Thanksgiving Trip to the Socorros Islands
Thanksgiving Trip to the Socorros Islands
StphnMartin and I ventured on a week-long scuba diving live aboard trip to the Revillagigedo Islands in the Pacific last month.
Grateful Diver and Cheng happened to be aboard as well!! We dove with many giant manta rays, dolphins, white tipped sharks, and had cameo appearances of a whale shark, tiger shark, and false killer whale!
On the last dive of the trip, the dive guide energetically pointed toward silvery shapes below, so I dropped down to investigate. I saw two hammerheads and started filming, watching my ‘air’ 30% nitrox and deco times. Hammerheads can be very skid-dish, so I moved slowly and noted more and more of them engulfing me until I was literally swimming amongst the school of them!!!
I could see my dive computer counting down my time to deco - 4 minutes to deco, 3 minutes to deco, 2 minutes to deco, but I was thinking ‘It’s the last dive of the trip and I have plenty of air left to clear a deco commitment’ and how often can you swim with a school of hammerheads!! Until, in bright yellow, my computer display read ‘HI O2 WARNING’ and I realized I was at 136 ft. That got my attention! I started to ascend, relishing the short time I spent with these gentle, strangely-shaped beasts.
So thankful for the bright display on my dive computer, the wonderful sea creatures we encountered, the fabulous staff on our ship the Solmar V, and a safe journey there and back. What a wonderful way to spend thanksgiving week!! I also lost my passport while there, resulting in another adventure ...
Grateful Diver and Cheng happened to be aboard as well!! We dove with many giant manta rays, dolphins, white tipped sharks, and had cameo appearances of a whale shark, tiger shark, and false killer whale!
On the last dive of the trip, the dive guide energetically pointed toward silvery shapes below, so I dropped down to investigate. I saw two hammerheads and started filming, watching my ‘air’ 30% nitrox and deco times. Hammerheads can be very skid-dish, so I moved slowly and noted more and more of them engulfing me until I was literally swimming amongst the school of them!!!
I could see my dive computer counting down my time to deco - 4 minutes to deco, 3 minutes to deco, 2 minutes to deco, but I was thinking ‘It’s the last dive of the trip and I have plenty of air left to clear a deco commitment’ and how often can you swim with a school of hammerheads!! Until, in bright yellow, my computer display read ‘HI O2 WARNING’ and I realized I was at 136 ft. That got my attention! I started to ascend, relishing the short time I spent with these gentle, strangely-shaped beasts.
So thankful for the bright display on my dive computer, the wonderful sea creatures we encountered, the fabulous staff on our ship the Solmar V, and a safe journey there and back. What a wonderful way to spend thanksgiving week!! I also lost my passport while there, resulting in another adventure ...
Re: Thanksgiving Trip to the Socorros Islands
Wow! That sounds like an amazing experience. I have to be honest that I am really jealous of your trip -- I can't wait to get some warm water diving in again post-Covid.
Re: Thanksgiving Trip to the Socorros Islands
Fantastic Away Mission report! !! Soooo glad you guys got some shore leave in... at sea!!! What an amazing adventure!!!! I'm also so glad for your very impressive dive computer and global entry!!!
Beautiful pics !!!!! I love them all!!! Now I really want to practice wide angle so I can go with you guys next time!!!
Happy New Year!!!!!!
Beautiful pics !!!!! I love them all!!! Now I really want to practice wide angle so I can go with you guys next time!!!
Happy New Year!!!!!!
Live Long And Prosper!!!
Stay Warm underwater with the Weezle Extreme Plus undergarment! Please let me know if you would like to order one or have any questions.
Stay Warm underwater with the Weezle Extreme Plus undergarment! Please let me know if you would like to order one or have any questions.
Re: Thanksgiving Trip to the Socorros Islands
Congrats on a fun and safe trip! Was this your first time there? It's amazing and also different every time your go, so go often!
I know about the passport drama - I've gotten two same day passports in my time!
I know about the passport drama - I've gotten two same day passports in my time!
Dave
Re: Thanksgiving Trip to the Socorros Islands
Yes, first time to Socorros and first time to lose a passport for me! We'll have to share passport stories
Re: Thanksgiving Trip to the Socorros Islands
Awesome report Val, so glad you got to enjoy that!
Re: Thanksgiving Trip to the Socorros Islands
Awesome
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Re: Thanksgiving Trip to the Socorros Islands
Here is my video of the trip. It was my first time seeing a tiger and whale shark. So grateful to extract an epic adventure from 2020.
https://youtu.be/R4nPv6nIxHs
youtu.be/R4nPv6nIxHs
https://youtu.be/R4nPv6nIxHs
youtu.be/R4nPv6nIxHs
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Re: Thanksgiving Trip to the Socorros Islands
STEVE! I love your video!! Heart eye emoji's for days.
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Re: Thanksgiving Trip to the Socorros Islands
Excellent work Val and Stephen. Absolutely loved the dolphins. Oh yeah, I think I saw an oceanic white tip in your video Stephen. The larger shark with long pectoral fins with white tips. That was no white tip reef Sharks IMO
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Re: Thanksgiving Trip to the Socorros Islands
Incredible video as always Stephen! Thanks for sharing. I love Socorro and hope I can go again soon!
Dave
Re: Thanksgiving Trip to the Socorros Islands
Saweeeeeet!!
Great video, so glad you guys got to go!
Great video, so glad you guys got to go!
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Re: Thanksgiving Trip to the Socorros Islands
Amazing job!!! Looks like such a fun trip!!! I love the dolphins kissing
Live Long And Prosper!!!
Stay Warm underwater with the Weezle Extreme Plus undergarment! Please let me know if you would like to order one or have any questions.
Stay Warm underwater with the Weezle Extreme Plus undergarment! Please let me know if you would like to order one or have any questions.
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Re: Thanksgiving Trip to the Socorros Islands
Thank you!
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Re: Thanksgiving Trip to the Socorros Islands
Appreciate it Jesse. Hope to see you soon!Scubie Doo wrote: ↑Mon Jan 25, 2021 8:31 pm Excellent work Val and Stephen. Absolutely loved the dolphins. Oh yeah, I think I saw an oceanic white tip in your video Stephen. The larger shark with long pectoral fins with white tips. That was no white tip reef Sharks IMO
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Re: Thanksgiving Trip to the Socorros Islands
Thanks Dave!
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Re: Thanksgiving Trip to the Socorros Islands
Appreciate it YE!
View dive videos on my youtube channel. GH5, Nauticam housing, Big Blue 9000s, Sola 500, 1200, Scuba Lamp Snoot, Mavic 2 Pro, Osmo, Final Cut Pro X
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Re: Thanksgiving Trip to the Socorros Islands
Thanks SJ! Glad we could steal one from 2020.
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Re: Thanksgiving Trip to the Socorros Islands
Simply astounding. So many signature animals that most of us will never see, all presented so well. As an old man, sitting at home hiding from the Covids, this was a dream trip. One observation you may have missed. The dolphins, even though they have a whole ocean to spread out in, are swimming in contact with one another. I see orca do the same thing. Cetologists claim they maintain friendships and family bonds this way. A comforting thought in this time of social distancing. Thank you for sharing your adventure and your talent.
-Curt
-Curt
Happy to be alive.
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Re: Thanksgiving Trip to the Socorros Islands
Thanks Curt! Appreciate your kind comments.oldsalt wrote: ↑Fri Jan 29, 2021 7:37 am Simply astounding. So many signature animals that most of us will never see, all presented so well. As an old man, sitting at home hiding from the Covids, this was a dream trip. One observation you may have missed. The dolphins, even though they have a whole ocean to spread out in, are swimming in contact with one another. I see orca do the same thing. Cetologists claim they maintain friendships and family bonds this way. A comforting thought in this time of social distancing. Thank you for sharing your adventure and your talent.
-Curt
View dive videos on my youtube channel. GH5, Nauticam housing, Big Blue 9000s, Sola 500, 1200, Scuba Lamp Snoot, Mavic 2 Pro, Osmo, Final Cut Pro X