Dive Review of Solmar V in
Mexico (Western)/Soccorro Islands

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Solmar V: "The Holy Grail of big animal encounters", Apr, 2018, by Chris Kienstra, IL, US ( 1 report with 2 Helpful votes). Report 10551 has 2 Helpful votes.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving	N/A
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	Years ago I traveled to Malpelo and had a so so experience. Two years later I returned and it was one of the best trips ever! Sharks and big animals everywhere! Four years ago I went to the Socorro Islands and it was just okay. Mantas at the Boiler and Whitetips at Boca Patrida. This last April I returned with just the opposite results. We saw Hammerheads, Galapagos, Tiger, Silkies and Whitetips. Mantas on most every dive. Schools of Dolphins and a Whale Shark thrown in for good measure! The fish life at Boca Patrida was outstanding. In 50 years of diving I have never experienced the variety of fish and big animals in one place. The Solomar V is the grand dame of Mexican liveaboards, but has been maintained to a very high standard. My only complaint is the size of the cabins. Even the Superior suites were small and cramped, which kept me from giving the boat a five star rating. Everything else were first class. The guides, the service, the food were all top notch. If I return a third time I would not change a thing. It also helps when you get a diverse group of divers who all got along! (A few of us knew each other from Indonesia but everyone was great.) One hears it all the time, but when you do remote, big animal diving, you never know what to expect!
Websites	Solmar V
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	Over 1000 dives
Where else diving	Indonesia, Palau, Phillipines, Fiji, Australia, Galapagos, Malpelo, Mexico, Caribbean, British Colombia, Great Lakes, Bahamas, Belize, etc.
Closest Airport	Cabo San Lucas	Getting There	Direct from Dallas
Dive Conditions
Weather	dry	Seas	choppy, surge
Water Temp	74-80°F / 23-27°C	Wetsuit Thickness	5
Water Visibility	20-60 Ft/ 6-18 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	No decopression
Liveaboard?	yes	Nitrox Available?	yes
What I Saw
Sharks	Lots	Mantas	Squadrons
Dolphins	Schools	Whale Sharks	1 or 2
Turtles	1 or 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	Large table on the aft deck. Limited areas for recharging and set up. (The large table was also usedr by non photographers.)

Report currently has 2 Helpful votes

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Dive Review of Solmar V in Mexico (Western)/Soccorro Islands

Solmar V: "The Holy Grail of big animal encounters", Apr, 2018,

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Dive Review of Solmar V in
Mexico (Western)/Soccorro Islands