6 Hours of Filming Every Day is Hard Work!!

By on March 14th, 2008 in Archive

Over the years, we have seen that the manta rays at San Benedicto seem to like to interact with scuba divers, coming back and making eye contact and as divemasters we have felt that they will always single us out and make a close pass as if they recognize us. There are three models/freedivers on this trip who have been diving down and swimming with the giant manta rays and one of them has definitely been singled out by two of the mantas that we encountered. Every time she dives down the mantas will turn into her and circle around her and get very close. The other two divers, one male and one female, are getting are far less interest from the mantas. Hmmm…

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6 Hours in the Water Every Day is Not Enough!!

By on March 10th, 2008 in Archive

It has always seemed to us that our best giant manta ray interactions tend to be on the second and third scuba dives. This has been reinforced by our experience here on the Boiler on this trip. Although we have been seeing giant mantas earlier in the day they do not seem to wish to stay around and play until about 11am, at which point they are happy to play with us until around 3:30pm. Luckily, this is also the best time for the photography as the light is at its best.

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Giant Mantas Starring in Ashes and Snow

By on March 5th, 2008 in Archive

Our first priority was to remove the fishing net that was caught on the Boiler and had been found on our last trip. The crew of the Solmar V had done a good job of removing a large part of the net which made our job a lot easier. As we were finishing up a pod of dolphin and two mantas showed up. We like to think that they were thanking us for our work. The first day of the photo shoot was auspicious. Two giant mantas chose to interact with us, one kept coming back to the camera and the divers, turning and swimming loops around us as the film team and freedivers got used to the conditions and the interaction.

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On Our Way Home!

By on March 3rd, 2008 in Archive

Well, another Socorro scuba diving adventure is over. We were bumping home in unseasonable 7 foot seas overnight but it is moderating now and I expect it to be quite calm by this afternoon. It was certainly an interesting trip. The last dive day was particularly provocative. Despite a slow start to the trip with poor visibility on dive day 1, I believe that everyone really enjoyed the diving and the experience. Some guests are already asking us if we have any open dates for Socorro 2009 so we must have done something right!  

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Red Hot Diving at Roca Partida in Perfect Conditions

By on March 1st, 2008 in Archive

The scuba diving at Roca Partida was red hot today. Not sure what else I can say! The seas were calm. Everyone saw giant manta rays (as advertised, we are quite sure that these are the “friendliest” mantas in the world), loads of sharks and large schools of fish with everything set to the music of humpback whales singing in the distance.

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20 – 200 Silky Sharks Swimming Around the Nautilus Explorer

By on February 29th, 2008 in Archive

Sten and I divemastered the 3rd dive today and had a lovely time. Lots of fish including great schools of jacks and even a school of triggerfish. Not a lot of giant manta rays though. Super visibility in very blue water. My only disappointment was creeping along the west side of the rock against some localized current, poking my nose around a corner, and going face-to-face with 3 very large silvertip sharks. My disappointment stemmed from realizing that my dive buddies had given up on the current, slid back around the other side of the rock and missed seeing these sharks. The 3 big silvertips were terrific even if nobody else saw them.

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Punta Tosca, Socorro Island, Revillagigedo Archipelago, Mexico

By on February 28th, 2008 in Archive

Divemaster Ryan lucked out with the very best encounter of all when a large male humpback whale approached him underwater and hung out with him for a reported 20 minutes. Ryan could barely contain himself when he got back and reported that the whale was close enough to touch. How come I always seem to miss the best dives!?!

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