Captain's Log – a slow day of diving but screams of delight from guests at leaping dolphins

Location: Cabo San Lucas to Socorro and San Benedicto Island, Revillagigedos, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
By 0940 on the morning of January 16th we had lines clear from the dock in Cabo San Lucas and were on our way back for the 220 nautical mile journey south to the offshore islands of the Revillagigedos, commonly referred to as the Socorro Island, famous for it’s friendly Giant Manta Rays. Humpback whale season is now upon us and it didn’t take long to be reminded of this as we cleared the protective harbor of Cabo San Lucas one of our first sights was of a Humpback whale mother and calf lazily crossing our bow a short distance ahead. The 24 hour crossing to our first stop, the island of San Benedicto Island, was comfortable with a long, lazy swell on our quarter rocking us gently and light winds all the way out. At around 8 miles back from San Benedicto we were greeted, us we usually are, by several bottlenose dolphins who could be seen at the surface swimming towards the boat, and then turning to take up their position alongside our bow to surf our wake and seemingly escort us in. One dolphin even offered a special greeting by way of leaping several metres into the air alongside our bow, eliciting screams of delight from the guests gathered on the bow to watch the show.
As we turned towards our first dive site of the day at the south end of San Benedicto another adult humpback whale could be seen catching a breath near our anchorage.
We completed three dives at San Benedicto on dive day 1 of this expedition, first at the Canyon and then moving up to the Boiler for dives 2 and 3. It seemed today, unfortunately, the Giant Manta Rays were more interested in feeding then interacting with the divers. Several Manta Rays were spotted from the boat, feeding on the surface near the lava flow coming off the south side of the island. Only one Manta was encountered on the dives today, as well as a few hammerheads and several white-tip reef sharks. A little slow by our standards but still not a bad start for day 1, and certainly a beautiful day nonetheless, under a clear blue sky and in the shadow of the geographically unique volcanic island of San Benedicto. Off to Roca Partida overnight in search of more Giant Manta Rays, sharks, dolphins and humpback whales!
Captain Gordon
Surface conditions: Winds light, seas calm, air temp 80-85f, skies clear

Diving conditions: Visibility 40-60 ft, current mild, water temp 76-77f