Best Season for sharks at Socorro

[kkfok]

I am looking to go back to Socorro. I went there this February and I saw whales, dolphins, manta, silvertips, some hammerheads, really amazing.

However I found it to be less "sharky" than my expectation. I saw less than 5 hammerhead in the whole trip. I read from blog of Solmar V that there are more sharks from April to June, is that true? Please share your experience of diving in Socorro with me, many thanks.

 

[Tjack]

Yes, it's true. Shark season is late season ie. May. I was on the Rocio del Mar the last week of May with many repeat customers who exclaimed they had never seen so many sharks out there. Roca Partida is the spot for lots of sharks, yet we saw sharks on virtually every dive site.

The Hammerheads are skittish and don't allow close approach, we saw schools of 20-30 at Roca Partida. Other times single Hammerheads would cruise by. Silkies and Galapagos were common but we saw no Oceanic white tip or Tiger which can occur. Silvertips were my favorite, gorgeous sharks.

Here are some photos......
Socorro Is. Mexico, May 2013 - ScubaBoard Gallery

 

[kkfok]

Yes, it's true. Shark season is late season ie. May. I was on the Rocio del Mar the last week of May with many repeat customers who exclaimed they had never seen so many sharks out there. Roca Partida is the spot for lots of sharks, yet we saw sharks on virtually every dive site.

The Hammerheads are skittish and don't allow close approach, we saw schools of 20-30 at Roca Partida. Other times single Hammerheads would cruise by. Silkies and Galapagos were common but we saw no Oceanic white tip or Tiger which can occur. Silvertips were my favorite, gorgeous sharks.

Here are some photos......
Socorro Is. Mexico, May 2013 - ScubaBoard Gallery

Thanks. I have never seen school of sharks at Socorro, it is definitely tempting for me. Dilemma again...Humpbacks or sharks?

Tjack, what's the usual length for a dive in Socorro? Mine were all less than 40 minutes, I am still wondering why our DM asked us to ascend when most of us still have more than half tank of air.

 

[Tjack]

Looking at my logbook our dives averaged 57 minutes, longest was 68 minutes. One of the groups on our boat complained that there DM set a strict 60 minute limit on there dives. I believe that the Rocio del Mar policy is 60 minutes per dive.

Socorros is a long way from a recompression chamber.

Which boat were you on?

 

[kkfok]

Looking at my logbook our dives averaged 57 minutes, longest was 68 minutes. One of the groups on our boat complained that there DM set a strict 60 minute limit on there dives. I believe that the Rocio del Mar policy is 60 minutes per dive.

Socorros is a long way from a recompression chamber.

Which boat were you on?

I checked my dive computer again and the longest dive was 53 minutes, but at least 50% of my dives were under 40 minutes...
It is better not to disclose the name of the boat in the public, the boat is good other than the dive time, but I think I will consider another boat this time. Thanks again for your help.

 

[tstormdiver]

I will be going on the Solmar V Nov./ Dec. 2014. Really looking forward to it. I've been to the Galapagos & was amazed by that,.. but will be nice to see the critters in warmer waters.

 

[Snootleather]

kkfok, which boat were you on? We will be on the Nautilus Explorer in Jan... Really looking forward to it.