Sand Falls
Cabo San Lucas · Mexico
One of the most unusual dive sites in the Sea of Cortez: an underwater river of white sand cascades off the edge of a submerged plateau and tumbles into deep water, disappearing into the blue. The sand pours continuously over a lip at around 27 m, driven by surge pushing sand from a shallow sandy shelf. The spectacle is best after a mild swell. Divers hover at the lip and watch the river vanish — a genuinely alien environment.
Conditions
Depth
15 to 40 m
Advanced depths
Current
Usually still
Can pick up on the edge
Visibility
12 to 20 m
Clearest in the calm season
Water
18 to 27°C
3mm wetsuit
Month by month
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water (°C) | 18 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 23 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 22 | 19 |
| Vis (m) | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 8 |
| Current | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Still | Still | Still | Still | Gentle | Moderate | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle |
Your chances of seeing each animal
Panamic Sergeant Major
Last confirmed Jun 27, 2026 · 42 records
Almost always
Nearly every dive
Golden Damselfish
Last confirmed Jun 27, 2026 · 18 records
Very likely
Most dives
Cortez Angelfish
Last confirmed Jul 3, 2026 · 6 records
Very likely
Most dives
Yellowtail Snapper
Last confirmed Mar 11, 2026 · 8 records
Very likely
Most dives
Giant Sea Star
Last confirmed Feb 14, 2025 · 1 records
Likely
About 6 in 10 dives
Reef Scorpionfish
Last confirmed Mar 11, 2026 · 4 records
Likely
About 6 in 10 dives
Finescale Triggerfish
Last confirmed Mar 11, 2026 · 3 records
Sometimes
About 1 in 3 dives
Purple Sea Urchin
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Gear