Socorro | Revillagigedos | Vortex

[Palawan]

Hi everyone

It’s taken me more than a year to put together my clip from our trip to Socorro on the Vortex, December 2021.


I always read threads on SB and have taken a lot from everyone’s advice. If I can share any info / recommendations on how to plan your trip to Socorro, or review the vortex and los Cabo’s, I would be very happy to be able to give back.

If you can get there, even once in you’re life, it’s a MUST. (Perhaps not on the Vortex though )

Best to everyone
M

 

[Hoag]

How was the boat? Part of what can make or break a Socorro trip is that the 1st 24 hours and the last 24 hours you are stuck on the boat.

 

[Palawan]

It was genuinely awful. It is completely different to how its shown on the videos and websites.

The staff was great and so was the food, but there was one massive issue that completely rips off the whole experience: the actual ship.

The ship wasn't made to be a dive ship, it was retrofit. Story has it that the wife of the owner, which is not a naval architect, did the refurbishment. Not only did she add extremely heavy furnishings on the main deck, but she had the absolutely insane idea of building a suite on the added 2rd deck. You will see this on their website.

As if that wasn't enough, they put a jacuzzi on the 3rd and final deck.

You don't need to be a physicist to realise that with all that extra weight at the top, even without filling the jacuzzi (think it would add 4 tonnes), the boat is completely unstable. And I mean COMPLETELY. The smallest rocking of waves would feel like the boat was about to capsize, cutlery and plates flying every meal, the habitants of the suite being thrown out of their shower and onto the floor... then you look out the window expecting a huricane and its calm seas and sunny...

it was crazy. from the water we would see the vortex and another boat, I think the solmar. Ours looked as if it had a 20 tonne pendulum attached at the top, like those things that swing with a giant ball in the middle.

The crew was continuously apologetic about it.

I would never set foot on it again, feel ripped off about the price I paid, but will return to Soccorro to dive as soon as possible. it is hands down some of the best diving I have ever had.

Hope this helps!!

 

[Dan]

Thanks for the report.

You have a great footage of the schooling hammerheads. The black & white video clip of the Giant Oceanic manta also looks cool! The soundtrack is in sync with the video clips. Fantastic video!

Sorry to hear about losing your drone. I haven’t have one, yet. Some day, may be. It’s a nice addition to the video, especially when there whales cruising by.

Next time try the Nautilus Belle Amie!

 

[O-ring]

We were wondering about that when we were admiring her in port. Her beam looks at least a couple meters less than the Belle Amie. She sure is pretty to look at though. Like diving off an F14. She looks fast too. Was the crossing pretty quick?

 

[waterone]

Too bad to hear about the Vortex, curious what made you originally choose it over the other boats?

 

[Palawan]

Thanks for the report.

You have a great footage of the schooling hammerheads. The black & white video clip of the Giant Oceanic manta also looks cool! The soundtrack is in sync with the video clips. Fantastic video!

Sorry to hear about losing your drone. I haven’t have one, yet. Some day, may be. It’s a nice addition to the video, especially when there whales cruising by.

Next time try the Nautilus Belle Amie!

Thank you ! much appreciated. The drone was a DJI Mini, the cheapest and smallest (and legally classified as a toy, so no issues using it anywhere...). takes decent enough shots but ahaha yes sometimes you lose them

Will for sure check out the nautilus!

 

[Palawan]

We were wondering about that when we were admiring her in port. Her beam looks at least a couple meters less than the Belle Amie. She sure is pretty to look at though. Like diving off an F14. She looks fast too. Was the crossing pretty quick?

I think she did the crossing in about 16 hours. we stopped for a check dive and got there seamlessly. When the engines are on and you're going full speed, the rocking is negligible... but when you stop... it is like diving off of an F14 but one doing a barrel roll

 

[Palawan]

Too bad to hear about the Vortex, curious what made you originally choose it over the other boats?

no availability on the other boats, booking at the last minute, believing their marketing video and overall stupidity

 

[rjack321]

It was genuinely awful. It is completely different to how its shown on the videos and websites.

The staff was great and so was the food, but there was one massive issue that completely rips off the whole experience: the actual ship.

The ship wasn't made to be a dive ship, it was retrofit. Story has it that the wife of the owner, which is not a naval architect, did the refurbishment. Not only did she add extremely heavy furnishings on the main deck, but she had the absolutely insane idea of building a suite on the added 2rd deck. You will see this on their website.

As if that wasn't enough, they put a jacuzzi on the 3rd and final deck.

You don't need to be a physicist to realise that with all that extra weight at the top, even without filling the jacuzzi (think it would add 4 tonnes), the boat is completely unstable. And I mean COMPLETELY. The smallest rocking of waves would feel like the boat was about to capsize, cutlery and plates flying every meal, the habitants of the suite being thrown out of their shower and onto the floor... then you look out the window expecting a huricane and its calm seas and sunny...

it was crazy. from the water we would see the vortex and another boat, I think the solmar. Ours looked as if it had a 20 tonne pendulum attached at the top, like those things that swing with a giant ball in the middle.

The crew was continuously apologetic about it.

I would never set foot on it again, feel ripped off about the price I paid, but will return to Soccorro to dive as soon as possible. it is hands down some of the best diving I have ever had.

Hope this helps!!

Over in A&I we're talking about the size of hatches and ladders to exit in a fire and completely missing this... Dive boats have capsized in the past and people have drowned. The USCG may not have the best set of rules and regulations but this ^^^ is completely bonkers. I'm glad the diving was fabulous and that you managed to escaped this "near miss".