Socorro
Giant Mantas & Dolphins
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Beautiful Giant Mantas, Dolphins, Sharks, Bait Balls and so much more.“This is my second trip with Nautilus Dive Adventures and they exceeded my expectations again!!The first trip was Great Whites at Guadalupe Island on the Belle Amie in 2017.I…
Todd, Dayna, 4 July 2024→ Read More -
Incredible diving at Socorro!Socorro, Socorro, Socorro! This will most certainly be my response the next time a fellow diver asks me where I recommend to go diving. When they ask me how they should get there, …
Mike, 4 July 2024→ Read More -
Emotional encounter with Giant MantasEverything about this trip is truly otherworldly! You feel like an astronaut in the ocean, exploring the unknowns and meeting graceful aliens. Diving with oceanic mantas is indescr…
Tatjana, 3 July 2024→ Read More -
40 minutes of interaction with giant mantas, sharks, and dolphins!There is no words to describe the glorious expedition with our guide Emilio at Socorro Isla. First he made sure everyone was well prepared and assured everyone in the group had a g…
Rogelio Dominguez, 1 July 2024→ Read More -
Surrounded by five friendly giant mantasWhen I booked this trip, I never imagined I’d find myself in the middle of 5 gigantic oceanic mantas circling around our group. They were so curious, they passed feet away fr…
Joe, 30 June 2024→ Read More -
Captain’s Noon Reports – Explorer – 2024-09-05 – 5 September 2024First dive was good, divers saw some white tips, two or three hammer sharks just passing, some bonitos and reef fish, all divers very happy.→ Read More
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Captain’s Noon Reports – Belle Amie – 2024-09-05 – 5 September 2024We completed the day with another tour in the pangas looking for whale sharks so exciting, each of the guests came with a big smile.→ Read More
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Captain’s Noon Reports – Belle Amie – 2024-09-04 – 4 September 2024The day with a nice night dive in San Pedro Martir, the usual sea lions, turtles, morays, octopus and fishes.→ Read More
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Captain’s Noon Reports – Belle Amie – 2024-09-03 – 3 September 2024We completed the day with 2 dives in San Ildefonso, the usual sealions, turtles, morays, octopus and lots of fishes.→ Read More
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Captain’s Noon Reports – Belle Amie – 2024-09-02 – 2 September 2024We completed 2 dives, the guests were very happy they saw 2 sea lions, turtles, moray eels, octopus and some fish.→ Read More
The World’s Friendliest Giant Mantas
You can see giant mantas in many places around the world. But nowhere else boasts a population of giant mantas that literally seek out interaction with divers and snorkellers. While mantas are the main reason to voyage out to Socorro, there are lots of other animals to see, including schooling hammerheads and silky sharks, plus 10 other species of sharks, bottlenose dolphins that consistently hang out with divers at certain dive sites, large schools of pelagic fish, and, in season, humpback whales.
When should you Go?
Socorro features the friendliest giant mantas in the world, humpbacks, wild pelagic dolphins and up to 10 species of sharks. Surface weather is similar to southern California climate. Very warm during the day, and chilly at night.
Socorro diving is HOT right now !
Where is Socorro?
Socorro Island is a one day sail south of Cabo San Lucas, which is located at the southern end of Baja Mexico. We specialize in big animal diving at the cleaning stations of San Benedicto, Socorro, and Roca Partida.
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Experience Manta Love
The behaviour these giant mantas exhibit is almost inexplicable. These gentle giants with a wingspan up to 20 feet consistently approach divers for intimate eye-to-eye encounters. If you are able to be calm and still in the water, you are almost sure to experience what we call “manta love.” -
Loads of sharks
You may also see up to 10 varieties of shark: schooling scalloped hammerheads, solitary giant hammerheads, Galápagos, whitetip reef, silver-tip, silky, tiger and oceanic whitetips. The list also includes whale sharks and dusky sharks and on occasion even a thresher shark. -
There is more
Your journey with us will include four dives per day (subject to weather and unforeseeable circumstances)—each an opportunity to encounter resident pods of playful dolphins.
Your Soccoro Giant Mantas Adventure looks like this*
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Day 1 – Welcome aboard
Enjoy our See Creature Dive Center, downtown Cabo close to the marina. Boarding begins at 8:00 PM.
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Day 2 – Arrival at San Benedicto*
At Sea. Evening arrival at San Benedicto Island. Safety Briefing, Diver Orientation, Manta 101, Cocktail Hour
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Day 3 – Diving Day*
Diving Day! San Benedicto is home to the friendliest giant mantas in the world! 3 to 4 dives, Our famous Mexico Taco Fiesta on the upper deck, Manta ID
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Day 4 – Diving Day*
Dive at Socorro Island. Night snorkel with Silky Sharks. 3 dives + Snorkeling with silky sharks under flood lights, Manta ID
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Day 5 – Diving Day*
Dive at Socorro Island. 3 to 4 dives, Shark Behaviour, Manta ID
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Day 6 – Diving Day*
Dive at Roca Partida. 4 dives, Manta ID
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Day 7 – Diving Day*
Dive at Roca Partida. Chase the Ace: Win the jackpot and help conservation, Manta ID
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Day 8 – Voyage home
Making our way back to Los Cabos. Ship shop, Trip slide show, Cocktail with friends
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Day 9 – Time to say Goodbye
Disembarkation at 8:30 AM. We recommend that you book your return flights for 12:00 PM or later
*Our captains and crew will do their very best to give you the most spectacularly dive experience.
Given weather and animal sighting itinerary may vary.
You May Wonder…
What are your COVID-19 protocols?
Our job is to keep our guests and crew safe. Now more so than ever during the COVID-19 crisis. Please find our latest covid protocols here.
What am I going to see at Socorro?
The friendliest giant mantas in the world. Bottlenose dolphins that are almost as friendly. Up to 10 species of sharks. Loads of fish. And in season you might see humpback whales, pilot whales, tuna or even false killer whales.
How much experience do I need?
All are welcome. Our roots are in the cold, current-swept waters of BC and Alaska and we have always catered to experienced self-reliant divers looking for complete freedom on their dives. These divers are usually first in the water. We love buddying up with new divers looking for the reassurance of being with a divemaster from the time they start gearing up until they are back on the big boat.
Most divers are somewhere mid-spectrum between these 2 groups and we make sure they are very well looked after as well. Note that several dives may be quite challenging and not suitable for divers of lower experience levels.
How many dives do I get?
Over five full dive days, you will be able to experience some of our favorite sites such as El Canyon, the Boiler, Red Rocks, Roca Partida, Cabo Pearse, Punta Tosca and Roca Oneal.
We know that many of our guests want the option of as many dives as possible and we strive to offer an average of 4 dives a day other than the day that we do our mandatory check in at the local navy base when you likely have the option of 3 dives plus our world-famous silky shark night snorkel.
Note that weather conditions, Mother Ocean or crowding by some of our competitors may limit some diving.
Where do we meet the boat?
See Creatures, located downtown Cabo San Lucas close to the marina. We want our dive center to be your home away from home! Please drop by when you get into town and we will get you kitted up with whatever you need. Maximize your vacation in Baja with savings on our Socorro pre-trip or post-trip packages including 2-tank boat dives or side trips out to Gordo Banks and Cabo Pulmo. In season, our beautiful 116’ dive yacht Gallant Lady is stationed at Cabo Pulmo for 6-day liveaboard extensions into the southern Sea of Cortez.
Can you help me get dive certified before the trip?
YES. We offer a full array of dive courses at our dive center including Nitrox.
Blogs
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July 26th, 2024
Socorro Season Like No Other
We’ve been diving Socorro since 1978 and have never seen a season like this. Yeah. In the old days, the diving was phenomenal, with stories of 30 giant mantas circling the divers and loads of sharks. Our first boat was the funky old 120 ft wooden Baja Explorador, a converted research boat sans air conditioning (everyone slept […]
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July 4th, 2024
Beautiful Giant Mantas, Dolphins, Sharks, Bait Balls and so much more.
“This is my second trip with Nautilus Dive Adventures and they exceeded my expectations again!!The first trip was Great Whites at Guadalupe Island on the Belle Amie in 2017.I feel blessed to be able to join them again, this time in Socorro to swim with the mantas, dolphins, sharks, tuna, and turtles.This is the last […]
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July 4th, 2024
Incredible diving at Socorro!
Socorro, Socorro, Socorro! This will most certainly be my response the next time a fellow diver asks me where I recommend to go diving. When they ask me how they should get there, my response will no doubt be, Nautilus, all the way. After roughly 150 dives from Australia, to French Polynesia, to the Caribbean, […]
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July 3rd, 2024
Amazing end to the Socorro season!
“Incredible day at Roca Partida! We had an amazing week so far, but today was unique. Lots of schools of bonitos, and silky and silver tips in the bait ball, just to top it up with 2 mantas going around us, a day that we will never forget, this last trips of the season are […]
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July 3rd, 2024
Emotional encounter with Giant Mantas
Everything about this trip is truly otherworldly! You feel like an astronaut in the ocean, exploring the unknowns and meeting graceful aliens. Diving with oceanic mantas is indescribable: they are so serene and curious and really love interacting with the divers. No matter how tough you are, you will have tears in your eyes when […]
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July 2nd, 2024
Friendly manta encounters at Cabo Pearce
Cabo Pearce was amazing this week; clear blue water and every single dive we had many friendly mantas. They were cleaning just as much as interacting with the divers, getting the bubble baths. They love it! The end of the season in Revillagigedo is truly special… There’s more fauna than ever, the weather is warm, […]