“The Socorro Islands” Mexico’s Revillagigedos Archipelago Text and photos by Barb Roy Located 386km (250 miles) southwest of the tip of Baja California and over 720km (446 miles) west of Manzanillo, the Revillagigedos are one of three Mexican island groups in the Pacific Ocean. All four islands that make up the Revillagigedos Archipelago are remote, volcanic in origin and offer some of the most unpredictable, wild diving in the world. Isla Socorro is the largest of the Revillagigedos islands. Over the years, visitors have adopted the name—“The Socorro Islands”—when referring to this group. Depending on the time of year and which island you visit, a diver might encounter the graceful splendor of a humpback whale and her calf or be able to swim alongside a gargantuan whale shark. These won- drous creatures are all in addition to the archipelago’s regu- lar residents: giant Pacific mantas, hammerhead sharks, yel- lowfin tuna, sea turtles, over five other species of sharks and countless other large pelagics who utilize this offshore area. 28 X-RAY MAG : 18 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED travel Socorro Islands CLOCKWISE FROM FAR LEFT: Brilliant coloured gargonians grace the reef at Socorro Island; Slipper lobster; Octopus; Neon coloured reef fish. PREVIOUS PAGE: Nautilus Explorer liveaboard heads toward a dive site at Roca Partida in the Revillagigedos Archipelago Topside, the islands are completely dif- activity has created a rugged terrain pletely wiped ferent in appearance and are home to of reefs, overhangs, walls and unusual out, due many endemic plant and animal spe- topography. to an over cies. Overall, the area is recognized as Diving at the Revillagigedos is done abundance a distinct terrestrial eco-region, which from November through early May of unregu- is part of the Neotropic ecozone (tropi- when the water is generally calm and lated com- visibility can reach an impressive 30 mercial meters (100 feet) plus! Cooler water fishing. temperatures of 23 degrees Celsius Realizing (75 Fahrenheit) seem to attract the neces- Humpbacks in February and sity for supervision March, while November, and protection, the Mexican govern- December and late April- ment established the Revillagigedos May appear to be as a Protected Biosphere in 1994. No good for whale sharks. fishing of any kind is allowed within a Pods of bottlenose 12 mile radius of each island. Although dolphins are com- dive charter boats who frequent monly seen from these islands have reported a steady January through increase in resident marine life popu- March. Mantas, sharks, lations, remoteness still hinders proper turtles and schools of Jacks policing and monitoring efforts. can be enjoyed almost any- Today, the Revillagigedos welcomes time. adventurous divers from around the cal and subtropical At one point, the region’s natu- world for spectacular underwater pho- dry broadleaf forests). Below the azure ral marine resources were drastically tography opportunities and those who blue coloured water, ancient volcanic depleted and some species com- love to swim with big marine pelagics! 29 X-RAY MAG : 18 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED travel Socorro Islands ABOVE: Rock face of Socorro Island meets turquoise sea. THIS PAGE: Scenes from a dive with Nautilus Explorer at Roca Partida in the Revillagigedos Archipelago Currently, there are two liveaboard hours to make the initial crossing to San DIN or yoke-style regulators. Nitrox is dive charter operators who offer Benedicto, the first island in a triangular available to use for the entire trip as an scheduled 8-11 night excursions—the journey. Only three of the four islands option for an additional fee. Weights Solmar V and the Nautilus Explorer. are visited, with the fourth, Clarion, are also provided. Both vessels are luxurious in every way, being an additional 314km (195 miles) offering three gourmet meals per day, west of Socorro. The larger “mother- Isla San Benedicto comfortable accommodations, 3-4 ship” is usually anchored in a protected Isla San Benedicto is the third largest dives per day and a knowledgeable, area, with most of the diving taking of the island group with two promi- professional crew. With the capability place from two smaller boats, holding nent peaks (Barcena and Herrera) of making fresh water, their outdoor 8-10 divers each. Traveling from one and one very wide volcanic crater. on-deck showers, rinse tanks and state- island to the next is usually done at The last recorded eruption was in 1952 room showers are unlikely to ever run night. leaving behind massive vertical ridges out. Both operations depart from Cabo Both operations supply aluminum 80 created by volcanic ash. As they solidi- San Lucas, taking approximately 24 cu ft tanks which can accommodate fied over the years, San Benedicto has 30 X-RAY MAG : 18 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED travel Socorro Islands CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Whitetip sharks at Roca Partida; starfish; lobster at Socorro Island; goby at Roca Partida taken on a gray-coloured glacial look. find a multitude of colourful fish and equipped with a wide angle lens for Very little life grows upon these ridges hard corals on a stair-stepping terrain. my digital underwater camera system. however, leaving scant quantities of During a recent visit in January and For a while we all sat like spectators, green vegetation to be found on the February of 2007, I was able to dive patiently waiting for something to pass northern half of the island. Both dive this location at a place called the by. The blue abyss was the only thing I boats like to anchor on the more pro- “Canyon”. Like all of the other divers could see. tected “ash” side of this island, using who jumped into the water for their A large school of yellow fish with the smaller boats for quick access to first dive of the trip, I eagerly followed blue stripes formed a tight circle and trickier sites requiring maneuverability. the dive guide over to a fingering reef hovered near the reef to one side of Stretching outward to the sea are and headed out towards open ocean. us. Thinking nothing of this I turned the jagged remains of a lava flow—its As the depth increased, the water to see what I could find on the reef violent epic forever frozen in time. grew cooler. Sounds from the reef behind us. Several others also became Brown-footed boobies are one of the below and passing fish became more curious and began exploring the reef. several sea birds utilizing the cliffs. evident. At 27 meters (90 feet), I could Several small Socorro lobsters under From high above, they peer down with clearly see the other divers and every- a rocky ledge peered out, but did goofy expressions when the smaller thing anoth- er not seem afraid. To the left of the lob- boats motor over for closer looks. 9 meters sters, a small brown and black mottled These noisy birds have even been (30 feet) octopus stood stretched up on known to land on visiting boats and be below its legs, as if trying to coaxed onto a human arm or head! me. see what it was Underwater the lava flow contin- Expecting the divers ues to stretch out even more, offering to see ham- were a deep platform for divers to sit and merhead, silky watch- wait for passing sharks and other large and Galapagos ing pelagics. Closer to shore, divers will sharks, I came 31 X-RAY MAG : 18 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED travel Socorro THIS PAGE: Scenes from a dive with Solmar V off the rocky islands of the Revillagigedos Archipelago FAR LEFT INSET: Hammerhead shark I was in the middle of the critters. encounter photograph- During the evening, ing these sleek swimming when we all relaxed and machines. showed our day’s work, About this time, the I was accused of tel- other divers, who stayed eporting to another reef! loyal to their watch, were My fellow dive com- rewarded by a large panions had no idea school of hammerheads octopus, sea stars, sea in the distance! What an cucumbers, sponge and awesome experience smaller fish could be it was, especially if this found on the reef. My was one’s first visit to the the reef, including the fish! Once the presentation was also full of turtles, green Revillagigedos. excitement was over, we swam with morays, yellow guineafowl puffers, and for. Behind these smaller critters I noticed On another dive to this mantas and more sharks on our way aggressive pairs of damselfish. several big silver-tip sharks and a huge same site, once again with my wide back in. Another site commonly visited, and manta! Realizing my wide angle lens was angle lens on, we saw more schooling Once the novelty of the big animals well worth the wait if weather is unco- of little use for this octopus, I scurried off hammerheads, but too far to photo- at the site wore off, I put my 50mm lens operative, is a place called “The Boiler”. to join my companions who had already graph. A tiger shark however, came a on and stayed in the 18 meter (60 foot) Coming within meters of the surface, a abandoned their posts. Within seconds, bit too close, causing everyone to “hug” range photographing an array of smaller block-shaped pinnacle causes surface 32 X-RAY MAG : 18 : 2007 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED travel Be entertained ! Be enthralled! Be inspired! 6th Celebrate the Sea Festival 21-23 Sep, Philippines 2007 Award winners from the World Underwater Pictures Festival: International Photographic & Video competitions: WOW Digital Shoot Out competition : Photographic water to boil in turmoil when conditions are rough.