Baja Pasito Blanco

A large cigar-shaped rock of volcanic stone rises from white sand, and the reef is laid out around it in an oval: smaller formations, crevices, ledges and rock plateaus. Rays lie half buried in the sand beside the rock. In the crevices, moray eels watch divers pass, octopus and spiny pufferfish stay tucked in, and peacock worms fan out from the stone.

Over the plateaus, reef fish move through the volcanic structures, with shoals of roncadores holding formation above them.

The rock is the landmark. Pale sand all around makes the dark cigar shape easy to find and easy to circle, and the ledges and plateaus sit close enough to cover in one dive without losing it.

The reef also borders open water. Now and then a tuna or an amberjack passes along its edge.

Scuba Sur dives Pasito Blanco on morning boat trips and pairs it with a second dive at a nearby site. The boat leaves its Anfi del Mar base and takes about 25 minutes. Visibility usually runs 15-25 m with little current. Pleasure craft can be present over the reef, so launch a surface marker buoy before the ascent and come up under control.