Socorros on the Rocio del Mar

[Sieg@VU]

The RDM pangas/RIB's have the best ladders I have ever seen for that type of craft. As mentioned above, you gear-up on the RDM and board the pangas with fins in hand. When surfacing, gear & fins are removed while in water and pulled up by the panga crew with makes for an easy climb up the ladder into the panga. The crew handles all the gear back into place on the RDM.

Simply awesome service by a great crew!

 

[James R]

I have a trip to Socorro pretty soon. Looking at the recent trip reports, they've had 81-degree water out there as recent as a week ago. I have read a few reports of water out there being warmer all year. Interesting. I know it could change easily, but I am tempted to leave my drysuit at home!

 

[jake11]

I agree 100%!! The RDM crew is one of the best crews we have ever had the pleasure to dive with! Awesome service!

The RDM pangas/RIB's have the best ladders I have ever seen for that type of craft. As mentioned above, you gear-up on the RDM and board the pangas with fins in hand. When surfacing, gear & fins are removed while in water and pulled up by the panga crew with makes for an easy climb up the ladder into the panga. The crew handles all the gear back into place on the RDM.

Simply awesome service by a great crew!

---------- Post added December 10th, 2014 at 12:32 PM ----------

One of the dive masters told me that it got a little colder after our trip( first one of the season) and it will get colder as the season progresses!Have a great trip!!!! We loved ours!!!

I have a trip to Socorro pretty soon. Looking at the recent trip reports, they've had 81-degree water out there as recent as a week ago. I have read a few reports of water out there being warmer all year. Interesting. I know it could change easily, but I am tempted to leave my drysuit at home!

 

[Hintermann]

I have a trip to Socorro pretty soon. Looking at the recent trip reports, they've had 81-degree water out there as recent as a week ago. I have read a few reports of water out there being warmer all year. Interesting. I know it could change easily, but I am tempted to leave my drysuit at home!

I am going to Socorro in the second week of May 2105, the trip starting on the 10th. I know that May is the transition month for water temps but I am assuming that I'll be all right with my 5mm full wetsuit. I also have a rash vest and will be taking a 3mm shorty as well for later use in Bonaire. If the water in Socorro is too cold, I can pull the 3mm shorty over the 5mm full but I hope that I will not need to do that. I can easily manage with 5kg weight for the 5mm on its own but with an added 3mm shorty I'll need 7kg, something that I want to avoid if possible.

 

[jake11]

Here is another email from the dive master onboard the RDM if this helps anyone.

In general the water keeps almost the same temperature in the surface and bottom, no strong thermoclines (in general). But I'll say that usually under 90 to 100 feet is when you may notice a change.

During november the temperature was about 82 F. During January to April should be around 70 to 75

 

[BDSC]

I was on the trip jake11 was on. If any of you folks are thinking about a trip to the Socorro Islands, I highly recommend the first few trips of the season which starts in early November. When I booked the boat, I had to book it over two years in advance to get the entire boat and to get the first trip of the season. The wait was well worth it. The water will be warm (some of us didn't even wear a wetsuit) and you have better chances of seeing whalesharks early in the season. I was also told you had better chances of some up close and personal interactions with dolphins and they were right. Even the DM's said what we experienced may have been some of the best encounters they had ever seen.

Like jake11 said, boat, crew, and food were simply outstanding! Can't say enough good things about the RDM!

 

[Hintermann]

If any of you folks are thinking about a trip to the Socorro Islands, I highly recommend the first few trips of the season which starts in early November.

But does it not depend on the critters that one want to see? Mantas would be there all the time of course but for me the most important big critter that I want to see is the hammerhead shark. When I made my enquiry with RdM, I mentioned that and they said that the peak season for hammerheads in Socorro was mid-April to Early June and so I booked in May.

There is still the outside chance of seeing humpbacks in the first few days if the water remains cool enough or whale sharks later on in the week if the water is warm enough (but not both, I guess), or so Brooke said last year. If I don't see either, I will not send her the flowers that I was planning to. But by some miracle if I see both those critters and the hammerheads, I'll also post pictures of the pigs that flew past the boat.

 

[BDSC]

You are right. It depends on what you want to see. If I go back I would think about going in the early part of the year to see a whale. For this trip, my main goal was the mantas and dolphins and those encounters exceeded anything I could have imagined. We did see some schooling hammerheads. Not the close encounters like with the other creatures but you don't typically have close encounters with hammerheads anyway. You'll have a great trip I'm sure.

 

[Premo83]

Can't wait for my April '16 trip !!!!

I'll be on the nautilus belle amie April 10th 2016

 

[kkfok]

What time of the year is usually less windy at Socorro?
We are just back from Socorro and were not able to get to Roca Partida.