Thanksgiving Trip to the Socorros Islands

Tell us your tale of coming nose-to-nose with a 6 gill [--this big--], or about your vacation to turquoise warm waters. Share your adventures here!
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Vjw
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Thanksgiving Trip to the Socorros Islands

Post by Vjw »

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! :joshsmith:

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 😀 ...
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Everyone aboard had to have a negative covid test 2-5 days before the trip. We had to check our temperatures and provide temperature log 2 weeks before the trip. We all had our temperatures checked twice daily. We booked the trip before the surge. Luckily, no one aboard got sick!
Everyone aboard had to have a negative covid test 2-5 days before the trip. We had to check our temperatures and provide temperature log 2 weeks before the trip. We all had our temperatures checked twice daily. We booked the trip before the surge. Luckily, no one aboard got sick!
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orcasc205
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Re: Thanksgiving Trip to the Socorros Islands

Post by orcasc205 »

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.
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ScubaJess
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Re: Thanksgiving Trip to the Socorros Islands

Post by ScubaJess »

Fantastic Away Mission report! :luv: !! Soooo glad you guys got some shore leave in... at sea!!! What an amazing adventure!!!! :luv: I'm also so glad for your very impressive dive computer and global entry!!! :notworthy:

Beautiful pics :popcorn: !!!!! I love them all!!! Now I really want to practice wide angle so I can go with you guys next time!!! :partydance: :joshsmith: :popcorn: :partydance: :taco: :taco: :taco: :partyman: :supz:

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. :luv: :partydance: :eric: :taco:
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dlh
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Re: Thanksgiving Trip to the Socorros Islands

Post by dlh »

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! :BDub:
Dave
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Vjw
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Re: Thanksgiving Trip to the Socorros Islands

Post by Vjw »

dlh wrote: Fri Jan 01, 2021 9:05 pm 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! :BDub:
Yes, first time to Socorros and first time to lose a passport for me! We'll have to share passport stories :partyman:
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Gdog
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Re: Thanksgiving Trip to the Socorros Islands

Post by Gdog »

Awesome report Val, so glad you got to enjoy that!
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Jan K
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Re: Thanksgiving Trip to the Socorros Islands

Post by Jan K »

Awesome :)
http://JanKocian.smugmug.com

I take photos because I like it, not because I'm good at it. :) by Unknown
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stphnmartin
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Re: Thanksgiving Trip to the Socorros Islands

Post by stphnmartin »

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
:popcorn: 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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SEAriously
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Re: Thanksgiving Trip to the Socorros Islands

Post by SEAriously »

STEVE! I love your video!! Heart eye emoji's for days.
😍😍😍
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Scubie Doo
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Re: Thanksgiving Trip to the Socorros Islands

Post by Scubie Doo »

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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dlh
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Re: Thanksgiving Trip to the Socorros Islands

Post by dlh »

Incredible video as always Stephen! Thanks for sharing. I love Socorro and hope I can go again soon!
Dave
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YellowEye
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Re: Thanksgiving Trip to the Socorros Islands

Post by YellowEye »

Saweeeeeet!!
Great video, so glad you guys got to go!
Visit pnwdiving.com for viz reports, slack planning, galleries and more!
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ScubaJess
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Re: Thanksgiving Trip to the Socorros Islands

Post by ScubaJess »

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. :luv: :partydance: :eric: :taco:
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stphnmartin
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Re: Thanksgiving Trip to the Socorros Islands

Post by stphnmartin »

SEAriously wrote: Mon Jan 25, 2021 12:14 pm STEVE! I love your video!! Heart eye emoji's for days.
😍😍😍
Thank you!
:popcorn: 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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stphnmartin
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Re: Thanksgiving Trip to the Socorros Islands

Post by stphnmartin »

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 :)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Appreciate it Jesse. Hope to see you soon!
:popcorn: 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

Post by stphnmartin »

dlh wrote: Mon Jan 25, 2021 9:56 pm Incredible video as always Stephen! Thanks for sharing. I love Socorro and hope I can go again soon!
Thanks Dave!
:popcorn: 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

Post by stphnmartin »

YellowEye wrote: Tue Jan 26, 2021 9:36 am Saweeeeeet!!
Great video, so glad you guys got to go!
Appreciate it YE!
:popcorn: 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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stphnmartin
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Re: Thanksgiving Trip to the Socorros Islands

Post by stphnmartin »

ScubaJess wrote: Tue Jan 26, 2021 8:29 pm Amazing job!!! Looks like such a fun trip!!! I love the dolphins kissing :)
Thanks SJ! Glad we could steal one from 2020.
:popcorn: 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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oldsalt
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Re: Thanksgiving Trip to the Socorros Islands

Post by oldsalt »

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 :rawlings:
Happy to be alive.
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stphnmartin
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Re: Thanksgiving Trip to the Socorros Islands

Post by stphnmartin »

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 :rawlings:
Thanks Curt! Appreciate your kind comments.
:popcorn: 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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