![Schooling hammerheads delight at Socorro. Photo by Dan Tirtowidjojo]()
100+ Schooling Hammerheads and Mantas Everywhere
Read MoreA massive group of schooling Hammerheads joined another massive group of schooling hammerheads and then there were over 100 sharks swimming close together in the misty water.
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Vortex!
Read MoreAll went well. Everybody on the entire boat got along well together and no issues. Thank you for making this reunion happen. We had some intense Vortex currents off Roca Partida. I ended up pulling 3 people out of them. It sounds like they are rare, but we had them for one and a half days. All were on the side where we usually drop in, near the white tip shark caves. It’s tough because unless there are fish or bubbles spinning around in them, you can’t see them. When I was in the vortex, I had little…
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Nooner
Read MoreSo, the surge came down some and the current weakened a touch but the rock was still a bit of a challenge today thus far. Vortex of doom still here, actually 2 today, but at least swimming around the rock was possible. Yesterday some folks drifted and came up next to the NEX and climbed up the ladder. Worked just fine. Clear sky, lt NE wind and long low nnw swell. Mellower today. Had a turtle come by and say helloo and same as yesterday for under water action. Silkies, pogos, mantas getting close, dolphins and lots of fish and…
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No "vortex of death" today
Read MorePerfect conditions today. No “vortex of death” today, but Ed saved another life. He pulled a fishing hook out of of a manta. The manta was very happy and came back to greet Ed and the entire team after the event. PADI now has “vortex diver” and “manta rescue” certifications… Today was a great day. Clear water and lots of manta action at Roca. Can’t beat Roca Partida, it has never let me down for over a decade of diving here. For me, it was a good day of diving. Everyone had “ascents = descents” so for a diving doctor,…
![Socorro Vortex swirling]()
Swirling Socorro vortex of death at Roca Partida ?
Read MoreVery interesting video pasted in below recently made the rounds on the internet. It shows a horizontal vortex capturing a couple of helpless pufferfish supposedly caused by the change in season at Roca Partida from spring to summer. hmmmmm. First of all, I feel badly for the pufferfish. Poor guys. Second thing is that this is really cool video. But the third thing is that the Socorro vortex has nothing to do with the change in seasons. We have observed this vortex many times over the last 11 years of diving Socorro and have…
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Why are the water temperatures 4 – 5 degrees warmer than normal at Socorro Island right now? Is this a good thing??
Read MoreWhooohooooo. Current water temperatures at Socorro are in the high 70’s which is very warm for this time of year. Our guests are diving in lightweight skins instead of 7 mm. wetsuits with hooded vests. Life is good. Or is it?? The thing with abnormal temperature variation is that “something has changed”. And change = a shifting equilibrium for the ecosystem. Sure, yes of course our divers are happy to be diving in skins instead of 7 mm wetsuits. We are not yet sure about the impact on our beloved big animals of Socorro but in previous El Nino events,…
The water at Roca Partida was the most gorgeous inky blue and was stacked with huge schools of fish.. what a privilege. November, 2011 – Socorro Island, Baja California, Mexico.
Read MoreI have been fortunate to dive some of the best places in the world during my time diving and based on what I have seen in the past 2 days, Roca Partida is up there with the best. We did 8 dives over 2 days so it was a fairly tiring schedule, but one has to make the best of a golden opportunity! This morning’s early dive was truly one of the best and most enjoyable I have ever done. Paul and I dropped onto the north point and slipped down the rock to 14 meters, straight onto a shark…
