Nautilus Gallant Lady | Sea of Cortez, Magdalena Bay

Boat

Nautilus Gallant Lady is a beautifully crafted luxury motor yacht designed for small-group diving experiences with a strong focus on comfort, space, and personalized service. Originally built in the USA back in 1984 and extensively refitted in 2018, the vessel combines classic yacht elegance with practical dive-focused functionality.

With a length of approximately 35.3 m and a beam of 6.7 m, Nautilus Gallant Lady provides a stable and spacious platform for exploring the rich waters of Baja California. Powered by strong Caterpillar engines and equipped with stabilizers, the yacht ensures smooth cruising and efficient travel between dive sites.

Nautilus Gallant Lady featuring a main salon and dining area with panoramic wrap-around windows, creating a bright and relaxed social environment. Guests can unwind in the sky lounge, enjoy ocean views from the sun deck, or take in the scenery from the unique crow’s nest observation area.

Dining onboard is a highlight, with freshly prepared meals blending Mexican and international flavors. Guests are served full board meals daily, including breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks in between dives. Complimentary beverages such as soft drinks, tea, coffee, and juices are available, while a well-stocked bar offers a selection of wines, beers, and spirits.

Nautilus Gallant Lady features a hot tub on deck, comfortable lounging areas, and shaded outdoor seating. The dive deck is spacious and well-organized, equipped with individual gear stations, a water-level platform for easy entries, freshwater showers, and camera facilities. Nitrox and rebreather support are also available for certified divers.

The dive deck is located on the main deck, well equipped with personal gear boxes and an in-place fill station, a camera table, large rinse tanks, and hot/cold freshwater showers, after each dive, the crew will greet you with a warm towel.

Cabin

Nautilus Gallant Lady has 6 comfortable suites for guests, accommodating up to 12 guests per trip :

All suites have en-suite bathrooms, windows and/or portholes, storage area, individually controlled A/C, and internet via Wi-Fi can be reachble for all area on board.

1 Premium Suite - Emerald:
Located on the lower deck, the most spacious suite onboard. It can be configured with either a California king bed or 2 large single beds. It has its own private ensuite bathroom.

2 Superior Suites - Nautilus & Rosario :
Located on the main deck, each comes with a California king bed or two doubles, and each suite has a private ensuite bathroom.

2 Superior Suites - Swell & Dofleini :
Located on the lower deck, each comes with a California king bed or two doubles, and each suite has a private ensuite bathroom.

1 Superior Suite - Inde :
Located on the lower deck, this cabin comes with a two large single beds (NOT bunk), private ensuite bathroom with shower.

Diving

• Depends on routes, 3 - 4 dives per diving day.

• No diving on embarkation and disembarkation days.

• All divers must have a submersible console (SMB).

• All diving will provide experienced guide to lead the dive.

• Rebreather diving is supported (with prior arrangement).

Other Informations

• Nitrox：Available with additional charge
• 15L Tanks：Available with additional charge
• REBREATHER Dive：Available with additional charge
• Technical Dive：Limited support, inquire in advance
• Dive Equipment Rental：Available with surcharge
• Dive insurance：Divers must have valid dive insurance
• Satellite Wi-Fi ：Available with additional charge
• Laundry Service：Available with additional charge
• Massage Service：Not available at the moment
• Payment on board：Visa, MasterCard or cash (USD/MXN)
• Crew Number：8 - 10, include 2 dive guides

Ocean Safari: Whales, Mobulas, Orcas and more!

Multiple pods of orcas (killer whales) visit the Sea of Cortez every spring and summer. Unlike almost anywhere else in the world, these magnificent apex predators choose to interact with us. Orcas are actually present year-round, but their numbers become more noticeable starting in January, with peak activity in July and August, when they are frequently encountered for up to 20 days each month. During the season, our team monitors two key hotspots—or “orca cafés,” as we call them—at Cerralvo Island and up north by Isla San Jose. Of course, orcas don’t just stay in one place and can appear throughout the region.

Special feature during the season: joyful, jumping and flying mobula rays are residents. Massive schools of mobulas from the end of March through early July. Getting in the water with one of these massive schools of 4 to 5 ft rays is a truly special experience.

Baja Ultimate Whales

The great whales come home to Baja every winter, giving us a plethora of experiences and adventures. Our ultimate whale trips combine our observation airplane, swimming with whale sharks, snorkelling with sea lions, and spending 3 nights on your own 116-ft expedition yacht, immersed in the beauty of the Sea of Cortez and its abundant wildlife, including blue whales, humpback whale mommas and babies, fin whales, and pods of dolphins. The adventure continues with a private sightseeing flight across Baja to our luxury camp at San Ignacio Lagoon with the most extraordinary whale interaction on the planet. This is an unforgettable 8 day / 7 night adventure and a tremendous value.

Your expedition begins in Cabo San Lucas with humpback whale watching, followed by a transfer to a boutique hotel in La Paz. The next morning includes swimming with whale sharks (weather permitting), a beach lunch at UNESCO Isla Espíritu Santo, and swimming with sea lions. Then, board our 116-ft expedition yacht for cocktail hour and dinner as we sail north toward Loreto, taking in the stunning landscapes and vibrant marine life of the national park.

The adventure continues as you return to La Paz for a private 1-hour, 40-minute flight to San Ignacio Lagoon, where you’ll experience the most extraordinary whale interactions on the planet over 4 days and 3 nights. Conclude your journey with a private flight back to the SJD executive terminal in Los Cabos.

Mexico Sardine Run - Magdalena Bay

During Mid-October to December, a magical event happens in the nutrient rich swirling blue waters off Magdalena Bay where All sorts of predators gather to hunt on the second largest sardine run in the world. This thrilling underwater action is spectacular.

Sea of Cortez 5 Night Get-Away

Jacques Cousteau called it the “Aquarium of the World.” We call the Sea of Cortez the perfect vacation where you can do as much or as little as you like. Including up to 4 dives a day, snorkelling, kayaking, paddleboarding, short hikes, or just plain relaxing on a beautiful beach. Combine all this with the warmth and Baja authenticity of our crew, and life becomes beautifully easy and relaxing.

Our 6-day 5-night get-away is an ocean safari into the generally calm waters of the Sea of Cortez, a marine adventure on the edge of the Sonoran desert. With 5 decades of experience running these trips, we have a “pretty good” idea of how to maximize your enjoyment while exploring this wonderful part of Mexico. Regular patrols with a spotter airplane is the icing on the cake.

Sea of Cortez 8 day / 7 nt favourites

The southern Sea of Cortez offers good diving, seas that are usually flat calm, and by late July or August, great visibility and nice warm water. Expect to be engulfed by huge swirling tornadoes of schooling fish, interactive California sea lions, moray eels, all manner of rays, large pods of dolphins, and hopefully pilot whales. We will do our best to get you onto schooling hammerheads and even some wreck diving. We will likely explore Cerralvo, La Reyna, Espiritu Santo, Las Animas, and further north, often venturing into the Loreto National Park. Be on the lookout for orcas, great whales including sperm whales, mobula rays, and other big animals. These adventures meet in Cabo San Lucas, depart and return from La Paz with complimentary transfers back to either SJD or SeeCreatures Cabo.