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.
Read MoreOur 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.
Read MoreThe 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.
Read MoreSten 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.
Read MoreThis trip has been one of the lightest on giant mantas that this divemaster can remember. But fortunately (and none too soon!) we had a stellar eleventh hour appearance from three giant, friendly, photogenic mantas at our last dive site, The Boiler, at Isla San Benedicto.
Read MoreAs we ascended to our safety stops, riding in the mild surge, finally there they were! Two mantas, one black, one chevron, stayed with us on the last 5 minutes of our first dive, and every diver was making the most of their air to stay with these wonderful creatures.
Read MoreOver the last 4 years of operating around Socorro/Revillagigedos Islands, we have had the occasional problem with giant mantas swimming into descent, ascent and anchor lines. This is obviously upsetting to us so today I implemented my idea for a “manta rope.” We took a length of 3/4″ bright yellow 3 strand anchor line and spliced short chunks of horizontal streamers of yellow, blue and green rope into it. The idea being that the descent/ascent/anchor line will be so brightly coloured and “big” that the mantas can’t help but see it. In a perfect world, our highly intelligent manta friends may even be so fascinated by the manta rope that they will want to swoop, loop and fly around “their” rope. Fingers crossed.
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