Taking a Dive

LORETO, Mexico —  We found Humphrey Bogart scratching in the corner of the bar. It was coming into the hottest part of the year, in a very hot part of Mexico, and Bogey was panting. Still, he hopped up and put his big head in my lap, and wagged his tail.

We had made it to the Baja Outpost, a “refuge from civilization,” according to the slogan painted on the Outpost’s lone boat. The B&B; on Loreto’s waterfront is owned and operated by Leon Fichman, who employs a rambunctious yellow Lab to greet guests seeking serious R&R; and great diving.

As serious divers, my wife and I have dived all over the world and enjoyed a handful of operations that really understand shore-based divers’ needs: uncrowded boats that don’t break down, short rides to a wide variety of spots, a comfortable place to relax after diving and, most important, captains and crews who let the weather and the divers’ desires and experience dictate the itinerary. The Baja Outpost delivered on all fronts, except for its between-dive lunches. The cheese, tomato, avocado and ham sandwiches got a little monotonous over a week’s stay.

We found out about Baja Outpost from an acquaintance who had stopped in there for a beer and took the proprietor’s business card, which features a cartoonish cactus and sea horses. We didn’t know what to expect when we wired Fichman $496, the 50% down payment for our six nights. He was slow to return e-mail, and his toll-free number was temporarily out of order. Our suspicious city natures had us thinking that the Outpost was a desert mirage.

We were relieved upon arrival to run into members of a Phoenix dive club, who told us we were in for a good time. They were right. After a week of diving, we had downshifted from overdrive and are now blissfully coasting on memories of hammocks; warm, clear water; schools of tropical fish; and fantastic food. Fichman, who came to this corner of the world via his native Brazil, Israel and the United States, works hard to ensure that the Baja Outpost is the capital of kicked back.

He told us that he quit a job in marketing for an international hotel chain and came to Loreto 2 1/2 years ago with a vision: Build a bed-and-breakfast that caters to divers, snorkelers--and in the wintertime, kayakers and whale watchers--who want to explore the islands off Loreto, about 160 miles northwest of La Paz. He is realizing that vision by literally planting one palm tree at a time. Expansion plans include a second story, pool and RV park.

The Outpost has six air-conditioned rooms, tiled floors, modern bathrooms and an adobe-walled, thatch-roofed, old-Mexico feel that is lost in the counterparts on either end of the town’s waterfront. That’s where fishermen congregate to swap stories of how many sail fin, marlin and dorado they hooked.

Indeed, Loreto is best known as a sportfishing center. When we boarded the Aero California flight in Los Angeles--the only stateside airline that flies here--poles and empty coolers made up about half the luggage. But we were not here to tell fishing stories on the way home. We were here to explore the underwater marvels of the marine park, protected by the Mexican government, that encompasses the islands off Loreto.

A typical day at the Outpost started around 7:30 a.m., with a plateful of fruit (papaya, cantaloupe or watermelon), fresh-squeezed orange or grapefruit juice, yogurt, cereal, huevos rancheros and strong coffee. This buffet was served on a palm-fringed patio that doubled as the Outpost’s entrance and social hangout. A gravel path leads to the rooms, all of which overlook a cactus garden and lounging area under two giant thatched umbrellas. A hammock hangs under one of these palapas.

Loreto can be brutally hot during the summer. Daytime temperatures soared above 100 during our visit, and for several days we endured unseasonable humidity. We were grateful when a cooling storm with a wild lightning display rolled across the Sea of Cortez (or Gulf of California). The heat typically eases up in late October. Winter can bring very cold water and strong winds. (Loreto is outside the Baja hurricane belt.)

Our only relief from the stupefying heat was to head out to the islands that, until plate tectonics created the Sea of Cortez millions of years ago, were attached to the mainland. With twin outboards, Baja Outpost’s “super panga”--a panga is the ubiquitous fishing boat in these waters--zipped us along at about 40 mph, fast enough to create a good breeze and get us to the islands in record time.

And what islands they are. Loreto is a front-row seat in a huge topographic amphitheater, with the jagged Sierra de la Giganta rising behind the town and the dry, brown islands sitting offshore like apparitions. Isla Coronados, Isla Carmen, Isla Danzantes, Isla Monserrate and Isla Catalina make up the chain, which stretches over 50 miles. Inside the 3-year-old marine sanctuary is a collection of wildlife unique to the Sea of Cortez.

During our five days of diving we went to four of the islands, emerging from the water each time with smiles and stories of rare fish. At a small seamount on the way to Isla Catalina, I spotted a lone Moorish idol, a species usually found farther south.

On our final day, we tried a spot called White Rock, off Isla Coronados. The underwater cliff’s nooks and crannies held such delights as the pointy-headed arrow crab, bushes of yellow-polyped black coral and hefty green moray eels.

As we rose from the wall, a strong current pushed us alongside the island, forcing some underwater rock climbing as we made our way to the panga pickup point. During our safety stop, a five-minute pause at a shallow depth to get rid of excess nitrogen, a curious lobster emerged from its hole to give us a once-over. As we climbed toward the surface, the reflection of the island shimmered overhead like a surreal painted panorama.

Underwater, we had cruised above the liquid mirror that marks the thermocline--the dividing line between warm and cold currents. We stuck our hands through it, into water 10 to 15 notches colder than the 86-degree stretch we were cruising through.

You don’t have to be an underwater rock climber to enjoy these islands. Novices are also welcome, and Fichman or his dive master will act as chaperons on a “Discover Scuba” underwater tour. Fichman is an instructor licensed by four institutions, including the Professional Assn. of Diving Instructors (PADI). Guests must have a valid scuba certification card to dive without an escort here, and everyone is subjected to a friendly quiz about their experience and training. Rentals are available to those who pass.

Snorkeling is also a joy. One day, the dive master, Chino, tied a rope to an oar and slowly putted ahead. We grabbed the makeshift tow bar and merrily watched the schools of parrotfish, king angels and damsels without lifting a fin.

After “ski-orkeling,” the panga put into a cove to set up for lunch. A colony of frigate birds sat on the hot rocks, panting with spread wings. The islands also harbor blue-footed boobies, pelicans and osprey, which nest high in the rocks and perch on saguaro cactus to hunt.

On the ride home, Fichman pointed out three pangas traveling very fast. Marijuana smugglers often traverse these waters after the harvest, ferrying their loads between the mainland and drop-offs south of Loreto. They often pull alongside slower boats, and their skippers ask to buy water, gas and food. Of course, you graciously accept their offer or accept the consequences, though Chino said that they have never hurt anyone. Fichman told us that piracy has a rich history here, dating back to the days when English buccaneers preyed on pearl traders. As it turned out, these guys were fishermen.

There was other excitement on our trips back to Loreto. One afternoon a huge pod of pilot whales ushered us up the coast. Dorado leaped out of the water to chase flying fish, and manta rays jumped in the distance.

Water fun absorbs only half the day. What other diversions does Loreto offer? Blissfully, not many. Not one fast-food restaurant, no Sen~or Frog’s tequila-drinking contests, no neon and, really, no night life. (If you’re looking for that kind of scene, try Cabo San Lucas.) That left lazing around in a hammock, reading, eating fruit, napping, drinking a cold beer or just staring into space as pelicans winged by.

One day should be spent taking in the history of the town. Loreto was the original capital of California, when it belonged to Spain and stretched from the tip of Baja California to the Oregon border. Its mission is among the first built, in 1697, by the Jesuits charged with converting the Guaycura and Cochimies tribes. Juan Maria de Salvatierra, an Italian missionary, christened the settlement with its modern name, which means “a place with laurel plants.” The priest must have been thinking of his homeland because laurel trees don’t grow in this rugged landscape.

A rebuilt mission--the original was destroyed in the 1800s by an earthquake--dominates the town center. It’s well worth the $2 admission to see how these pioneers lived and worked in such inhospitable terrain.

The surrounding restaurants are plentiful and reasonably priced. (Bring along dollars or pesos because many don’t take plastic.) A favorite was El Chile Willie, a circular restaurant underneath a huge palapa with a balcony overlooking the small harbor. We kept returning for the house specialty: fresh “chocolate” clams that fishermen drop off at the adjacent beach. They were prepared a variety of ways; our favorite had a bit of melted cheese and a dash of chipotle sauce.

Other than a good, long meal, the nightly entertainment amounted to watching a local dog leaping into the air and heading a balloon as if it were a soccer ball. Still another pastime was sitting on the benches along the waterfront and watching people cruise up and down in their cars playing norten~o music, full of snappy rhythms and accordion riffs.

Best of all, there was the moonrise over Isla Carmen. We watched the orb’s reflection dangling like a pearl from the neck of the island.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

GUIDEBOOK

Diving Loreto

Getting there: Aero California is the only carrier from L.A. to Loreto; round-trip fares start at $225.

Where to stay: Baja Outpost, Apartado Postal 52, Loreto, B.C.S. Mexico, telephone (888) 649-5951, Internet https://www.bajaoutost.com. Double rooms are $56 per night. Diving and snorkeling rates vary according to the package as well as the scope of water outings. Our six-night stay cost about $1,000 for two and included airport transfers, breakfasts and box lunches, and two tanks a day. Extra tanks are $18 each. Rental equipment available to non-guests as well.

Among the other local dive operations (that we didn’t personally investigate) are the Loreto Center, Paseo Hidalgo y Pino Suarez, tel. 011-52-113-5-07-98, and Aqua Sports at the Eden Loreto Resort, 011-52-113-3-07-00.

Where to eat: For waterfront dining, try El Chile Willie’s, which overlooks the city harbor and public beach. Try the “chocolate clams,” a local specialty. A typical meal including beer costs about $35 for two. Other recommendations off the main drag, which is right around the corner from the Baja Outpost, are La Palapa and La Playa, both of which have seafood and Mexican menus and are very reasonable ($30-$35 for two). (Note: Many places accept only cash or travelers’ checks.)

For more information: Baja California Norte Tourism, 7860 Mission Center Court, San Diego, CA 92108; tel. (800) 522-1516 or (619) 298-4105, Internet https://www.loreto.com and https://www.baja.com.