sharks in socorro

[seadweller 0]

i have a trip planned to socorro in the fall and while i know that mantas are the big draw here and am very excited to see them i was under the impression that there were lots of sharks here as well. i was excited for some shark action especially the prospect of schooling hammerheads. today i was telling someone how i was going there and when the topic of sharks came up and he said that they are few and far between and hammerheads are never there. i found this surprising because on the solmar v website they have a big bold phrase about sharks and many pics of hammerheads and schooling hammerheads. i was just wondering if anyone has been and what types of sharks they have seen. thanks.

[Alex_Mustard 0]

I didn't see schooling hammerheads on my one trip there, but "I count five species of sharks on one dive: whitetips, silkies, scalloped hammerheads, silvertips and Galapagos." - which is quote from my Socorro article in the current issue of Wetpixel Quarterly.

 

Alex

[Hamish Morrison 0]

Personally I did not see any hammerhead shoaling on my trip in Feb 2007. Quite a few individual encounters with silvertips, galapagos & silkies, but like you I was expecting it to be more 'sharky' The finners have taken their toll on the Revillagigedos like pretty much everywhere else. I was on Nautilus Explorer & they chummed for silkies one night and got quite a few round the boat. Unlike several other guests I declined the offer to go snorkel with them!

 

Hamish.

[seadweller 0]

Personally I did not see any hammerhead shoaling on my trip in Feb 2007. Quite a few individual encounters with silvertips, galapagos & silkies, but like you I was expecting it to be more 'sharky' The finners have taken their toll on the Revillagigedos like pretty much everywhere else. I was on Nautilus Explorer & they chummed for silkies one night and got quite a few round the boat. Unlike several other guests I declined the offer to go snorkel with them!

 

Hamish.

 

did u see any hammerheads at all? would you recomend the nautilus over the solmar v?

[Hamish Morrison 0]

Yes I saw the odd one or two & I think several people reported seeing a group in the distance.

 

Can't really comment on whether Nautilus was better than Solmar V but they certainly thought so! Would I use them again? Absolutely, crew & boat were first class.

 

Hamish.

[seadweller 0]

Yes I saw the odd one or two & I think several people reported seeing a group in the distance.

 

Can't really comment on whether Nautilus was better than Solmar V but they certainly thought so! Would I use them again? Absolutely, crew & boat were first class.

 

Hamish.

 

do you know if you do any different things on the nautilus that the solmar doesnt?

[AlanWilliams 0]

I just got back from the Revillagigedos Dec. 22nd with a group from my store on the Solmar V. We saw schooling hammerheads (~24-30) at Socorro Island and San Benedicto; I believe the site was "The Canyon" but I don't recall the name at Socorro. They were deep (100'-120') but occasionally made runs shallower to cleaning stations. Also encountered schools of dolphins at the same sites. Roca Partida had the most sharks with packs of 4-5 Silvertips, Silkies, Galapagos, a few Hammers, and countless Whitetips. Day 2 at Roca: rolled off the panga to snorkel with a huge pod of False Killer whales and found ourselves in an accompanying school of crazed Silkies! We also saw a BIG shark at the "Boiler"; couldn't positive ID but I feel like it was a Tiger. Mantas were EVERYWHERE and LOITERED with us for hours! I'm working on video and stills now. -- Alan

[Hamish Morrison 0]

Well it is a bigger heavier boat that is stabilized making the long ocean crossing more comfortable in rough conditions. Accommodation & food was also of a high standard.

 

We did much of our diving straight off the main boat & down the anchor / mooring line although several of the sites required the aluminium skiffs to get there.

 

Whichever boat you decide on there's a good chance you'll be competing for the same anchorage / dive sites with the other one!

 

Hamish.

[underwatercolours 0]

I've been to Revillagigedos on the Solmar V six times. What I saw at the three different islands was different on every trip. The earlier trips to Cabo Pearce had only a few dolphins and on more recent trips I've seen many more. I've also seen individual hammerheads there in the deeper water off the point on about three of those trips. Last time I was there (May 2008) there were many dolphins at The Boiler dive-bombing through a huge school of jacks, but fewer mantas. On my first trip to Roca Partida we had dead calm and only a couple of dolphins and the whitetips that sleep on the ridges there, but no other sharks. On every other trip we've seen many sharks including hammerheads that came up to 50' or so and even a whaleshark. Last year friends of mine were there three weeks after me and they had three humpback whales (mother, calf & escort) hang out with them for three days! I was GREEEEEEN with envy! At The Canyon at San Benedicto Island I've seen hammerheads (deeper and less vis), silky sharks, Galapagos sharks, mantas, and dolphins. On every trip to all three islands I've always seen lots of friendly mantas.

 

Here are a few videos I posted on YouTube from various trips. Not all of these are typical encounters, but shows you what is possible:

- This was created by another passenger from the least active trip I've been on

- Jan 2007

- Clips from Jan 2007 and several other trips shot by the Solmar V crew

- Slide show from Jan 2008

I don't do trips report for every trip, but here was one I did a year ago: http://www.underwatercolors.com/solmar_tri...port_Jan08.html

 

I don't know what attracts the big animals to the different dive sites. When you've got a bright, sunny day, over 100' visibility, dolphins, mantas, sharks, huge schools of fish, and a fisheye lens on your camera, you will think you've died and gone to heaven. The Solmar V is a fantastic boat with an even better crew. They've been going to this area much longer than any other live-aboard and the crew has a tremendous amount of experience. This trip should be on everyone's top 10 list.

 

Have a fantastic trip!

Bonnie

[ViperDoc 0]

I'm heading out on the Solmar in 3 weeks. I was wondering what the water temp is like this time of year. Trying to decide if I need to take my 7mm semidry or will my 5mm Pinnacle be warm enough. Can't wait to get there and try my hand at photographing all the big stuff.

 

Dave

[underwatercolours 0]

I'm heading out on the Solmar in 3 weeks. I was wondering what the water temp is like this time of year. Trying to decide if I need to take my 7mm semidry or will my 5mm Pinnacle be warm enough. Can't wait to get there and try my hand at photographing all the big stuff.

 

Dave

 

I've never worn more than a 5mm and I've been fine. My old 5mm was so worn out that it was more like a 3mm, but my new 5mm is perfect for me in Socorro this time a year. I generally get cold pretty easy. I also bring a Henderson TriLam hood that I for some reason always forget on the boat. You're free to use it if its still there.

[girelle 19]

Hello

 

We leave from France next Monday to join a cruise on the Nautilus explorer to Soccoro.

We've been before on that boat , it's an excellent boat !!

When coming back I won't miss to told you what I'd seen!!

And I hope to get some good pics to show ...

I've two questions

first more of all we want to see the big pacific mantas ,is there many ??

second which lense could be the better one , I own the Tokina 10 17 , the Nikon 12 24 and 16 mm , and the Sigma 17 70 ??

 

greetings from France

 

Dominique

[underwatercolours 0]

I've two questions

first more of all we want to see the big pacific mantas ,is there many ??

second which lense could be the better one , I own the Tokina 10 17 , the Nikon 12 24 and 16 mm , and the Sigma 17 70 ??

 

My personal favorites are my fisheye lenses for the giant mantas, but the 12-24 for sharks and dolphins. Sometimes dolphins get very close, but most the time the sharks are just far enough away to evade getting a good shot with a fisheye. In places like Roca Partida and The Boiler I would stick with a fisheye. I also find that my aspherical lens creates too much edge distortion for the manta shots. There are no hard edges, so fisheye lenses here are wonderful. You will have enough opportunity to try both. Chances are you'll stay at one spot all day and will do several dives there.

 

For the number of mantas you'll see, this depends on timing and luck. Sometimes there are many mantas at any particular dive site, other times there are none. These are wild animals so they do as they please. I've never done a trip where I didn't see at least five or six different mantas. It was in January that the video clips I listed above were shot, so maybe you'll get lucky!

[kerryw 0]

I've done 1 trip to Soccorro on the nautilus and several others in the Pacific NW, always had a good time on the boat! As far as Schooling hammerheads, we saw one school but it was deep during a drift dive. Lots of Silkies, whitetips, manta rays we also saw single hammerheads. Pretty interesting spot to dive. I did the trip in December/January and got by with a 3mm suit but I dive mostly in the Pacific NW (42f last weekend at 30feet) so take my comments about water temp accordingly I think it was around 78-80..

 

Kerry

[cozumeldogs 0]

I'm heading out on the Solmar in 3 weeks. I was wondering what the water temp is like this time of year. Trying to decide if I need to take my 7mm semidry or will my 5mm Pinnacle be warm enough. Can't wait to get there and try my hand at photographing all the big stuff.

 

Dave

Last time I was there in early Feb. I had water temps in the mid to low 70's. I had a 5 mm suit and was cold. It comes down to what you are comfortable with for the water temp. If you go with the 5 its a good idea to bring a vest and hood as a back up.

[girelle 19]

Hello

 

We're back !!

It was fantastic !!

We saw mantas rays of course a school of hammerheads at the canyon on San Benedicto , we also dove several time with dolphins , and on Rocca Partida saw indeed many shaks hammerheads , silvertips , galapagos , white tips and silkys .

We even make snorckeling one night with silkys on Soccoro.

I was very surprised to see all these sharks !!

And everywhere so many and different fishes .

The Nautilus is luxurious , the service is extremely caring , the foods are delicious , and the safety perfect ..

Here are some of my pictures

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7189548@N05/s...57613829170090/

 

Dominique

[RickM 0]

Looks like you had a great time! Lots of nice pictures to prove it too.

 

This is one location my wife and I have been debating on going to. Some of the recent things I've read have made me a little hesitant about going, but your pictures are more along the lines of what I thought it would be.

 

 

Rick

[girelle 19]

Looks like you had a great time! Lots of nice pictures to prove it too.

 

This is one location my wife and I have been debating on going to. Some of the recent things I've read have made me a little hesitant about going, but your pictures are more along the lines of what I thought it would be.

 

 

Rick

 

Me too was hesitant , now I would not hesitate to return !!

[davephdv 0]

Have been to the islands about 5 times.

 

Every time was different.

 

Last trip, (last March), was the only time I have been skunked on Mantas. Every other time had all the Manta action you could handle. Last trip was in the midst of a school of 300 hammerheads.

 

Have seen lots of silkies and whitetips. Some silvertips, large tunas, tigers.

 

Well worth the trip. but your looking for big stuff. Sometimes it is there and sometimes not.

 

I have always used a 5 mm. It has worked fine. Bring a hooded vest as well in case the water is cold. I never have been there when a 3 mm was okay.