Whitetip Shark

Manta

Saturday 9th December 2017

So, here we are at St. Benedicto Island. Here we had a great day diving, 4 dives in all, 3rd one was ruined by current, but all of the others were brilliant.

It was an excellent start with dive #1, many Whitetips, at least 2 Silvertips and 2 Hammerheads. The site was a series of volcanic mounds extending out from the island in two arms closing together to form a 'V'. The reef life was abundant with Puffers, Angelfish, Trumpetfish. We had an evening bbq and watched Silky Sharks and Bottlenose Dolphins in the boats lights and then retired to bed around 9:30pm.

On dive #2 we saw our first Manta. A female Pacific Giant Manta with a 4 mtr wing span which was very friendly and stayed with us for over 20 minutes, enjoying the bubbles on her belly as she glided over us. Awesome.

Dive #3 was a bit of a washout, took no pictures and struggled with a really strong current. Saw whitetips and Silvertips and somehow made a 40 minutes dive out of it though.

Dive #4 looked as though it was going to be just a run of the mill dive until the last 10 minutes. We were just at 6 mtr for our safety stop when a huge Manta appeared and circled around, again 4 mtr at least wing span.

Sunday 10th December 2017

During the night the boat moved to a new dive site called Cabo Pearce at Socorro Island where we did the first two dives. This site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is a long narrow reef extending out from the island, with a couple of pinnacles in close proximity to each other. During two good dives I saw a Moray Eel resting in a crevice, there were Whitetips sleeping on a sandy clearing, a small Stingray, Flounders, Puffers, Trumpetfish and lots more.

At the end of the first dive a Manta came in for a quick look at us as, again we did our safety stop. Our 3rd dive was Manta Central, three large Manta's came in, once more at the end of our dive, and put on an acrobatic show for us.

We had an inspection from the Mexican Naval Base at Punta Tosca this day so the boat moved around to the bay and we waited for the inspection to complete, consequently we only got 3 dives on this day.

Our third dive at a site called Punta Tosca at Socorro Island was quite late due to the inspection and visibility was going as we explored the finger reef. Saw lots of juvenile Whitetips and the usual reef inhabitants and, as seems to be the norm here, a Manta turned up at the end of the dive.

Stingray

Manta

Whitetip Sharks

Manta

Monday 11th December 2017

During the night the boat moved to the third island of the expedition, Roca Partida, which was just a couple of pinacles covered in seabird guano. One of the pinnacles was split from the top and looked as if it would eventually fully split and one half plunge into the sea.

For the dives we dropped into the ocean from the ribs between the two pinacles where current was more or less non-existant. From there we finned to both of the North and South points and encountered strong currents when we got there.

A Silvertip checked us out on our descent for the first dive. In little galleries in the reef there were Whitetips asleep, one on top of each other. Crusing around in the current at the north point was a large, 4mtr long, Galapagos Shark. Shoals of Wahoo and Jacks were everywhere.

Dive #2 was less interesting, visibility was poorer, the water milky with plankton. In crevices in the reef were large Lobsters and Moray's, lots of juvenile Whitetips at rest in galeries and a Silvertip cruising by in the blue.

For dive #3 the visibility continued to be poor. In the distance I saw a Hammerhead at a cleaning station, lots of Wahoo and a manta at the end during safety stop.

Imediately we entered the water for the last dive of the day the Manta's were there. A large Oceanic and a smaller Mobular circled around and interacted for over 10 minutes, they truly are awesome creatures. A Hammerhead cruised by in the blue and the ubiquitous Wahoo were present in large numbers.

Tuesday 12th December 2017

Still at Roca Partida dive site, the first dive today was excelent. Lots of Whitetips around and at least three Silvertips, 2 Mantas, Hammerheads in the blue, Tuna, Wahoo, it had just about everything. Unfortunately it was the first dive that I started having problems with my left ear.

Ear was OK on the second dive and there was more of the same wildlife to be seen, including a Moray Eel and two Mantas playing chase with each other. A lovely spectacle to see.

Complete overload on the third dive. Hammerheads everywhere, Chevron Manta, Galapagos Sharks, Silvertips, many Whitetips, Yellowfin Jacks and two Mobular Mantas. Brilliant dive and ear was OK but not as it should be.

For the last dive of the day the Mobular Mantas were still there, a pod of Bottlenose Dolphins paid us a visit and I go a few pictures but was having difficulty equalising my left ear at the time. Never-the-less, a great dive and the first time I've seen dolphins under the water.

Moray Eel

Shitetip Shark

Wednesday 13th December 2017

This is the last day of diving unfortunately and I'm still having ear problems. The boat moved during the night and we're back at Socorro Island at a dive site called 'El Boiler'.

So, struggling to equalise my bad ear, I dropped down slowly for a quite thrilling dive, as it turned out. Out in a blue was a Manta but he didn't seem interested in us. The dive guide said he could see a Tiger shark but nobody else saw it. A large Galapagos Shark cruised by as we made our way back to the reef. Back at the reef we were joined by two Chevron Mantas and the video on the bottom left shows me having a close encounter with one of them. As it swung around and came up to look me in the eye, it actually caught me with the tip of its wing - you can see the camera jump.

Due to my ear problems I decided to call it a day and not do, what turned out to be, the last dive of the trip. By all accounts, the last dive was not anywhere near as good as the first two so I didn't miss much thankfully.

All in all, it was a really good expedition, I went primarily to see Mantas and Hammerheads but saw much, much more. The crew and dive guides were brilliant and the other divers were all nice people, the food was fantastic, and plenty of it, with 4 meals a day to keep your energy levels up for the fantastic diving.