D
3

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 28

Udo Kefrig

Clownfish
41 Sightings
J
0
F
10
M
5
A
2
M
3
J
0
J
8
A
2
S
9
O
2
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 350

Alamy-Andre Seal

Damselfish
34 Sightings
J
7
F
2
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
7
A
4
S
11
O
3
N
0
D
0

The best Months do dive in Gordo Banks

While waters are warmest during the window of June through November (about 27°C/80°F), this overlaps with hurricane season, which can easily cut short or cancel many dive trips. The cooler months, i.e., December through March, are the best time to visit if seeing pelagic species such as hammerhead sharks and manta rays is your main objective. These cooler waters attract plankton, which in turn attract the pelagic megafauna.

Dive Centers

See Creatures, Nautilus Explorer Mexico, S de RL de CV

Calle Miguel Hidalgo # 10 Colonia Centro, 23450 Cabo San Lucas, BCS - Mexico

Sun Rider Tours

Av Alvaro Obregon Entre Sebastian lerdo de Tejada e Ignacio Banuelos Cabezud ,Colonia Cent, 23000 La Paz BCS, BCS - Mexico

Sunrider Tours

Blvd Marina S/N Plaza Gali Local 18, 23450 Cabo San Lucas, BC - Mexico

Dive Sites

Todd H. (#2497908)

Cabo San Lucas (★4.3)

Cabo offers diving for all levels of divers and many different types of adventures from easy, calm aquarium like shore diving to deeper water diving off the coast at places like Gordo Banks that offer the possibility of large pelagic sightings like orcas, humpbacks, hammerheads, tuna, and more!
Aqualung

Lands End - Cabo San Lucas (★4.3)

Lands End is the last dive site in a long line of popular sites along the coast of Cabo San Lucas and offers spectacular views both above and below the water of the amazing rock formations in this area. Although this site is just offshore it’s only accessible by boat for diving.
Scubapro, Stephen Frink

Pelican Rock (★4.2)

Pelican Rock is one of the most popular sites to dive and snorkel in the Cabo San Lucas area. Located just offshore from Playa del Amor it’s easily accessible right from the harbor making charter boats easy to find and not too expensive.