Explore Baja Photo Workshop 2025

Diving Conditions in September/October

Average water temperatures in September/October are in the low to mid-80s. A full 3mm wetsuit is recommended. Although the conditions in the Sea of Cortez are mostly calm, there are times that the sea is rough. Please be prepared for this type of situation and bring sea sickness medication if necessary.

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Inclusions

• FREE daily photo workshops
• Three meals per day, snacks, beverages including soft drinks, juice, domestic beer & wine
• 3-4 dives per day; tanks, weights & weight belts are provided
• Activities included: Diving, hiking, kayaking, snorkeling & several land excursions exploring small towns & missions
• 16% Mexican tax
• Port fees

Exclusions

• Airfare
• Airport transfers - around $60 per person for a taxi from SJD Airport to Puerto Los Cabos to join the boat, and $115 per person for the arranged group shuttle from Puerto Penasco to PHX Airport at the end of the trip.
• Marine park fees ($65, subject to change)
• Nitrox ($140)
• Dive insurance
• Gratuity
• Fuel surcharge. Rocio has never charged a fuel surcharge to date but reserves the right to implement a fuel surcharge on all trips in the event the cost of fuel surpasses 20 pesos per liter. Should this occur, all guests will be notified prior to boarding.
• Travel Insurance: click here to learn more about our preferred plan

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TRIP TYPE

This trip is a PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP. It will be led by one of our photo instructors and will include daily underwater photography tutorials, in-water photography support, and one-to-one advice and guidance as required.

What to expect from our Photo Workshops

• Daily photo workshops - Your photo instructor will schedule seminars each day on topics including, but not limited to, equipment type and selection, the concept of underwater photography, lighting and composition techniques, and post-processing. They will also include additional topics relevant to the location and your experience.
• In-water support - Where possible, each dive group will spend time underwater with the photo instructor, receiving in-water support and guidance on their shooting techniques.  Participants can also request in-water assistance during the workshop and the photo instructor will do his or her best to accommodate all requests. 
• Consecutive days of practice & review - Each day you will have the opportunity to practice the techniques and skills learned in the previous day’s tutorials. If you are new to underwater photography you will likely see a vast improvement in just a few days.
• Daily photo image reviews - You are strongly encouraged to bring your laptop, a thumb drive, edit your photos, and submit your shots for review from both the instructor and your peers. These are fun and interactive sessions encouraging you to improve throughout the trip.
• Quality time with fellow photographers - Both new and experienced photographers from past workshops have expressed the advantages of joining a trip with like-minded divers with a passion for underwater photography.
• Suitable for everyone - New and experienced photographers are welcome on all our trips. Gain the necessary skills to start shooting great photos, increase your confidence in finding the best underwater shots, or hone specific skills. We also encourage non-photographers to join, as many of them really enjoy the daily photo reviews, learning about underwater photography, and some have even returned to a photo workshop with an underwater camera setup!

Enjoy free, unlimited access to a wealth of knowledge and advice from your photo instructor.

NOTE: Over the last couple of years we have received reports that some visitors have been charged a tax for bringing their camera housing into the country. Please click here for details on how to naviagate this issue should it arise.

TRIP SYLLABUS

• Section One: Photographic Concepts - An introduction to the basic concepts of photography, the behavior of light, understanding and controlling exposure.
• Section Two: Equipment Selection - In this section, guests will gain an understanding of the gear and equipment used to create photos in the underwater environment.
• Section Three: Lighting - This section covers a wide range of topics that will help guests understand and control light in the underwater environment. Topics to be covered will include discussions on the tools used to create photography’s essential ingredient, light, and how to use lighting in various settings to achieve the objectives of both correct and creative exposures.
• Section Four: Composition - Guests will learn the ways photographers use composition to create stylized photographs. This will cover both macro and wide angle lighting techniques one may deploy in shooting different types of scenes or subjects.
• Section Five: Bring It All Together - Here we will use examples of images to help guests see how to bring various technical skills together to create images. These discussions will focus on the tools used, and the methods employed to create images in a variety of scenarios one is likely to encounter in the underwater environment. Whether shooting macro, wide angle, animal or human subjects, this section of the course will help guests understand how to bring everything together, before, during and after the dives.

Trip Schedule

This is a sample itinerary from San Jose del Cabo to Puerto Penasco, subject to weather and other conditions.

• Day 1 - Board the boat at 5 pm. Depart from San Jose del Cabo around 6 pm.
• Day 2 - Check out dive at Punta Prieta in San Gabriel Bay, part of Espiritu Santo Island, and diving Fang Ming wreck and Salvaterra wreck.
• Day 3 - Dive at La Reyna, a great spot for sea lions, a school of barracuda, and occasionally oceanic manta rays.
• Day 4 - Los Islotes, in the northern part of Espiritu Santo Island. Dive with the friendliest sea lion colony in the Sea of Cortez. Depending on weather and ocean conditions (visibility and current), we hope to dive "El Bajo", known for big schools of hammerheads. At night we will do the spectacular mobula night dive!
• Day 5 - Las Animas, near San José Island. Great dives on the east and north pinnacles and afternoon diving at San Dieguito for a 3pm dive followed by a night dive.
• Day 6 - Danzante Island, part of Parque Nacional Bahía de Loreto. Dive at Submarino, Silhouette, and the artificial wreck, C-54 Agustin Melgar. Afternoon hike at Honeymoon Beach.
• Day 7 - Parque Nacional Bahía de Loreto, visiting Coronado Island: macro and sea lions. We do 3 dives and then a nice evening with dinner in Loreto.
• Day 8 - San Ildelfonso Island where we will do 3 dives. Don't miss the Green Moray City!
• Day 9 - San Pedro Martir Island. Enjoy fabulous diving with sea lions, incredible black coral fields, and some of the best macro of the Midriff Islands. (3-4 dives).
• Day 10 - An early dive at San Pedro Martir, followed by whale watching crossing to Sal Si Puedes area. A 3pm dive at Lavadero in Las Animas Island in the chain of San Lorenzo - Las Animas - Sal Si Puedes. Night dive at the same location.
• Day 11 - Sal Si Puedes: Some of the best macro diving along the Sea of Cortez at El Caballo, Los Cuervos and La Corona.
• Day 12 - Wake up on the east coast of Baja California and dive El Pescador or Punta Don Juan. After breakfast, snorkeling with Whale Sharks at Bahía de Los Angeles. At 2 pm, the boat will start motoring to Puerto Penasco.
• Day 13 – Arrive at Puerto Penasco and disembark at 7 am 

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About the Rocio Del Mar

Rocio Del Mar is one of the most popular liveaboards sailing in the area, offering excellent service and fantastic food. There are 10 cabins for up to a maximum of 20 divers, all offering private bathrooms with hot shower stalls, Western-style toilets, and above-height windows. Cabins are carpeted and have air-conditioning, plus convenient gear and clothes storage drawers beneath the beds. 

Check this page to see more details and customer reviews on the Rocio Del Mar.

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ABOUT THE TRIP LEADERS

Erik Lukas is an active diver and photographer based in Los Angeles, CA. He is a volunteer scuba diver at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, CA. You can expect to find Erik diving many of the amazing Pacific Ocean sites of Southern California, camera in hand, at any chance he can get.

"I am passionate about underwater photography in general and have a special love for macro subjects. For me the things that are hardest to spot hold the most interest. Documenting the commensal and symbiotic relationships is for me the most interesting…the smaller and more bizarre the better. I also have a passion for sharing my knowledge with others. My goal with all of my workshops is to ensure each guest leaves with a group of images that they are proud to share." Read more about Erik here.

See more of Erik’s photography at www.seeundersea.com or on Instagram @seeundersea.

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FLIGHT INFORMATION

ARRIVAL:

Guests on this trip will need to fly into San Jose del Cabo Airport (code SJD) and take a taxi to the Marina Puerto Los Cabos. The boat is located by the Hotel El Ganzo. Boarding time is at 5 pm.

Note: Guests arriving early may avail of day passes at Hotel El Ganzo, where they can spend time before boarding at 5 pm. There's an area for storing luggage and restrooms for changing. First come, first served, but guests can email the hotel before arriving.

Rooftop Pool - 1000 pesos, guests can use up to 750 pesos as a food and beverage credit

Beach Club - 750 pesos, guests can use the whole amount as a food and beverage credit.

RETURN:

Explore Baja South to North trips will end in Puerto Penasco. The boat returns to the Marina during the evening and a continental breakfast will be provided the last morning of the trip - guests must disembark by 7 am.  The closest airport for departure flights is in Phoenix, Arizona and a shuttle will take guests from the boat to the airport. The shuttle ride is approximately 4 hours and costs $115 one-way. Book return flights any time after 1 pm. 

Contact us for flight recommendations.

Head Out To Rocky Point offers a shuttle service between the boat and Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. It takes approximately 3.5-4 hours. The cost is $115 per person, one way. On disembarkation day the shuttle departs the boat at 7am. We recommend you book your flight no earlier than 2pm if flying on the same day.

Book the one-way Head Out to Rocky Point Shuttle - Click Here

Flight Package 

Our group trips attract guests from all over the globe and many of our customers prefer to book their own flights to take advantage of mileage points or credit card discounts. For these reasons, flights are not included in our group trip packages.

However, we are more than happy to work with you to find the best travel itinerary for your trip and will gladly give suggestions and advice, even if you make the final booking. We will check through your travel reservations at any time to ensure they fit with the trip schedule and can give recommendations on transit hotels and day tours where needed. 

If you would like us to book flights, hotels, and transfers for your domestic and/or international travel on your behalf, we are also happy to arrange this. Please be advised that there is a 10% fee for this service to cover our booking and administration costs. 

Contact Us for more information.

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PAYMENT SCHEDULE

• Deposit: $1,000
• Payment 2: $1,000 due 1 Sep 2024
• Payment 3: $1,400 due 1 Mar 2025
• Balance: due 1 Jun 2025

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WANT TO EXTEND YOUR TRIP?

We can help with that! See more of Mexico before or after your trip with Bluewater in Baja. Flying all that way merits a multi-destination vacation! La Paz is an amazing destination nearby that offers a range of additional unique experiences. Here are some examples of packages we can add on to your trip reservation.

*Rates are subject to change at any time; please contact us for the most updated pricing. 

7 NIGHTS AT THE 5 STAR COSTA BAJA RESORT & SPA

Prices start at $2,087 per person based upon double occupancy. 

The Hotel CostaBaja Resort & Spa is the first and only luxury hotel & spa in the city of La Paz. This boutique hotel offers a selection of ocean, mountain and marina views. North of the hotel is Espiritu Santo Island, where you will find the greatest marine life in the world and the best sport fishing within Baja Sur.

• 7 nights in a king or twin room
• Full buffet breakfasts
• 5 days of 3 tank dives
• Lunches & drinks on the boat
• National park permit fees 
• Roundtrip Cabo transfers
• Free WiFi: Yes
• Swimming Pool: Yes

Costa Baja Resort & Spa

7 NIGHTS AT THE 3 STAR LA CONCHA BEACH RESORT

Prices start at $1,803 per person based upon double occupancy.

A beach resort offering a peaceful and mellow atmosphere on the Sea of Cortez. Over a hundred sea view rooms are featured in La Concha Beach Resort. Located in front of the ocean and with full view to the beach and pool, the accommodations include from essential details to luxury amenities.

• 7 nights in a king or twin sea view room
• Full American breakfasts
• 5 days of 3 tank dives
• Lunches & drinks on the boat
• National park permit fees
• Roundtrip Cabo transfers
• Free WiFi: Yes
• Swimming Pool: Yes

La Concha Beach Resort

7 NIGHTS AT THE 4 STAR HOTEL CATEDRAL 

Prices start at $1,670 per person based upon double occupancy.

Hotel Catedral La Paz is a new concept of accommodation to suit the needs of today's travelers. It is part of the historic center of the city, surrounded by major attractions next to Our Cathedral Lady of La Paz. With its sophisticated contemporary modernist architecture, Hotel Catedral La Paz it focuses on every detail to offer its guests an excellent service and quality, both in the rooms and its gourmet restaurant.

• 7 nights in a king or twin sea view room
• Full breakfasts
• 5 days of 3 tank dives
• Lunches & drinks on the boat
• National park permit fees
• Roundtrip Cabo transfers
• Free WiFi: Yes
• Swimming Pool: Yes

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Photo Gallery 

Underwater Photos from the Previous Trip  

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