Is Socorro worth the $$$?

[Dan]

Nice footages of hammerheads, humpback whale & Orca!

 

[waterone]

Thanks to everyone who provided input. I've booked a reservation on the Belle Amie to Socorro for next January 13.

I was also looking at that either that trip or the one right before it.

I was on the Belle Amie to Socorro December 15 - 23, 2021. There was a medical emergency on board resulting in two missed days of diving out of five.

What was the medical emergency that made you lose two days? Hope they got the person out faster than that...

This was my second trip to Socorro, first trip was aboard the Quino el Guardian in 2019. The Quino trip was a blast, the Belle Amie - nope not again!

Other than being able to dive the entire time and less people what did you feel made the Quino el Gurdian so much better? It seems odd to me that it is more money to hop on that boat in January.

 

[cpace]

What was the medical emergency that made you lose two days? Hope they got the person out faster than that...

Yes. We spent one full day, after one of four scheduled dives, taking the ailing diver from Roca Partida to Socorro for medical aid/airlift, an eight hour trip. We spent all of the following day sitting at the naval station waiting on an airlift. The airlift didn't arrive until the day after that. The ailing diver and a crew member were transferred to the naval station on the first night. We were not allowed to leave or dive until the airlift arrived. While I sympathize with the ailing diver and the captain, the whole episode was handled very poorly in my opinion. I guess the moral of the story is don't have a medical emergency 300 miles from shore, you may be out of luck!

 

[Scott from LongIsland]

Thanks to everyone who provided input. I've booked a reservation on the Belle Amie to Socorro for next January 13.

I booked a spot on that trip a few days ago as well! I have been following this post with great interest. Last week there were 30 berths available and it looks like the boat is now sold out! Crazy. I am incredibly excited for this trip. See you in a year!

 

[cpace]

Other than being able to dive the entire time and less people what did you feel made the Quino el Gurdian so much better? It seems odd to me that it is more money to hop on that boat in January.

A few things. Yes, fewer divers on the Quino was a big plus. On the Belle Amie we had one diver, unfortunately in my "group", who chased after the animals with his camera on multiple dives. He single handedly chase away a whole pod of dolphins in seconds. The same diver would disappear and dive solo. The crew did scold him, but to no avail. I thought the food was better on Quino. Even without the medical emergency issue, I thought the overall atmosphere on the Quino was more my style, laid back. On the Quino we got in six days of diving instead of the advertised five days on the Belle amie. The downside of Quino is that it is slower and you have quad bunk rooms.

 

[waterone]

Yes. We spent one full day, after one of four scheduled dives, taking the ailing diver from Roca Partida to Socorro for medical aid/airlift, an eight hour trip. We spent all of the following day sitting at the naval station waiting on an airlift. The airlift didn't arrive until the day after that. The ailing diver and a crew member were transferred to the naval station on the first night. We were not allowed to leave or dive until the airlift arrived. While I sympathize with the ailing diver and the captain, the whole episode was handled very poorly in my opinion. I guess the moral of the story is don't have a medical emergency 300 miles from shore, you may be out of luck!

Yeah, that is a long time to get air back. I am surprised if it was serious why air travel was an issue. Was it diving related?

I booked a spot on that trip a few days ago as well! I have been following this post with great interest. Last week there were 30 berths available and it looks like the boat is now sold out! Crazy. I am incredibly excited for this trip. See you in a year!

There are still quite a few open spots for the trip leaving on the 13th.

A few things. Yes, fewer divers on the Quino was a big plus. On the Belle Amie we had one diver, unfortunately in my "group", who chased after the animals with his camera on multiple dives. He single handedly chase away a whole pod of dolphins in seconds. The same diver would disappear and dive solo. The crew did scold him, but to no avail. I thought the food was better on Quino. Even without the medical emergency issue, I thought the overall atmosphere on the Quino was more my style, laid back. On the Quino we got in six days of diving instead of the advertised five days on the Belle amie. The downside of Quino is that it is slower and you have quad bunk rooms.

Less divers is definitely a plus. Too bad about one ass chasing away the sea life. How many dives did you get in on the Quino?

 

[davehicks]

I've done all my Socorro trips with Nautilus, but on either the Explorer or the Undersea. Both are great vessels and smaller than the Belle Amie. The Undersea has a max of 20 passengers, and the Explorer is maybe 24. I agree that 30 is too many and have heard a few not great stories from the Belle Amie related to the numbers.

My favorite of the Nautilus boats is the Undersea. It was refit a few years ago after they bought it and moved it up from Coco's. They added 20ft to the back deck and it's really a great setup.

 

[scubadada]

I've done all my Socorro trips with Nautilus, but on either the Explorer or the Undersea. Both are great vessels and smaller than the Belle Amie. The Undersea has a max of 20 passengers, and the Explorer is maybe 24. I agree that 30 is too many and have heard a few not great stories from the Belle Amie related to the numbers.

My favorite of the Nautilus boats is the Undersea. It was refit a few years ago after they bought it and moved it up from Coco's. They added 20ft to the back deck and it's really a great setup.

The Undersea takes 19, the Explorer 23, the Belle Ami 33. My one trip was on the Explorer with 23 passengers. We had a very good time Trip Report - Revillagigedos on the Nautilus Explorer, May 24-June 1, 2019

 

[mcohen1021]

Friends, I am on the fence about doing a first Socorro trip. My main hesitation is this: does the quality of the diving justify the money?

If you'd like, you can pay to send me and I will let you know what I think when I get back. I'd hate for you to waste your time going if it wouldnt be worth it. I'm happy to take that risk for you.

 

[nippurmagnum]

I booked a spot on that trip a few days ago as well! I have been following this post with great interest. Last week there were 30 berths available and it looks like the boat is now sold out! Crazy. I am incredibly excited for this trip. See you in a year!

I noticed that too, that was strange. I‘d made a reservation through Liveaboard.com earlier so I was able to complete the booking. But that was indeed crazy.