Socorro Island. One-two-three, Go! We all backroll together and begin to descend onto the dive site, as I clear the bubbles off my lens and adjust my strobe, I see the dark manta shaped shadow out of the corner of my eye. Quickly I take a test shot to check my exposure and start lining up the approaching manta. After I get down to the dive site the action just keeps on going. Two or three mantas going around in circles – it was fantastic! Moving up the ridge I found a big canyon which allowed me to get out of the current as I waited there for several minutes I snapped some Peacock Flounder, Spanish Hogfish, and a variety of puffers. Then the first manta swam overhead and began to circle. Then several more joined in for a total of three!! I was in manta heaven and taking pics as fast as my camera would recycle. Then a school of about 100 large Tuna swam thru and made several passes. After about 15 minutes I worked my way down the ridge back to the down line. The action there was even more intense with 3-4 mantas circling in and out of the cleaning station. Even on our safety stop on the line, we were buzzed by the mantas up to when we got back on the Zodiak!
The only time I had a more intense dive with mantas was the day before at The Boiler!
Dave Kinney, Vienna, VA USA
The action was most intense at the cleaning station with 3 – 4 giant mantas circling in and around. Socorro Island, Mexico.
