Day one at San Benedicto. Soul Searching With Mantas.
I have been looking forward to this day since I left the Archipelago Revillagigedo in June last year. We started the day easy with the first check out dive at the canyon.
Once everyone was satisfied that their weighting was correct and their gear was all in check, we weighed anchor and made way around the corner to do the next three dives at El Boiler.
The moment that my bubbles had cleared from my entering the water I realized that I was looking into the tennis ball sized eye of a 4.5-meter Giant Manta. We hung there together motionless, studying each other. I swear that the deeper you look into a manta’s eye the deeper it looks into your soul. This single encounter was only about 30 seconds but with when your locked into a Mantas soul searching gaze it seems like an eternity.
Seven months with no mantas in my life and now to be back its just fantastic.
Roca O’Neil tomorrow… lets hope it pulls through!
– Divemaster Sam Brakenridge, New Zealand
First dive on The Boiler had everything one could hope for.
Hammerhead at beginning, school of tuna forcing cleaners to retreat in whooshing sound, big Galapagos below, 3 dolphins cavorting about, 3 Chevron Mantas, 1 Black Manta.
A mid-size Galapagos tried to take a remora off one of the mantas. All on view throughout the dive.
Wow!
– SuZQ, Houston
