TSUNAMI hits San Benedicto and Socorro Island?????? 11 MAR 2011 Captain and guest blog..

NOTE FROM CAPTAIN MIKE TO EVERYONE WHO EMAILED US ABOUT THE TSUNAMI AT SOCORRO.
No worries at all.    We “think” there may be have been 3 small rollers at the Canyon off San Benedicto but they were so small that it was hard to tell.  The tsunami effect is minimal in open ocean.  Cabo San Lucas had a small surge and several 70 cm rollers.  For those who are not familiar with the metric system, 70 cm equals 2.3 feet!!!    All good and no problems on the Nautilus Explorer or at our winter home port of Cabo San Lucas.
NOTE FROM CAPTAIN KEVIN ONBOARD THE NAUTILUS EXPLORER AT SOCORRO.
Today I experienced something that will last a lifetime.  The day started out beautifully; a sunrise so radiant and full, the jumping dolphins of Socorro Island playing in our wake, a perfect anchorage on the south point of San Benedicto Island..  The casual progress of getting kitted up in our gear and into the water seemed fluid and easy and the animals must have felt our easy going nature as we all dove in.  What a dive!!  A mother humpback whale, calf and escort appeared appeared right off the stern of the Nautilus when our divers were in the water and gave us such a an experience I will never forget.  The huge and graceful movements of the tails and bodies were such a sight to behold I could only describe as awesome. The calf was playful, swimming fast and curiously around the stern and in between divers here and there.  Nearly everyone had a great view and the humpbacks chose to swim so close to the divers that our guests could could  have reached out and  touched a fin.  These animals were breathtaking and it was the best moment I have ever had in my years working at sea.  That was only the first dive!  I dried off and went to the wheelhouse on hearing the alarm for the satellite communication system.  The Tsunami warning had me on alert and I spent the early afternoon examining the sea and environment.  3 distinct but very rolling swells came in at great speed, not followed by any others at around 1230.  I can think of no other cause but the effects of the Tsunami thousands of miles away.  In the afternoon our guests swam with a giant manta for the entire dive!  It was huge and majestic.  Curious and playful, it circled the group again and again as if wanting to connect with every diver.  From witnessing some of natures most beautiful creatures to the way the earth builds itself with movements of continents, today was very memorable.  I have spent so many days on top of the water and now realize the real joy is beneath it.
GUEST NOTES
I saw  giant manta and it was fantastic!  It stayed with us for the whole dive!  He played with us for 45 minutes and were so close.  He looked at me, swam around and made contact with everyone.  It swam over me so close I could have touched it.  It was a great dive.
Jochen
We were so excited to see the mother and calf humpback whales – only 2 meters away!  It was scary and unbelievable but exciting!  It was our first time to see such a huge and big creature underwater!  The best that it was right under the boat.
The manta was playing around 10 of us, swimming and surrounding us, playing and interacting.  The manta was a giant manta, the bump on its back showing its species.  A rare thing to see and a special dive for us!
It was amazing!  The first time I ever saw a humpback whale underwater.  It was so unbelievable, the emotion I felt was incredible.  The beautiful sounds made me cry!
Gaby