Socorro Islands If you are in search of large pelagic creatures HUGE creatures in multiple numbers Socorro is the place for you! We have been blessed to travel all over the world and are always told we will see the Big Stuff. So often, however, we are disappointed as places that claim to have large creatures only seem to have had them last week before we showed up! But Socorro is different, particularly at this time of year. This will be our 4 th trip to Socorro aboard the Rocio Del Mar. We have booked this trip for three main reasons: 1) It s the time of year that the giant Humpback Whales migrate through this area 2) It s Socorro! Countless giant Mantas, Dolphins, Sharks & school after school of fish!! In addition to Humpbacks, we have VERY good chance to see Whale Sharks!! 3) The Rocio Del Mar was completely sold out for the next 2½ years and, due to a friend inviting us to split the charter with him, we were extremely fortunate to secure the ship for our 2021 Adventure!
March 23 rd April 1 st 2021 should be one of the best times of year to travel to Socorro. While the opportunities for seeing the large creatures are great, we will have calm seas and beautiful conditions above & below the surface. The profusion of creatures is mind-blowing; permits allowing vessels to visit these islands are severely restricted, which have not only assisted in maintaining the health and abundance of the sea life, but has also perpetuated their friendliness toward divers. After an easy flight to Cabo San Lucas, we will be transferred 15 minutes to the marina where we board our home for the next 8 nights: the Rocio Del Mar. Measuring out at 100, this luxury liveaboard has 10 staterooms on two separate decks with all the amenities to make our Socorro experience comfortable and safe. Each cabin has its own bathroom & shower (with hot water & great water pressure) along with carpeting and air conditioning. All rooms have windows and storage drawers beneath the beds. The spacious dining area, indoor salon, covered outdoor relaxation area, and upper sundeck make you feel as if you are alone on the ship! With all these options, one can retreat to read, relax, sleep, watch videos or whatever! If those choices aren t enough and you want to skip a dive, the ship is equipped with two large sea kayaks! While some of the dives are done from the ship, most are done from inflatable skiffs depending on weather & conditions at the dive sites. 2
On so many of our dives, we will see Mantas LOTS of Mantas sometimes up to 7 at once! These are not the regular-sized variety, but HUGE Oceanic Mantas, measuring 20 25 feet across! Not only are they graceful and precise in their movements, these creatures love the divers bubbles!! They have no problem swimming right up to you on pass after pass, tickling their massive bodies with the sparkling beads of our exhaled air! We will also treated to multiple sightings of hammerhead sharks (individual and schooling), schools of Galapagos sharks, schools containing thousands of large jacks, and schools of dolphins both on the surface & underwater. On the back side of Roca Partida, shallow caves have been etched out of the rock from erosion and are now home to hundreds of white-tip sharks! On every dive at this location, you will witness these sharks literally stacked upon one another. Our presence merely startles them into launching out into the blue from their rocky shelters. enormous animals. One of the most incredible sights will be our encounters with humpback whales & whale sharks. The months of January April is traditionally when these massive creatures return to the Socorro Islands. With 200+ foot visibility, these majestic giants will present an interaction of a lifetime! It will be an extremely unique experience to actually be underwater, diving with such gentle, 3
hammerheads it was incredible! During one of our previous trips to Socorro, a huge dolphin stayed with us for at least 25 minutes until we were distracted by an over-sized Manta. Once the manta left, the dolphin returned only to be outdone by a whale shark (again, these animals come right up to you!) After the whale shark passed, we saw Our final day found us snorkeling with a huge bait-ball. Once in the water, we saw at least 25 dolphins, an abundance of fish and sea birds dive-bombing into the water to capture them. Next, hundreds of Silky Sharks appeared! Terrifying to most, these sharks were simply curious about our snorkelers. Again, an unexpected surprise and outstanding photo opportunity we shared with everyone during our sundeck barbecue as the sun slowly set on our adventure. If you want to see the Big Stuff jawdropping large pelagic life this is the trip for you! There are schools of jacks, yellow grunts, snapper, huge lobster, swimming moray eels, octopus, butterfly fish, hawk-fish and a wide variety of other underwater sponges and corals endemic to this part of the world. However, it s extremely rare to find the abundance of life large and small all in one place; Socorro is definitely that place! 4
We want to share this amazing destination with our fellow divers divers who not only respect, but appreciate marine life and nature. We would never have believed how special this place was had we not traveled to it it really is outstanding! Socorro Islands March 23 rd April 1 st, 2021 $ 3,995 / person, dbl occ. (Includes 16% Tax + Port Fees)* 8 Nights Accommodations Aboard the Rocio Del Mar 6 Days of up to 4-Tank Boat Dives per Day All Breakfasts, Lunches & Dinners while aboard All Snacks, Soft Drinks, Wine & Beer while aboard the Ship Discounted Rates on Private PADI Specialty Courses Tanks & Weights Pre-Trip & Post-Trip Parties with Refreshments Souvenir Video & Trip Photos All Taxes, Service Charges & VAT 5
* NOTE: Although our liveaboard rates are guaranteed 1 year in advance of this trip, fuel surcharges and taxes may be adjusted due to government fees, as these are outside of our control and beyond our current, best estimates for this service. Cruise and / or airline prices (if listed or included) may be adjusted due to government fees, fuel surcharges and taxes, as these are outside of our control and beyond our current, best estimates for this service. Cruise and / or airline schedule changes may affect rates to the extent the change requires additional lodging. We will do our best to minimize any adjustment and inconvenience this may cause our travelers. TL Sea Travel shall not be responsible for providing a roommate for any traveler in order to secure double or quad occupancy rates. All prices quoted are based on US Cash / Check. We do accept Visa & MasterCard although a 4% surcharge will be assessed. Above Prices Do Not Include: Airfare to Cabo San Lucas / San Jose Mexico Socorro Park Fee of $28* Round Trip Transfers to the Marina of $30* Socorro Chamber Fee of $15* Nitrox Tanks (Packages are Available for $120*) Fuel Surcharges Diver Insurance (Required) Travel Insurance (Required) Equipment Rentals Meals, Snacks & Beverages (other than specified) Alcohol or Additional Soft Drinks (other than specified) Services (other than specified) Tips & Gratuities Items of a Personal Nature Other Expenses including Airline Departure Tax Laundry Service Internet Access Charges Additional Services & Enhancements Overweight or Extra Baggage Costs Supplements / Optional Tours & Services / Extensions Visa upon Arrival or Departure Tax * Prices quoted are subject to change without notice. 6
An Outstanding Adventure Awaits You Join Us! If you are interested in traveling with us to the Socorro Islands, please reserve your space with a non-refundable commitment of $750 For more information, please contact the Dive Center at (206) 824-4100 7