Day 6 – The Journey Back to La Paz

Martin Gomez Oct 05, 2026

Day 6 – The Journey Back to La Paz

And with our final dive at Swanee Reef behind us, it was time to begin the journey back to where this adventure had started.

La Paz.

We still had approximately two hours of navigation ahead of us, but for the first time all week, there was no need to prepare another tank.

No wetsuit to put on.

No briefing to attend.

No bell calling us back into the water.

The diving was officially over.

And that realization brought a strange mixture of satisfaction and sadness.

One Last Ride Aboard the Valentina

While the Valentina made its way toward La Paz, the crew continued doing what they had done throughout the entire trip:

taking care of us.

Our dive equipment was rinsed with fresh water and placed out to dry so that we could pack everything before leaving the boat.

For almost a week, that equipment had been our daily uniform.

BCDs, regulators, fins, masks, computers and cameras had accompanied us from one adventure to the next.

Now everything was drying under the Baja sun.

Meanwhile, it was time for lunch.

And for once, we could eat without thinking:

"How long until the next dive?"

We could simply sit back, enjoy the food and watch the coastline slowly getting closer.

The Last Hours Together

Those final two hours were different from the rest of the trip.

The excitement of wondering what we might see on the next dive had been replaced by conversations about everything we had already experienced.

The sea lions.

The search for hammerheads.

The barracudas.

The incredibly warm water.

Las Ánimas.

San Francisquito.

The Fang Ming.

The strong current at Swanee Reef.

And, of course, that unforgettable night sitting on the bottom while dozens of mobulas flew through the darkness.

There was time to buy a few Valentina T-shirts, pack our bags, exchange photographs and enjoy those last moments together.

And then came the hugs.

And the thank-yous.

More Than a Dive Crew

During a trip like this, the people taking care of you become an important part of the story.

For days, Lorenzo, Memo and Mariana had guided us through the Sea of Cortez.

They had searched the blue with us.

They had shown us reefs, wrecks and sea lion colonies.

They had helped our divers through changing conditions and strong currents.

They shared their knowledge, experience and enthusiasm for these waters.

And behind them was an entire Valentina crew working from early in the morning until late at night to make the expedition possible.

By the end of the week, they were no longer simply the crew.

They were part of our adventure.

Back in La Paz

Eventually, the familiar coastline of La Paz appeared ahead of us.

The Valentina anchored in the bay, and the crew began unloading our luggage.

Our bags went first.

Then it was our turn.

One last time, the Zodiacs came alongside the Valentina.

We climbed aboard and headed toward the dock.

There was something almost symbolic about that final Zodiac ride.

Days earlier, those same small boats had carried us toward reefs, wrecks, rocky islands and sea lion colonies.

Now they were carrying us back to land.

At the dock, there was time for one final goodbye.

Handshakes became hugs.

Thank-yous became promises to dive together again.

And we said goodbye to an extraordinary team of guides and crew with one of those strong embraces that somehow leaves you filled with energy, gratitude and good vibes instead of sadness.

Six Days, Hundreds of Memories

We had arrived carrying dive bags and expectations.

We left carrying memories.

We didn't find every animal we went looking for.

The hammerheads never appeared.

But that's the ocean.

Instead, the Sea of Cortez gave us experiences we could never have planned.

Playful sea lions.

Hundreds of barracudas dancing in the sunlight.

Mobulas flying through the darkness.

A sea lion inside a shipwreck.

A sea turtle on the deck of the Fang Ming.

Tuna hunting schools of sardines.

And countless smaller moments in between.

Coffee before sunrise.

The sound of the anchor at 4:00 or 5:00 in the morning.

The bell announcing another meal—or another dive.

Hot chocolate and fresh bread after a night dive.

Conversations between dives.

Laughter aboard the Zodiacs.

And the friendships that become stronger when people share experiences like these.

That is what a liveaboard expedition is really about.

Of course, it's about diving.

But it's also about traveling, discovering, learning, sharing and living together for a few days with people who love the ocean as much as you do.

Goodbye, Valentina

We watched the Valentina from the dock knowing that this chapter of our journey had come to an end.

But our Baja California Sur adventure wasn't quite finished.

We would spend another two nights in downtown La Paz, enjoying the city before heading out for one more adventure.

We had planned an additional marine safari in La Ventana.

No tanks this time.

A different boat.

A different part of Baja.

And, as we would soon discover, another completely different experience with the wildlife of the Sea of Cortez.

But that adventure deserves a story of its own.

And that will be another blog.

Our Valentina Adventure

Six days aboard the Valentina
Cerralvo, Espíritu Santo and San José Islands
Reefs, wrecks, deep dives and night diving
California sea lions and Guadalupe fur seals
Barracudas, sardines, tuna, groupers and countless reef fish
Sea turtles
An unforgettable night with mobula rays
The Fang Ming wreck
Warm water, beautiful visibility and challenging currents
Great meals and the hospitality of the Valentina crew
Old friends, new friends and a lot of unforgettable memories