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Experiences You Should Have Podcast Show Notes: Socorro Island Diving (the Revillagigedo Islands) in Mexico
I had the pleasure if interviewing Jay Clue from Dive Ninja Expeditions about why others should experience Socorro Island diving. Listen above (or wherever you listen to podcasts). Jay has dove Socorro (Revillagigedo) 20+ times and brings this experience to life.
What and Where are the Revillagigedo Islands (also known as Socorro)?
The Revillagigedo Islands are commonly referred to as Socorro or Socorro Islands mainly because it’s hard to pronounce Revillagigedo. Socorro is the name of the largest island in this chain. The Revillagigedo Archipelago (Socorro Islands) are sometimes referred to as the Galapagos of North America because of the amount of biodiversity found there. This group of islands is a marine reserve. It’s located 390 km (242 miles) south of Baja California. It takes 26-30 hours to get there by boat.
Why Dive the Socorro Islands?
According to Jay, the encounters and interactions here are like none other. Giant mantas might come right up to you as if they want to start a conversation, then proceed to spend the next 45 minutes with playing in your bubbles and curiously looking you in the eyes. Many times playful pods of bottlenose dolphins seek out divers to join them in their antics.
Schools of Hammerheads (in the 100’s), a few humpback whales, pods of killer whales, giant oceanic mantas, 10 species of sharks that call the islands home including silky sharks, Galapagos sharks, dusky sharks, tiger sharks, and whale sharks.
Some of Jay’s favorite moments include watching a baby dolphin get tickled by its escort (and hearing it giggle as it happened). Jay has dropped down on a dive to be greeted by a pod of dolphins, tiger shark, and 2 huge manta rays within the first 3 minutes of the dive. Jay has also enjoyed going to the Boiler dive site where there is a “cleaning station”. Clarion Angelfish come out and clean the animals. One time Jay and other divers watched a new two-foot dolphin get cleaned and the mother returned and “slapped” him with her pectoral fin to wake him up as if to say, “hey we got places to go!”
To see Clarion Angelfish is a treat in itself as you can only find them on the Pacific Coast of Mexico.
This is a dive full of large animal encounters and if you love diving, the ocean, and big animals, then Socorro could be the dive destination for you.
The Best Time of Year or Season to Dive Socorro
The season kicks off in November and runs through June or July. Early time of the season is a better time for Tiger sharks. Besides that, there isn’t a huge difference in the months as you should see mantas and dolphins. That said, Jay’s favorite months for experiences are January and April. It’s recommended to not go in late season as there is a higher chance of storms.
Skills & Certifications Needed for Socorro Island Diving
- Advanced Open Water Certification from an accredited diving organization (like PADI)
- Comfortable diving in deep water
- Skilled at diving in strong currents
- Nitrox Certification
- 50-60 dives at minimum
- While the 10 is the minimum age for diving certifications, this trip is still not recommended for junior divers.
Accessible Dive Travel at Socorro
If you have limited mobility, you still might be able to Scuba dive. Organizations like HSA (Handicapped Scuba Association) can help you find an adaptive Scuba program to fit your needs. Also, I’ve known people who have limited mobility to get a PADI Open Water Certification, it really depends on your situation and your comfort level underwater. The Nautilus Liveaboard has an ADA Friendly room and they frequent Socorro. Note that the Nautilus Undersea Hunter also goes to Guadalupe Island where you can swim with Great White Sharks.
Also, if you’re an adventurer and love experiences, but may have limited mobility, then check out these Accessible Travel Ideas from EYSH.
Dive Trip Lengths and Preferred Socorro Liveaboards
In order to dive Socorro, you do need to go on a liveaboard. These trips will run about eight to ten days, depending on your operator. Jay’s favorite operators are:
- Rocio del Mar and Quino el Guardian, owned by Dora Sandoval
- Nautilus liveaboards (which has an ADA friendly room)
How Much Does it Cost to Dive Socorro?
The average cost is about $3,300 to about $4000. Read the small print to be aware of what will be included (taxes, alcohol, etc.). Note that it is customary to give a tip of 10-15% of your ticket price at the end of the trip.
How Far in Advance Should You Book a Liveaboard to Socorro?
You should book at least 1 year in advance, but sometimes you can find deals 6-9 months before a trip leaves.
Recommended Gear to Bring
- Mask/Snorkel
- Fins/Booties
- 3 mm wetsuit (this can vary on how sensitive you are to temperature)
- BCD and Regulator (these are available for rent)
- Dive Computer (also available to rent)
- Nautilus Lifeline (Marine Rescue GPS)
- Underwater camera (don’t forget your red filter!)
Areas to Check Out Before or After You Dive Socorro
Highly recommend taking time to see Cabo and Baja. Depending on what time of the year you are going to Socorro there is a wealth of options.
- Whale watching (blues, humpbacks, fins, grey, even orcas can be spotted)
- Mobula ray season in April-July (largest aggregation of rays on earth!)
- Mexican Sardine Run with Striped Marlin expeditions in November and early December
- Local diving in Cabo San Lucas, Cabo Pulmo, and La Paz with everything from hammerheads, whale sharks, sea lions, mantas, and more.
- Dive Ninja Expeditions is highly recommended as a dive shop because they are the only shop that can take you to see everything just mentioned and they do it as true ecotourism (citizen science, fully sustainable, funding research and conservation through tourism).
We will be doing future episodes on whale watching in Mexico, experiencing the Mobula Ray Season and the Mexican Sardine run, so please stay tuned to the show!