Dive Review of Solmar V in
Mexico (Western)/Socorro

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Solmar V, May, 2004, by Bruce Busfield, NJ, USA . Report 1058.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity	N/A
Dive Operation		Shore Diving
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$	N/A
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	It was a little over 24 hours sailing from Cabo San Lucis southward to the first of the Islas Revilla Gigedo. Also referred to as Socorro, which was the largest of four islands, this is a remote area of the Pacific visited for diving only by the Solmar V. The main attractions were manta rays and sharks, seen on almost everydive, and large schools of fish such as tuna and jacks. The bottom topography was always stark rock which made many of the local fish, in particular the orange, outlined in brilliant blue, Clarion angle fish really stand out. The crevalle jacks were also spectacular with their iridescent blue color. The Solmar V is a nicely designed dive boat that is well maintained. The crew of ten were always very enthusiastic and helpful. The food was excellent with good verity. The cabins were not big. The tiniest of them all were cabins 201 and 203, one of which I stayed in. With only a floor space of about 2'x 2'to stand on, these cabins are fine for singles but would be very tight for two. Each cabin had its own combined shower/head, so everything gets wet when the shower is used. I preferred to rinse off at one of the two showers at the back of the boat in the dive area. And the dive area was laid out as nice as any I've seen. Plenty of room for dive equipment to be stowed and lots of room for cameras on the camera table with several tiers underneath. The dive platform was great. Two wide stairs go down to the transom platform and then the same into the water. With nice flat steps and hand rails on either side it was possible to walk into the water up to your waist with all your gear on, including fins, and then cast off into the ocean! When the dive site required, dives were made from two zodiac type pangas. These were crowded and a confusion of fins, weight belts and cameras but all somehow went smoothly. We all rolled in backwards at the count of three. The panga drivers were execellent at following bubbles and retrieving divers scattered all across the ocean. Safety sausages were provided but they ran out by the time they got to me - fortunately I brought my own. Weight belts, BCD's and fins were handed up from the water making the ladder climb back up into the panga easy. All week I saw only 5 hammerheads. There were a fair number of silky and whitetips, but no Galapagos sharks to be seen. When the boat arrived at Roca Partida, a rock just sticking out of the ocean 68 miles west of Socorro Island, there was a long line fishing boat illegally within the limit of the marine preserve. Our captain radioed the Mexican Navy to complain. The next morning we awoke to see 6 bouys floating near by to mark the location of the long lines the fishing boat put out during the night. After a morning dive our panga approached within several hundred feet of the fishing boat and we watched as they pulled live sharks out of the ocean - to be finned. This is part of the marine life we came to see and they were stripping the place clean! Shortly thereafter a Mexican Navy patrol boat appeared on the horizon and seized the boat. Two days later when we returned to Socorro Island, which had the Navy base, the illegal fishing boat was still there in custody. We will never know if they were in serious trouble or eventually let go with only a small fine. One of the return divers on the trip, however, thought there were many more sharks four years ago. A highlight of the trip was snorkling with about 20 false killer whales. They swam all around us in groups of 6 or 7 in very tight formation, often swimming on their backs or side to eyeball our pathetic human group staring from above. Our snorkling activity also attracted silkys that immediately appeared when the whales moved off. When the whales returned over and over the sharks just dove down a little deeper to get out of their way. I would definitely do this remarkable trip again, but soon, while there are still big fish to be seen.
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	501-1000 dives
Where else diving	[Unspecified]
Closest Airport		Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather		Seas
Water Temp	72-78°F / 22-26°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	0-0 Ft/ 0-0 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	130' and 50 minutes
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	N/A
What I Saw
Sharks	Lots	Mantas	1 or 2
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	None	Whales	>2
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
UW Photo Comments	[None]

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Dive Review of Solmar V in Mexico (Western)/Socorro

Solmar V, May, 2004,

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)/Socorro