A diving cruise in Socorro in the Revillagigedo archipelago will long remain etched in your memory as a diver. They often describe this archipelago lost in the Pacific as the Galapagos of Mexico.
For divers, this is no small comparison! The major difference is that you cannot set foot on any of the islands.
This small archipelago is made up of 4 almost deserted volcanic rocks that emerge in the middle of the ocean: the islands of Socorro, San Benedicto, Roca Partida, and Clarion.
If life on earth seems non-existent underwater, it is quite another thing. They are famous for their concentration of giant manta rays (up to 6m wingspans), and hammerhead sharks, tigers, white tips, turtles, giant tunas, humpback whales, dolphins, and even whale sharks. We have recorded no less than 10 species of sharks. It’s a veritable festival!
Socorro, the largest island, is also a volcanic island, green and covered with cacti. You will dive on lava flows where the current is strong.
Revillagigedo dive sites
Diving in the Revillagigedo archipelago is reserved for experienced divers. The currents are often very violent, this is the price to pay to dive on one of the most beautiful diving spots in the world.
You will dive around 3 islands, three rocks uninhabited by man but very frequented by underwater fauna: San Benedicto, Socorro, and Roca Partida.
Diving around San Benedicto
San Benedicto is a large island of volcanic origin. It is renowned for the abundance of wildlife. Usually, you will do 3 dives around the island.
El Fondeadero. This is the first launch. There is relatively little current at the site, often used for rehabilitation diving. It is a beautiful appetizer. You will dive along 3 pinnacles, inhabited by lobsters. The place is home to a lot of sharks.
The Boiler is a large rocky peak that pierces the surface of the water. The place is magical and promises beautiful encounters: it is the meeting place for whales, whale sharks, and tiger sharks.
The Canyon on the other side of the island is where you will see hammerhead sharks, dolphins, or manta rays. But the must of San Benedicto is the giant manta rays (which can reach up to 6m wingspans) that come to the cleaning station. They are not shy with divers; they like to approach them.
Diving around Socorro
The island of Socorro is the largest of the archipelago. On arrival, the boat must register at the military base and pay the marine park fees. The island is volcanic and offers a landscape cut out of rocks and lava flows. You will see hammerhead sharks, silky sharks, manta rays, dolphins, but also moray eels, tuna, schools of trevally, and many small, very colorful fish like angelfish, or even surgeons.
Socorro is also the meeting place for whales, the island is famous for the abundance of pelagic species.
Cabo Pearce is a long, sweeping reef. It is the favorite place for dolphins. The interaction between dolphins and divers is quite exceptional at this place. They like to hover around the divers. Along the reef, scalloped hammerhead sharks, and silky sharks are very numerous.
Roca O’Neal. Here it is the meeting place for hammerhead sharks. The benches are huge, and it will be difficult for you to count them. Shark lovers will not be outdone, as there are also many Galapagos sharks and silky sharks on the site. And if your eyes tire of the sight, you can look for the little creatures on the set.
Punta Tosca is in the island’s west. There again, the dolphins are many and very attracted by the divers. You cannot tire of observing them, even if you see them on every dive. The place is famous for humpback whales. Tiger sharks, silky sharks, Galapagos sharks, or white tip sharks are regulars here. This dive is spectacular and promises great surprises!
Diving around Roca Partida
Roca Partida is the archipelago’s most beautiful diving spot. Many divers have compared this site to Wolf and Darwin in the Galapagos.
It is the smallest island of the archipelago. It is a large rock, the emerged part of a huge pinnacle. The vegetation is almost non-existent. Underwater, the fauna is present. It is the meeting place for pelagic. There are huge tunas, turtles, schools of jacks, dolphins, sometimes hundreds of hammerhead sharks, giant manta rays by the dozen whale sharks, dolphins, Galapagos sharks, etc.
A real festival, you will not know where to turn
Roca Partida will long remain etched in your diver’s memory as the most beautiful diving spot. You will dive several times in the same place and will always come back with stars in your eyes. You will dive along a vertiginous wall and around the pinnacle. Even though there are often a lot of currents, diving is less difficult than it looks. Small caves are home to white tip sharks and lobsters.
There is only one dive site in Roca Partida, but it is a magical site that we never tire of!
Diving with giant manta rays
The stars of the archipelago are the giant manta rays, which can reach 6 m wingspans! They are not shy and are easily approached by divers. Some say they like bubbles along their body, others say they are genuinely outgoing and curious. Anyway, diving with these majestic monsters is a unique experience! They are visible from November to January, and from April to May.
Underwater species
Because of the remoteness of the islands, and thanks to increased protection, the waters around the Socorro Islands are full of large pelagic.
The humpback whales are present from January to April, the best season is from late January to late February, it is precisely currently that we hear their song.
We see the whale sharks in November-December and April-May.
Many species of sharks are visible in Socorro: hammerhead sharks, Galapagos sharks, silky sharks, tiger sharks, or white tip sharks.
The dolphins are present all year in the archipelago.
There are also large schools of huge barracudas and turtles.
The best season to dive in the Revillagigedo Archipelago.
The Revillagigedo Islands are accessible from November to May because of weather.
The water temperature varies according to the month, the visible species too. From November to January, the temperature fluctuates between 23 and 26 degrees. From February to May, the water is cooler; it varies from 20 to 23 degrees.