No lights in the Socorros? Really?

[TSandM]

My husband and I have been invited to join a good friend on a liveaboard trip in the Socorros next year. I was very excited about it, until I reviewed the information from the boat, and saw that park regulations forbid carrying lights. I can do without gloves or a knife, but why on earth would they forbid lights? It would make me VERY unhappy to dive without one; high intensity lights are our primary method of communication.

 

[scubafanatic]

I did a 1 1/2 week trip 12/2008 on the Nautilus Explorer (Socorros) andf I carried a modest powered dive light on my BC harness on ALL dives (I don't use it for signaling, but as a safety item) and the crew never said anything and I had no issues with the authorities. You won't be doing any night dives (sharks !) so you don't need a light for that. The Socorros are VERY remote, so the light I brought was intended to help signal the boat in the event I got separated from the boat. You would likely get away with a modest light, (sort of hidden among all your other parts/items on your harness) but you might be pushing your luck if you plan to bring your cave diver 'can' lights, it's harder for the crew to 'overlook' something if you're being too flagrant/obnoxous and flaunt your lights.

 

[BDSC]

I'm headed to the Socorro Islands in November 2014 (I have the entire Rocio Del Mar booked) and I noticed the same thing. No lights and no night dives. I checked the other main liveaboards that go there and they all say the same thing.....no lights. The only exception I see is you can have lights if they are attached to a camera set-up. I may e-mail my buddy who has been on the RDM twice and see how strictly that is enforced.

 

[diversteve]

Really...

Due to the Revillagigedo biosphere regulations, divers are prohibited from carrying lights, knifes or gloves when diving anywhere in the Socorro Islands.

http://www.seawatch.org/bibliography/decree.php

You've got a year to practice: http://www.seasigns.com/new/ - I'm 1/2 serious. I once watched two DM's who met u/w at a dive site (different boats) have about a 5min. conversation at 40'. I asked about it and was told they hadn't seen each other in a couple weeks so were catching up.

 

[beaverdivers]

I was diving Socorro in Feb.

No need for lights, except a strobe for safety and lights for video.

I was a solo diver.

 

[TSandM]

Maybe I'll zip-tie my can light to my camera . . . Why on earth do they object to LIGHTS? Gloves I can see, because that discourages you from touching things, and knives are obvious, but LIGHTS?

 

[BDSC]

The only thing I can figure is since they don't allow night diving, maybe the authorities are afraid that if divers do have lights, they may be tempted to slip off the back of the boat and do a night dive anyway. Or maybe they think under a little pressure from divers the liveaboards might let divers do a "dusk" dive that turns into a night dive. Who knows?

 

[Rainer]

Can you have video lights (or strobes)? If so, just say your can light is for photography...