Location: The Canyon, San Benedicto Island and El Aquario, Socorro Island, Islas Revillagigedos
Comments: We spent today at San Benedicto and Socorro Islands, getting some diving in before continuing on to Clipperton Island aka Isle de Passion aka Island X (the official name used by the U.S. Navy during WWII) aka the Island That Time Forgot (Jimmy Skaggs) aka FOOAAA (DXpedition 2000).
Spent the morning at the Canyon on San Benedicto. I splashed in on the first dive which was pleasant with a couple of hammerhead shark sightings plus good ol’ Lumpy, our tame and over friendly leather bass putting in his regular appearance at the inner cleaning station. Dive 2 was GREAT with two friendly giant manta rays showing up as well as silvertip, Galapagos and hammerhead shark sightings.
We cleared in and out of the Socorro Island naval base in the late afternoon with a bit of a wait while a 1200 ton Mexican-owned tuna clipper got medical attention for an injured crew member (this was a different clipper than the one that was skulking around Roca Partida last week – it had a bright red Bell 206 helicopter vs. the smaller Bell 47 that buzzed us out on station). We finished the day off with a terrific night dive at El Aquario on the west side of Socorro and then raised the anchor to continue on our way. Next stop: FRANCE (at least, that is how the Mexican authorities view Clipperton Island)!!
–Captain Mike
Weather: High scattered clouds, 81°F, wind 10 knots from the northwest, 6 – foot northwest swell, sheltered in the anchorages.
Water: Water temperature of 74°F, visibility variable from 50 – 80ft.
