Posts Tagged ‘Whalesharks’
Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010
Divemaster Dan here. Writing from Vancouver, British Columbia where I left the warm water and wonderful pelagics behind for “doing time” in the office (it’s actually really easy – I just talk to people all day about how cool it is to have a staring contest with a Great White Shark from only 4 feet away, or what it feels like to ‘dance’ with a Manta Ray)!
So I haven’t posted in a while and I thought I’d drop by with a little note to update everyone on some of the very exciting things happening on the Nautilus Explorer.
The Socorro season ended well. The last trip combined diving the Revillagigedo Islands (Socorro) where all our favorite friends came out to say good bye – Dolphins, Hammerhead Sharks, Whale Sharks and of course the Giant Mantas (check out the pictures below) – and the Sea of Cortez, where we were reminded of just how much Baja, Mexico has to offer: Sea Lions were the most welcoming – maybe TOO welcoming (next time you see hostess Ashley, ask her about her new camera being a sea lion’s snack!), octopus, stingrays and the photographer’s favorite macro subjects: Nudibranchs and Seahorses!
So what now? Well as I type this, one of the largest crews we’ve ever had onboard (about 25 people) are all hard at work finishing up a huge overhaul on the boat in Ensenada. You, our guests, have made your suggestions and comments over the years and we have listened. The next time you see the Nautilus Explorer you will find a brand new head on the dive deck. So no more how-fast-can-I-rip-my-wetsuit-off dances to get down to your cabin head in time! We have also done away with our dorms. Instead we have converted one of our staterooms into a triple occupancy room with full air-conditioning and an en suite bathroom for more privacy and comfort. If you already have a booking in the old dorm, no worries, you will be upgraded to the triple at no additional cost.
And the big change that is going to have everyone talking: Two new luxury, high-end suites added to our hot tub deck. The new Dofleini suite has all the comfort and space of the Nautilus and Rosario suites. Then there is the brand new Emerald suite, our premium accommodation with “all the fixings”. A very private bedroom with a queen size Simmons Beauty rest mattress with pocket coils for ultimate comfort. Two plasma TVs; one in the bedroom and the other in the Emerald suite`s private lounge. Also in the lounge is a futon providing additional sleeping space. Sitting on this couch you can look out of the suites window and enjoy spectacular views of the ocean and islands.
We have also dropped our single occupancy rates as we know for some folks, having a little more space and privacy is very important. Give us a call or send an email and we will be happy to tell you about out different rates.
If you are on our email list, keep an eye out for our latest newsletter, hot of the press. It will have more details on the new layout and some great photos and diagrams too. If you are not on the email list and want to be, go to our website www.nautilusexplorer.com and feel free to sign up. Otherwise, just drop us an email or phone and we will be happy to add you to the list.
Also we are thrilled to announce that our Grand Prize draw for all 50/50 entrants has been made and the winners will all be announced in the upcoming Newsletter. We have given away over 25 great prizes including a free trip to Guadalupe or Socorro, pay for one and your friend comes free and lots of free upgrades and free rentals and your bar-tab paid for etc…So be sure to check that out!
Thank you for all your support of our conservation efforts in Socorro and Guadalupe. Together, we have raised over $140,000 dollars! Find more details on that in the newsletter.
And after the refit is done? We have a few Channel Islands trips and then it’s all about Guadalupe. Here we go again! 102 different sharks and counting. We are all looking forward to seeing some of our favorites like Stumpy, Bruce, Chica and Shredder. And of course we hope to make a few new friends this season. We have had a lot of bookings and the season is filling up fast. However, its not too late to snag the Emerald suite or maybe get a last minute berth in the new triple stateroom. Please send us an email, call us or check out the website for detailed information on availability and schedules.
Well that is it for me. I better get back to work here! Enjoy the photos (my favorite is the one of the crew making the end-of-season, celebratory leap off the back of the boat!)
Dan
Thanks to DM Peter Schalkwijk, Captain Gordon Kipp and Jacqueline Weideli for the photos.
Tags: British Columbia, dolphins, Ensenada, giant manta, Great White Shark, Guadalupe Island, Hammerhead shark, mexico, Nautilus Explorer, nudibranchs, Revillagigedos, Socorro, socorro island, Whalesharks
Posted in Animals, British Columbia, Captains Log, Channel Islands, Destinations, Ensenada, Giant Mantas, Great White Shark, Guadalupe Island, Hammerhead shark, Manta, Nautilus Explorer, Revillagigedos, Socorro, Socorro Island, Whalesharks, dolphin, mexico, nudibranch | No Comments »
Sunday, May 23rd, 2010
The sea state was actually not too bad when I woke up this morning at 0530 for my turn on watch. A fairly long 6-10′ from the NW which we were riding over quite smoothly. I must have done something to upset the ocean G*ds though because around 20 minutes after I stepped onto the bridge the wind started blowing, leading to our present state, with a stiff 20-25 kts from the NW, turning the original long 6-10′ into a choppy 8-12′. Not what I was hoping for on this transit north, but certainly nothing that this ocean going vessel can’t handle, just a little lumpier than our guests were anticipating. After departing Roca Partida we have spent the last three days diving at Isla Socorro and Isla San Benedicto, and have had some superb dives. Pta Tosca on the west side of Socorro delivered a beautiful morning dive with 2 Giant Pacific Mantas spending nearly the entire dive sharing themselves between all of the divers in the water, circling around and overhead, and making eye contact as they cruised by only a few feet away. The afternoon at Pta Tosca was not so hot, with visibility diminishing and our manta pals moving on to other more important things apparently. However we did finish the day strong with an adrenaline inducing night snorkel with around 6-8 feisty silky sharks!
Up next was Cabo Pearce, where we stayed a full day and completed 4 great dives. The day began with an amazing dive featuring 30-50 schooling hammerheads AND 6 Giant Manta Rays, all of which circled closely giving all the divers in the water some great Manta lovin’. Visibility was great at around 80ft/24m and our 6 lovely Mantas stuck around for dives 2 and 3, with at least 4 of them being ‘players’, coming in very close and providing some great interaction. Also had a couple brief dolphin sightings, a couple solitary hammerheads, and a huge school of Bonito that swam by in the blue and seemed to go on and on forever. By dive 4 the current had increased to very strong and the big animals said their goodbyes. We rounded out the Socorro part of our itinerary with a day at San Benedicto. After a very brief and murky dive at the canyon we spent the rest of the day at the Boiler, having some more great Manta interaction, this time with one ‘player’ and one ‘dancer’, one interacting with divers while the other showed off its agility with moves that would have made a stealth bomber look bad. A couple of big Galapagos sharks cruised around on dive 4, eliciting some high fives for our divemasters after the dive!
Now on to the Sea of Cortez. ETA for our first divesite is 0800 tomorrow morning, and we’re all looking forward to the very small seas forecast for the next few days of diving on the east side of Baja California Sur. More to come from the Sea of Cortez.
Captain Gordon Kipp
Surface conditions: Wind moderate (avg 15 kts), sea state at Socorro small to moderate (5-7′ swell), air temp 75-80F, mostly sunny
Diving conditions: Visibility poor at Canyon (10ft/3m), to excellent at the Boiler (80-100ft/24-30m) and everything in between, water temp 76f, current mild to very strong.
I’m the newest deckhand on board the Nautilus Explorer. I began working here just under a month ago, and every day has been filled with wonderful experiences followed by beautiful sunsets. On my way here I was worried about fitting in with the crew as they are a very close group – almost like family. However, my fears were groundless. As soon as I arrived, they began showing me the ropes (ha!) and were very understanding during my learning curve.
In the past few weeks I have seen all sorts of interesting creatures, both from the surface and underwater. At San Benedito, I saw manta rays and whale sharks from the surface, and a moray eel underwater. At Roca Partida, I watched magnificent frigate birds stealing fish from masked boobies as I waited for the divers to surface. While we were en route to the Nautilus dolphins frolicked in my wake. At Socorro Island I again saw mantas but this time underwater – truly awe-inspiring. We also did a night snorkel with silky sharks, which was incredible. Film doesn’t quite pass on the atavistic shiver when you see a 6 foot shark swimming towards you out of dark sea. Upon leaving the Revillagigedo Archipelago we continued on toward the Sea of Cortez, where I swam with sea lions, and saw vultures and sea hawks circling.
Truly it is a privilege and a pleasure to work here regardless of the long hours. It is more a way of life then a job.
Thanks for reading!
Tess Szostakiwskyj
Deckhand on the Nautilus Explorer April – June 2010
Tags: Baja California, cabo pearce, dolphins, giant manta, Hammerhead shark, mexico, Nautilus Explorer, Revillagigedos, San Benedicto, silky shark, Socorro, socorro island, Whalesharks
Posted in Animals, Baja California, Cabo Pearce, Captains Log, Destinations, Galapagos Shark, Giant Mantas, Nautilus Explorer, Punta Tosca, Revillagigedos, Roca Partida, San Benedicto, Sea of Cortez, Silky Sharks, Socorro, Whalesharks, dolphin, hammerhead, sealions | No Comments »
Saturday, May 15th, 2010
So after finishing up last day diving in San Benedicto and Socorro Island with A LOT of hammerhead sharks at the Canyon and actually no big animals at the Boiler we decided to run north to the Sea of Cortez for a couple of days of scuba diving. . We met som decent waves on our way up north that made the activity on board was a litle less then normal. Coming in to Sea of Cortez we met flat sea and started of with a whale shark search bby the mogote, we had 3 whalesharks , but not for so long. So we went up to Swanne reef and did an hour and a half dive on the shallow reef. Playing with a group of california sealions and watching various small neat cleaning stations. Coming from Revillagigedos all the time scanning the blue water for big animals , Sea of Cortez makes a nice change to dig our heads in to the sand and rocks looking at fish beahviour and nudibranchs, kind of contemplation.. well until the sealions comes to bug us!
Ah ! We also watched the bird Cormorant fishing under water. It reminds me of some kind of stressfull cartoon caracter speeding around the rocks after fish.
We ended the first day in the sea of Cortez with a night dive at los Islotes. Great spot to see a lot of stuff coming out at night you would never see at day here. Like the seaslug the sea hare , up to a foot long and having a strange behaviour to stick its head in the but of an other sea hare…The biggest sea hare can get are up to 14 kg!! Even if ours here had just gets up to a kg. The arch gets full of yellow cup corals that blooms and make the walls golden.
Our second day we did two dives at Los islotes, we let our Rebreather divers have the possibilities here to make 3 hour dive if they wanted. It is a good place to do so, as it is easier to have control watching over the divesite.
Sealions and fish, big groupers in shallow waters. Viz was not the best though.
As a lat dive we steamed down to La Reina and had a bunch of sealions playing around. A lot of male youngsters now days in the spring that have been chased away from Los Islotes by the the bigger bulls. A little surprice was to see a orange seahorse hanging hard on a barnacle in a sweeping current.
A nice dive to end the trip with. Actually we had some of our guests that said that the best dive of the trip was the first dive and the last dive.
Surface conditions: Sunny , flat water. 30 C
Underwater conditions: all from 21-25 C 72-76F Calm water except La Reina that was a bit “windy”
Dive guide Sten
Tags: Hammerhead shark, Los Islotes, Revillagigedos, San Benedicto, Sea of Cortez, sealions, Socorro, Whalesharks
Posted in Animals, Captains Log, Destinations, Hammerhead shark, Los Islotes, Revillagigedos, San Benedicto, Sea of Cortez, Socorro Island, Whalesharks, sealions | No Comments »
Friday, May 7th, 2010
What a difference one charter can make: we were out at the Boiler by San Benedicto Island and had variable sea conditions and challenging diving for our film production crew, today nothing but flat calm and sunny. In fact, what more can one say about a 26 hour transit from Cabo San Lucas, South to Socorro when there is not a swell to roll you, not a cloud to shade you, not even a wind to stir the seas. The Pacific surely lived upto its name as we slid over the horizon. Not exactly the proverbial ‘painted ship on a painted ocean’ but you can really appreciate the smootheness of the seas when Venus makes a gloaming trail across the sea. And Stars, exceptional clarity of the Milky Way as we were without Moonlight for the duration of my watch. Firstlight finds us 45 nautical miles out but San Benedicto stood out in bold relief on the horizon before us; we circumnavigated the island close aboard to take in all the impressive colours of the cliffs and Volcanic caldera. An unusual Southern swell made the ‘leeward’ side of the island seas rather like a glacial lake.. pretty Jade waters to look at from above but too low vis to bother with from below. ‘The Boiler’ was our better choice and now Sten will take you below for the checkout dive. Captain Marco
The crossing from Cabo San Lucas down was like a mirror. Nice flat and calm. And sunny. When the sun went down the horizon was so clear that you could easily see the green light just that microsecond before the sea swallowed the sun. Larry our canadian engineer who have just started with us have been at sea for 25 years and today was his first time he saw it! Must be a bit more clouds up in canada probably…
We had a strange south swell that had stirred up the water in the south by the canyon to a greenish soup that we decided as it was so calm that we moved up Nautilus Explorer direct to the Boiler. Visibility in the Boiler was excellent.
We jumped in the blue clear water , today a bit colder then last week ca 2 C colder! We got control over our gear did a weight check and it did not thke long time until we had two giant mantas coming up to us. And they stayed. Enjoying the dive and as well we whispered in a Galapagos shark that took several turns around us. Also hammerhead sharks. Just when our diveguide Pedro signed to me I am going up to the Nautilus Explorer and then we both turned our head and see this huge shadow above us Whale shark!!It was a nice well fed male whaleshark estimated 8-9 m long 25 – 30 feet. Well Pedro did not return back to the boat. And this whale shark made several turns back to us so we had a good time to take photos and whatched him. It almost looked like the whaleshark was curiouse in to us I had to swim away from his head twice for not colliding in to him. Suddenly the mantas where not so interessting any longer. Well that was a bit of a check out dive.
The second dive was giving especially the rebreather divers a beautiful scheen of what they said a wall of scalloped hammerheads. Two mantas still there but no whaleshark came back. Good start on our trip.
Dive guide Sten
Surface condition: Dead calm , sunny, not so warm in the air though ca 25-27 C
Underwater: Mild current Boiler good viz 100+ ft. Cold water 73 F or 22 C.
Tags: galapagos sharks, giant manta, Hammerhead shark, Nautilus Explorer, San Benedicto, socorro island, Whalesharks
Posted in Animals, Cabo San Lucas, Captains Log, Destinations, Galapagos Shark, Giant Mantas, Hammerhead shark, Nautilus Explorer, San Benedicto, Socorro, The Boiler, Whalesharks | 1 Comment »
Saturday, January 30th, 2010
Today was a special day!!
We arrived at Roca Partida in the early morning to humpback whales around the little island. Now, I’ve seen humpback whales before, but in my 25 years of diving, it was the very first time I actually saw one underwater. Every trip to Socorro and Revillagigedo is pretty much guaranteed to show us something good, something beautiful, something that makes you want to do every single dive, that makes me want to guide and work here. Sometimes it might be the playful mantas or maybe the sharks, but today we got to share a snorkel with a mother humpback and baby whale. After the first dive of the day, the whales came by the boat and took a couple of good enticing breaths. With just snorkeling gear on, we got in the water and much to our amazement, they stayed around. The mother just floated about 40ft below the surface and the baby would nuzzle up to her or dive, doing loops around her mothers mouth. Then first the baby and then the mother would come up for a breath just meters from were we were floating and go back down to their quiet play. This lasted maybe 15 minutes but for every one of us there the memory will last a lifetime and any words, even any image or video would ever do justice to an experience like this!
Peter Schalkwijk
Divemaster
How can I put into words what I’ve experienced this last week aboard the Nautilus Explorer! It started at “The Canyons”, can you say MANTA, MANTA, MANTA, MANTA, they were everywhere! Dancing with each other, four of them at one point, below, above, to the left and the right, they weren’t just interacting, they were playing with us. From there only getting better by the minute – Humpback whales singing and breaching by the boat (All thanks to BOB), my very first dolphin encounter at Roca Partida and did I happen to mention THE SHARKS: Silkies, Silver tips, White tips, Galapagos, and then of course those INCREDIBLE HAMMERHEAD SHARKS!!!!!! What an amazing animal, my favorite moment was seeing fifty to seventy of them at Peter’s (DM) spot at “The Canyons”. THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart for one amazing ocean adventure filled with phenomenal world class diving, incredible sunsets, great stories, fantastic friends, and a WONDERFUL CREW that just made it even more SPECIAL. Dr.Dieter J. Moya.
Wow! What else can I say! Unbelievable Giant Manta interactions….today, 3 at one time coming to visit each diver individually as if to come by and introduce themselves to us giving each diver a up close and personal interaction and taking the time to pose for pictures. Yesterday not only did we have sharks but a Humpback whale mother, calf and escort in water encounter snorkel in blue water! Unfortunately our diving is done for the week but not to worry, we have left plenty for the next guests when then visit this magical part of the world’s ocean next week and many more after that! Special thanks to the crew of the Nautilus Explorer for a wonderful week and my fellow shipmates that made this a very special time. And, I have to add an apology to Dr. D for not taking a picture of him with the mantas but I think he was always overloading on Nitrogen playing with the Hammerheads 
. Terri Huber
Best day of the trip. Large groups of inquisitive hammerheads, interactive mantas – even a lone silky to keep us company during the safety stop on our last dive. Great trip, great boat, great crew. Highly recommended. – Reuben
It is hard to know where to start…we have seen it all in just a matter of a few short days. They talk about the friendly mantas of the Socorros but you have to experience it for yourself! Not just a quick swim-by but multiple dives with multiple giant mantas. Big animals are the norm here not the exception. What would you like to see? Sharks, mantas, dolphins, whale sharks and humpback whales. I was very happy to take one, I mean a couple for the team, when they said Whales all you heard was a splash and I was off swimming as fast as possible. I had the rare chance to see a mother and calf resting just beneath the surface and then see three whales later in the trip. This has been a very special dive vacation for me. I am very fortunate to have met an incredible group of fellow adventures and also a fantastic crew. Did someone say whales?…….splash.
Bob Scarzafava
Snorkeling with humpback whales, schooling hammerheads and playful dolphins….and that was all before lunch time! – Kevin
Tags: dolphin, giant manta, Hammerhead shark, humpback whales, mexico, Nautilus Explorer, Revillagigedos, Roca Partida, shark, silky, silvertip sharks, Socorro, socorro island, The Canyon, Whalesharks
Posted in Animals, Destinations, Giant Mantas, Guest Blog, Hammerhead shark, Humpback Whale, Manta, Nautilus Explorer, Revillagigedos, Roca Partida, Silky Sharks, Socorro, The Canyon, dolphin, hammerhead, shark, silvertip reef shark | No Comments »
Thursday, November 19th, 2009
This day will stay in our memories forever; We saw a real huge and curious whale shark at Roca Partida. It came really close by and returned twice, which offers me the great opportunity to take photos as well. Awesome!!! Next to that we saw a big school of hammerheads and silvertips almost on every dive. The ocean here is so full of life that I sometimes see nothing else behind the wall of fish. I saw a big group of jackfish hunting and forcing themselves through an uncountable number of fishes. I would love to have a view of 360 degree to ensure not to miss anything. Big lobsters are moving like freeclimbers on that endless rock and morays are almost everywhere. I saw probably hundreds of white tipped sharks of any possible size at my last dive here. I also enjoyed my last sunset here from the skip, illuminating the Nautilus in all colors from yellow to red. What a great goodbye, even if we are sad to leave this fantastic place now. Anyway, the great moments we had here burned a big smile on my face, when we now head towards Socorro, our final diving destination. This tour is so spectacular and offers me more than I could ever expect and I enjoy every second of it. Thousands of thanks to the incredible crew, who use every second of the day to make this tour unforgettable.
Britta
Tags: hammerheads, Roca Partida, shark, silver tip reef shark, Socorro, Whalesharks
Posted in Animals, Destinations, Guest Blog, Hammerhead shark, Roca Partida, Socorro, Whalesharks, silvertip reef shark | No Comments »
Thursday, September 17th, 2009
Laurie: The water was crystal clear. We dropped silently down in our steel cage, leaving the security of the Nautilus above to face what lay below. Our eyes wide, we peered into the deep blue depths. My heart was beating hard in my chest, my breaths were drawing sharp: I was about to come face to face with the king of the sea. A few minutes later a shadow caught my attention. To the right. Slowly, calmly, it approached. 14 feet long, swift, and strong. Closer. Closer. And I was not afraid. My heart slowed. My breathing steadied. Face to face with a Great White Shark: what a moment!
Travis: It was colder than I expected (wish I went with the 7mil instead of the 5 mil!) but it was worth every shiver. And I would do it in my boxers if it was my only option…the sharks are just that cool.
Laura: My favorite moment on Nautilus this week was witnessing a full Great White breach. At first I didn’t realize it was a shark…but as it turned in the air I saw its numerous white teeth and its white underside and I knew it was a shark. Extrodinary!
Mark: Hanging onto the top of the cage, looking down on a white shark swimming past and my friends in the cage trying to get the perfect angle for a shot was my highlight of the week. Being weightless and being in Great White territory face to face with such a magnificent animal is impossible to describe.
Kim: This was my first experience with cold water diving and it exceeded my expectations. White sharks, whale sharks, sea lions, oh my! I couldn’t have asked for any better new diving “firsts”. Special thanks to the awesome crew of the Nautilus Explorer for their flexibility, care, attention and good times with our group! I can’t wait to jump in the water with everyone again soon!
Tags: Great White Shark, Nautilus Explorer, sealion, Whalesharks
Posted in Animals, Destinations, Great White Shark, Guadalupe Island, Guest Blog, Nautilus Explorer, Whalesharks, sealions | No Comments »
Friday, May 9th, 2008
Location: Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
Comments: Captain Mike here. We have been incredibly busy over the last 3 weeks with Part 1 of our 2008 shipyard refit. My apologies for not getting a Captain’s Log report out before this. The Nautilus Explorer was built in a Canadian shipyard to our custom specfications and launched in May 2000. The ship is under rigorous annual inspection requirements by Transport Canada as an ISM SOLAS Home Trade 1 passenger vessel and undergoes an even more detailed quadriennial inspection every 4 years. This year is our second quadriennial and we really went to town!! The Cummins distributor took apart the main engines and gensets. The seachest and all the associated engine room piping as well as the bilge suction lines and fire mains were taken apart with lots of on condition renewal (if it doesn’t look almost new, we replaced it!!) and many fittings replaced. The Nautilus is built to a standard that includes flanged bronze and steel non-return ball valves on all overside discharges including the exhaust system and these were all replaced. The exhaust and muffler systems were taken apart, renewed and pressure tested before refitting. The electrical system was megger tested (we do that every year). The exterior of the ship was sanded down from the keel all the way up to the top deck and then sprayed with 2 coats of epoxy primer and 2 topcoats. I think she looks pretty sharp!! The sewage system was renewed and is sparkly clean with every discharge and vent line having been inspected, roto-routed and blown out. Water tanks were opened up, inspected and touched up (we do that every year).. Props, shafts and rudders were all removed and overhauled. New bearings were installed in the stern tubes. The interior was renewed and freshened up and we made a whole series of little improvements here and there. It’s going to be tight being ready in time for tomorrow’s California Channel Islands charter but we’ll make it. After that it’s off to Vancouver for Part 2 of the refit prior to the start of our British Columbia and Alaska summer season. Who the heck wants to be on charter when it is so much fun in the shipyard!!! (that’s an attempt at humour on my part). Captain’s Log reports on the Channel Islands to follow…
Weather: Mostly sunny. Air temperature mid 70’s. Light winds.
Water: temp and visibility unknown.
Tags: Cabo San Lucas, diveboat, freediving, galapagos silvertip, giant manta, hammerheads, humpback, luxury liveaboard, mexico, Nautilus Explorer, reef dolphins, Revillagigedos, Roca Partida, San Benedicto, scuba diving, shark, silky, snorkelling, socorro island, tiger, whales, Whalesharks, whitetip
Posted in Baja California, Captains Log, Destinations, Ensenada, mexico | No Comments »
Sunday, April 13th, 2008
Location: Roca Partida, Socorro, Revillagigedos, Mexico
Comments: Once again Roca Partida proved why it is considered the crown jewel of the Socorro y Revillagigedos. There were some wind waves on top of the normal swell when we arrived but by the end of the first day all we had was a long easy swell and on the second day even that subsided significantly. Over the two days all of our divers were able to have closer and more intimate interactions with a couple of giant manta rays than anyone imagined.. Some divers saw a small school of 10 hammerheads and one lucky group of divers had terrific interaction with a dolphin who played for 5 minutes before taking off rapidly and leaping out of the water. The silvertip and galapagos sharks were off the north east end of the rock circling in and out of view. One of the galapago sharks looked like it is recovering from a nasty spear wound to the head. He has a large lump with a hole on the top right side of his head and a hole/scar on the bottom left side by his gills. The good news is that we saw him last trip as well and he seems to be recovering nicely.
Everyone had at least a couple of spectacular dives on Roca Partida and the current changed just enough during the day to keep the charismatic megafauna coming in and changing but not enough to create hazardous diving conditions. Our engineer, Bob, also had the great fortune of seeing a young humpback whale swim past him as he was doing his safety stop.
On the trip north we saw an intriguingly large number of sea lions sunning themselves with flippers in the air. Not sure why they were so far south and offshore, anyone got any answers?
So we say goodbye to Roca Partida, Socorro and the Revillagigedo for this season. Thank you for some wonderful diving, interesting times and raising our awareness of the environmental issues in the area. I, for one, am really looking forward to coming back for another season in the autumn. And thank you to all who came diving with us in this spectacular place. Without you we would not be here. Divemaster Tricia.
Weather: 88 degrees F, sunny, light breeze, low swell
Water: water temp 72 degrees F, visibility 100 feet
Tags: Cabo San Lucas, diveboat, freediving, galapagos silvertip, giant manta, hammerheads, humpback, luxury liveaboard, mexico, Nautilus Explorer, reef dolphins, Revillagigedos, Roca Partida, San Benedicto, scuba diving, shark, silky, snorkelling, socorro island, tiger, whales, Whalesharks, whitetip
Posted in Animals, Captains Log, Destinations, Giant Mantas, Hammerhead shark, Humpback Whale, Revillagigedos, Roca Partida, Socorro, dolphin, mexico, sealions, silvertip reef shark | No Comments »
Friday, April 11th, 2008
Location: Punta Tosca, Cabo Pearse, Socorro Island, Revillagigedos, Mexico
Comments: After checking in with the Mexican navy on Socorro Island, we headed over to Cabo Pearse for three dives and night snorkelling with the Silky Sharks. The visibility was 30-50 feet depending on which part of the dive you were at and the current was minimal. Unfortunately, the lack of current meant that there were not many large critters out there. Many guests were able to listen and enjoy hearing the humpback whales singing during the dives. We saw the Clarion Damselfish which is endemic to the Revillagigedo Archipelago but once again there was a sense of disappointment in the diving. That night, however, the Silkys were abundant and all who wished to were able to get in and snorkel with them until the mood changed and the sharks started hunting more earnestly, at which point everyone got out.
Punta Tosca on dive day 4 was also surprisingly quiet and the visibility was low so after 2 dives at the outer point we decided to move the Nautilus up a couple of bays and try a new site. A series of small rocks sticking out of the water with a sheer drop to 120 feet on one side and shallower bays on the other. It proved to be fascinating and several guests saw sea turtles and a “fly by” with a giant manta. Definitely a site that we will repeat but once again the “charismatic megafauna” was elusive. So now it was off to Roca Partida to see what was going on there.
Weather: 83 degrees F, sunny, breezy, swell
Water: 71 degrees F, visibility 30-50 feet
Tags: Cabo San Lucas, diveboat, freediving, galapagos silvertip, giant manta, hammerheads, humpback, luxury liveaboard, mexico, Nautilus Explorer, reef dolphins, Revillagigedos, Roca Partida, San Benedicto, scuba diving, shark, silky, snorkelling, socorro island, tiger, whales, Whalesharks, whitetip
Posted in Animals, Cabo Pearse, Captains Log, Destinations, Giant Mantas, Punta Tosca, Revillagigedos, Roca Partida, Silky Sharks, Socorro, mexico, shark | No Comments »
