The songs of the humpbacks could be heard in the background while the mantas played… After our most beautiful and comfortable transit of the season from Cabo San Lucas to the Socorro Islands we arrived at our first destination for this expedition, Isla San Benedicto. The 24 hour ride south from Cabo offered nothing more than a light breeze and a long, gentle swell that was just enough to rock us to sleep. Even the most hardened land-lubbers remarked on how smooth the ride was, no easy feat in the open pacific ocean!
Now after two days of diving under blue skies we have already enjoyed many of the big animals that we came here to see. Day 1 at the Canyon was a great way to work out the equipment bugs and get back in diving mode with several hammerheads spotted cruising around as well as a Giant Manta Ray that stopped to interact with a few lucky divers.
The visibility was low though, so after two dives at the Canyon we’ve spent the last 5 dives in Manta Ray heaven, The Boiler. With beautiful blue water and almost no current below combined with flat calm seas above, conditions couldn’t have been better to explore the beautiful pinnacle off San Benedicto’s north-west corner. The Boiler delivered as it usually does with up to 4 mantas at a time playing and interacting with the divers. In the background the songs of the newly arrived humpback whales could be heard while the Giant Pacific Mantas swam effortlessly from one diver to the next, enjoying the tickle of our bubbles while we peered into their obviously intelligent eyes. We finished the dive day with a beer in the hot tub while watching another gorgeous sunset; orange, red and pink hues blanketing the sky. All this and they pay me too!
Captain Gordon Kipp
Surface conditions: Skies clear, winds light, seas calm, air temp 27C (80F)
Diving conditions: Visibility at Boiler 60-80ft (18-24m), currents mild, water temp 24C (75F)
San Benedicto. Canyon
Two dives and I have only scratched the belly of, not a manta, but my dive buddy’s belly. I am starting to believe that am purging plenty of bad karma. No hammerhead sharks as well. The consolation prize of of a couple of big eels is not enough to prevent me from eating the frustration in the form of banana bread and lemon tart. I need a nice Belgian Ale.
Boiler
Alas! A giant manta. My underwater camera suddenly appeared to have too many push buttons but then again, better to glance at it with my naked eyes than on the viewfinder. I can go back now. Just kidding…
Gustavo
Luego de un viaje largo llegamos a San Benedicto y obtuvimos nuestra recompensa con una hermosa manta gigante en el Boiler! Mucha vida, excelente y muy interesante lugar!
Yaroslav Serrano
16.01.2011
I am so glad, that I decided to go on this trip. – it will not be my last one !!
Dolphins welcomed us to the islands.
We are lucky with the weahter. 3 dives today at San Benedicto : 2 at the Canyon: visibility was “so la la ” and no “spetecular” animals. For me personally it was a great experience. I had to handle a lot of current, and it was nice to see, to have succeded a bit in the 2nd dive.
Some Whale swimming by on the way to the Boiler.
The 3rd Dive – the Boiler: nice place!! Current calmer. Quite a smooth dive. I saw even a giant Manta. Breathtaking !
I am very confident to get to see a lot of great sea life during these days.
A part from that, the tip is a big joy: nice people everywhere, the crew is very experienced in this area and awesome. Security is beeing taken a lot care of and the food and drinks are just delicious.
If you want to go and visit Socorro, you must choose the Nautilus Explorer! 🙂
Tanja Bevc (Alemania/Mexico)
Hola! Hi there!!
Soy Mariana, este es nuestro primer dia en San Benedicto, nos recibieron los delfines cuando nos acercabamos a la isla, fue muuuy bonito…. las mantas son preciosas, curiosas y definitivamente los animales mas bellos que he visto debajo del agua… una experiencia maravillosa…
I’m Mariana, this is our first day in the island San Benedicto, and the best dives ever! the mantas are definetly the most beautiful animals i’ve seen underwater… it’s a wonderful experience… the island is beautiful as well, the crew at the Nautilus is very kind and professional, i’m very happy of being here 🙂 i’m looking forward for tomorow………..
al calor de Manu disfrutando del recuerdo de la Manta en el boiler, junto con una muy buena Black Hart, previo a un suehno reparador cuidado por las Mantas, RCTE Enero 2011
We finished the day with a beer in the hot tub after a smooth transit from Cabo – Captain and guest blog – 17 January, 2011
