News
Manta-tastic Socorro
We sailed over night from San Benedicto to Socorro, and once again woke up to see flat calm seas and only a single other boat for company. Today we are diving Cabo Pearce, a series of volcanic pinnacles that descend deeper as you move away from the leeward side of the island. The topography is astonishing and worth diving, regardless of the marine life. But as we sat down for our briefing on the top deck of Belle Amie, in the sunshine, there was talk of sharks and mantas that are always a possibility at these incredible islands.
Our first dive was at 7:15am and Team Shark, as our dive group is known (those that are happy to dive without a divemaster guiding), always goes in first. There are eight of us in the group and we hop onto a RIB to take us in close to our descent spot. As we descend the seascape is breath-taking. Whitetip sharks glide across the sea bed every few minutes and there are small shoals of fish surrounding each rock. Huge moray eels poke their heads from almost all the crevices in this rocky sub terrain world. Everyone is looking out into the blue, hoping for one of the big animals we are here to see. We are lucky – some of our group see a huge dolphin that comes in just close enough for us to get a good look without getting a great shot! Others encounter a huge Chevron Manta, who comes to look at each diver in the group, and enjoy their bubbles. All too soon, it is time to head back up. But, we still have three more dives here today…
Another breakfast and it is time for our second dive of the day. Same dive site, as we will dive this all day, but each time is different. On dives two and three (after lunch) it is all about the mantas. We see both the Chevron and Black colour morphs on these dives. These mantas seem to love bubbles and hover over divers. If you exhale a few times, you might even see them quiver their whole bodies, and it is hard not to equate this with some form of pleasure. Their wing spans are in the region of 6 or 7 meters and they move slowly enough to get a good look, get a photo or two and also to appreciate the magical moment.
Last dive of the day done now, and another incredible close-up encounter with an inquisitive manta tops off a great first day diving Socorro. It has been Manta-tastic! What will tomorrow bring?
For more from Nick and Caroline, visit www.frogfishphotography.com.
Over the next 12 months, specialist scuba holiday company Dive Worldwide will be supporting Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation with donations collected from client bookings to any one of its stunning dive destinations around the world. The independently-owned operator expects to raise £3000 for the UK charity.
Manager at Dive Worldwide, Phil North, said: “We’re especially excited to work with Bite-Back and support its intelligent, creative and results-driven campaigns to end the UK trade in shark products and prompt a change in attitudes to the ocean’s most maligned inhabitant.”
Bite-Back is running campaigns to hold the media to account on the way it reports shark news along with a brand new nationwide education programme. Last year the charity was credited for spearheading a UK ban on the import and export of shark fins.
Campaign director at Bite-Back, Graham Buckingham, said: “We’re enormously grateful to Dive Worldwide for choosing to support Bite-Back. The company’s commitment to conservation helps set it apart from other tour operators and we’re certain its clients admire and respect that policy. For us, the affiliation is huge and helps us look to the future with confidence we can deliver against key conservation programmes.”
To launch the fundraising initiative, Phil North presented Graham Buckingham with a cheque for £1,000.
Visit Dive Worldwide to discover its diverse range of international scuba adventures and visit Bite-Back to learn more about the charity’s campaigns.
MORE INFORMATION
Call Graham Buckingham on 07810 454 266 or email graham@bite-back.com
Free Octopus with every purchase of a SCUBAPRO regulator system
Just in time for the spring season, divers can save money with the FREE OCTOPUS SPRING PROMOTION! Until July 31st SCUBAPRO offers an Octopus for free
with every purchase of a regulator system!
Get a free S270 OCTOPUS with purchase of these combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with A700
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with S620Ti
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with D420
MK25 EVO Din mit S620Ti-X
Get a free R105 OCTOPUS with purchase of the following combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with G260
MK25 EVO or MK17 EVO with S600
SCUBAPRO offers a 30-year first owner warranty on all regulators, with a revision period of two years or 100 dives. All SCUBAPRO regulators are of course certified according to the new European test standard EN250-2014.
Available at participating SCUBAPRO dealers. Promotion may not be available in all regions. Find an authorized SCUBAPRO Dealer at scubapro.com.
More information available on www.scubapro.com.
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