What a welcome back to Socorro we have received over the past few days. Before we even arrived at the islands we saw a couple of Humpback whales and we were escorted for a time by a large pod of Bottlenose dolphins. Throughout the last few days everyone on board has seen manta rays, schools of Hammerheads, Silky sharks, Galapagos sharks, silvertip sharks, tons of white tips and most have seen a tiger shark or two also!
However my highlight of the trip so far was today at Cabo Pearce, a long lava finger on Socorro Island! When we jumped the current was very mild and visibility was about 30m/100ft. Which was great apart from the fact we didn’t see much apart from small fish and a couple of whitetip reef sharks for the first 10 minutes. I wasn’t perturbed by this as sometimes with the ocean you just gotta be a bit patient! All of a sudden, out of the blue, came the distinctive swaying hammer-shaped-head we all love here as a curious sub-adult (5ft) Scalloped Hammerhead came to say hello. He passed us twice over a couple of minutes nice and slow and close to just disappear as quickly as he came. A few seconds later from behind us was a slightly larger sneakier Hammerhead which again circled us a couple of times very slowly as curious of us as we were of it until descending once more. We then started to slowly drift along the finger to a large pinnacle which is always full of fish when we turned to head deeper into the dive site we were faced by 12 or so dolphins! Among which were 2 tiny babies, it was so cool. I have never seen 2 babies together and the adults seemed to be protecting them and teaching them simultaneously. As the babies approached us the adults would follow and when they were just a couple of metres away 2 or more adults would surround the youngsters like a play pen, gently stroking them and taking them further away from us, only to surface, breathe and start over. The dolphins would surface and then return to play with us time and time again and this happened for over 20 minutes. In which time a giant black manta joined in, soaring gracefully just a couple of metres away from us, which we followed after the dolphins finally left up and over the ridge. The safety stop filled with smiles, shaking heads of disbelief and a lot of fist pumping and shakkas! What a dive! Maybe one of my best at Cabo Pearce ever!
This trip still isn’t over tomorrow we visit the Boiler, a big name and usually a big deliverer of epic dives! I can’t wait bring it on!
–DM Martyn, the Nautilus Belle Amie
Diving at the Boiler. Once more this beautiful dive site at San Benedicto Island received us with action-packed dives. Both divemasters and guests were stoked by the display of action this day. Three black mantas and 3 chevron mantas dancing around divers while a pod of around twenty dolphins played and tried to get our attention (of course they managed). We did not know where to look, the animals had a big party and we were fortunately invited. What a day!!
–DM Ari, the Nautilus Explorer
It has been a great trip to Revillagigedo this week with a wonderful group of divers. The diving was nothing short of spectacular and I am pleased to have some very happy guests after a shaky start with few manta encounters. We topped off the trip with a huge school of hammerheads at The Boiler that had everyone talking about right through to dinner. Looking forward to many more amazing dives.
–DM Aldo, the Nautilus Explorer
First trip of the Socorro season 2018 – 2019 on the Nautilus Belle Amie! It could not started better, with still warm waters of 78°F, good visibility, and a warm welcome from the Giants of San Benedicto, our beloved mantas. On our check-out dive they surrounded us for the whole dive and at the dive site “the Canyon,” we also had a great encounter with a tiger shark. Roca Partida was kind of choppy but diving with hammmerheads, a school of silvertip sharks, Galapagos sharks, and with the incredible amount of fish, it made our day. At Cabo Pearce we experienced a pod of dolphins, including a female with her calf who would pass over us, making everyone excited. We are having a lot of fun during day and great dinners at night, making us feel like we are living in a paradise dream!
–DM Pedro, the Nautilus Belle Amie
Another day wrapped up on the Nautilus Belle Amie. Tonight we finished our last dive at Socorro Island. Our guests are on the sundeck enjoying a glass of wine (or two!) under the stars after a full day of diving. They are still raving about all the amazing things they witnessed today. Galapagos sharks, dolphins, and a group of over fifty hammerheads are some examples. This evening I stand watch on the bridge while we safety shuttle the guests to “the Boiler” dive site.
–Mate Jeremy, the Nautilus Belle Amie
📷 by Sharon & Rudolf Zuian
