Introduction

Socorro Island is a volcanic island in the Revillagigedo Islands, off the Mexican western coast. Its size is 16.5 by 11.5 km, for a surface of 132 km². The island rises abruptly from the sea to 1050 meters. The last eruption on the island occurred in 1993. There is no airport, and visitors approach the island by boat, usually on a liveaboard from Cabo San Lucas. Human presence is limited to a naval station at the southernmost point of the island. Socorro Island is a popular scuba diving destination known for underwater encounters with dolphins, sharks, manta rays and other pelagic animals. There is virtually no coral, but this is the place to see large animals.

Travel facts

Diving type

Destination

easily accessible

bargain destination

Diving level & type

for beginners

for advanced divers

shore diving

liveaboard

Diving Characteristics

pelagics

lots of fish

lots of corals

interesting underwater scenery

Other activities

attractive natural spots

gastronomy

night life

beach

snorkeling

Infrastructures

• liveaboard
  

  Solmar V

  
  Solmar V (liveaboard)
  telephone : 1 310 459 9861 (from US: 800 344 3349)

  fax : 1 310 454 1686

  email : CaboResort@aol.com

  internet : www.solmarv.com

  rerservation : P.O. Box 383, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272, USA
  rating : 3 / 4 stars

  comments :

  The Solmar V is a large, non-smoking boat that can accommodate 24 passengers in 12 cabins (6 standard and 6 double ones).
  Life on-board is very well organized. Food and drinks are available all around the day, but alcohol is not allowed before the last dive. The cabin staff is nice and efficient: the food itself is fine, but nothing more: during our trip, we just had once freshly fished food, which is really a pity...
  Some dives are guided: one of the three divemasters goes then underwater with the divers. Unfortunately, only one of them (Alberto) seriously took his job, and really took care of us... Indeed, what should we think of a divemaster that dive with his own camera, and of another one with swim at greater depth than the guests, arguing that for him, it is the first dive of the day?! On the other hand, the people in charge of the zodiacs did a great job: at the end of all dives, they were waiting for us, which was really giving us a feeling of safety.
  
  Promise was made that we would see big fishes, and we were not disappointed: tiger-sharks, hammerhead-sharks, mantas, rays, dolphins... as well as schools of huge tuna... But unfortunately no coral (water is too cold), and therefore no color.
  Because of the relative coldness of the water, the strong current, the low visibility and the way the dives were guided, this destination is reserved for experienced divers... Finally, we must underline what we consider stupid rules: divers are not allowed to use lamp underwater (but camera and video camera can be equipped with big projectors), gloves are forbidden (although water is cold and there is no coral to grab) but, on the other hand, solo diving is acceptable..."

  
  

Diving Sites

• One of the best diving sites in the world - click here for a list of those sites.
  

  Cap Fear

  rating : 5.0

  depth : 30 m

  visibility : changing
  description :
  
  There are two versions to explain the name of the site: divers were once surrounded by 200 silk-sharks, and the rock at the surface looks like Al Capone’s face…
  A whole day was spent on this site. There, we can hammerhead sharks, but only from a distance, as they tend to swim away from divers. With dolphins, this is another story: at the end of the dive, when going back to the dingy, 5 dolphins came to play with us… quickly followed by a dozen of silk-sharks!
  This dive site is really the kingdom of mantas. They seem to be willing to keep dancing around divers again and again, looking to be touched on their belly. Comprehensive explanations on that animal are given on board. On this site, we also saw during every dive a couple of sharks, as well as green morays, tunas and wahoo...
  
  
• 

  San Benedicto

  rating : 4.0

  depth : 25 m

  visibility : 10-15 m
  description :
  
  Located at about 200 meters from the shore, a large rock reaches a depth of 5 meters, coming from more than 50 meters. The top of this rock is flat, and is easily found by following a rope from the mooring, at a distance of about 100 meters. The profile of the dive is clear, and it consists of swimming around this rock (which takes about 10 minutes). This site is mostly famous because of a huge manta, called Bob Tail, which is observed here since 1996. Not afraid by divers, it comes to see them, and even allows being touched! Other species include a green moray, different groupers and angelfish.
  
  
• 

  Sue's Wall

  rating : 4.0

  depth : 20 m

  visibility : 15 m
  description :
  
  In sandy surroundings, several caves through which divers can swim. In one of them, a white tip shark and an important fauna. 3 small diamond stingrays on the sand. Lots of small fish - surgeons, angelfish, butterfly-fish, etc. During our safety stop, 2 mantas came, accompanied by several remoras, and stayed around for a while.
  
  
• 

  Islet Rock

  rating : 3.0

  depth : 30 m

  visibility : 15 m
  description :
  
  At 200 meters of Socorro island, a rock with a reef at a depth of 30-40 meters. No corals, but the usual fish: tunas, bigeye trevally, groupers and morays. During some of the dives here, we met two tiger-fish - an extremely unusual encounter - two silk-sharks, a big moray and a ray. The quotation of this site depends whether such fish are seen or not...
  
  
• 

  Piedra O'Neal

  rating : 3.0

  depth : 30 m

  visibility : changing
  description :
  
  Small rock emerging from the sea, located about 300 meters from the Socorro island. Depth around this rock averages 20 meters before falling down to more important depths. Hammerhead sharks are said to gather at this dive site, but we only could see a total of 4 of them during all our dives there - and only one really clearly! During one of our dives dolphins were encountered. Otherwise only the usual stuff: 2 mantas, 1 huge octopus, 1 shark, 1 moray, many jackfish and lobsters. Many sea urchins, but almost no coral.
  In the evening, after the dinner, dolphins were chasing flying fish in the light of the boat, making impressive jumps out of the water... for our great pleasure.
  
  
• 

  Cabo Pierce

  rating : 2.0

  depth : 25 m

  visibility : 15 m
  description :
  
  Always the same story... Strong current, and should the divemaster starts in the wrong direction, the dive will quickly become very unpleasant and uninteresting! Some huge tuna and, seen from far, hammerhead sharks.
  
  
• 

  Roca Partida

  rating : 2.0

  depth : 25 m

  visibility : excellent
  description :
  
  A dive site in the middle of nowhere, at 8 hours by boat from San Benedicto island. A single rock, about 25 meters above the sea. The terrestrial live is very limited - a couple of birds - but the underwater fauna is very rich around the rock, which plunges at a depth of 90 meters. The current is strong, and it is needed to hold something not to be taken away in the blue. Very big tuna are seen here (50-100 kg), as well as schools of bigeye trevally and wahoos, but no shark - although they are often found on this site.
  At the surface, dolphins and a turtle came to meet us.