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Scuba diving in the Revillagigedos Archipelago

 
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gpsjoe





Joined: 01 Feb 2004
Posts: 535
Location: Mesa AZ

PostPosted: 3/13/2006, 9:22 pm    Post subject: Scuba diving in the Revillagigedos Archipelago Reply to topic Reply with quote

Just got back from a scuba diving trip I took on the Nautilus Explorer, a liveaboard dive boat. After boarding the boat we cruised at about 10 knots for more than 24 hours to travel 250 miles south of Cabo to the Islas Revillagigedos (aka Socorros Islands). There we dove various dive sites for 5 days. The highlight of the diving was swimming for relatively long periods of time with the friendly manta rays.

Mantas are the most beautiful, graceful and elegant animals in the ocean in my opinion. It indeed was a rare privilege to swim with them for a total of about 2 hours of my life. They are friendly and seem willing to swim along with divers even allowing us to touch them on occasion. They do not exit the area when divers get in the water but actually approach and seem to enjoy us as much as we do them. This is unusual behavior for most ocean animals.

During the week the boat was followed by Dolphins on several occasions but we didn’t get close enough to them to take pictures underwater. Also Humpback whales that are seasonally in this area could be seen breaching the surface on numerous occasions. We couldn’t get close enough to them for pictures either. But we were serenaded by the male Humpbacks singing on most all of our dives and their music could be clearly heard for the entire duration of the dives.

I have posted pictures of Mantas, Reef Life and the Islands and Boats we saw on this trip. My humble camera is a Canon S-70 with the Canon WD-DC40 underwater housing. I would have liked to try a very wide angle lens for that camera so I could get very close to a large target and still get a whole body shot. That reduces the distance that you shoot through plankton or other particulates and also makes your flash effective if your close enough. But my setup costs about $600. My diver friend has a $6,000 setup and a pro from “Lights and Motion” was shooting high definition video on a setup worth between $15,000 and $20,000 dollars. I think I’ll stick with my humble camera even though none of these shots will ever make it to a magazine.

I have now logged 515 dives. Swimming with the mantas accompanied by singing Humpbacks is my all time favorite diving experience. It was simply incredible.

Please excuse the high number of shots (41) I posted on Mantas. That wasn’t half the number I took. I know some are repetitive but I love to look at them and remember.
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Davis2001R6





Joined: 12 Dec 2003
Posts: 5591
Location: Italy

PostPosted: 3/13/2006, 9:53 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Joe you amaze me with your adventures. Someday I wish I could do the same!
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Arizonaheat
Got Supes Juice?




Joined: 04 Jan 2003
Posts: 1741
Location: Mesa, AZ

PostPosted: 3/14/2006, 5:13 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Awesome adventure and awesome pictures as well.

I agree with Tim, you are a true inspiration Exclamation
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thesuperstitions
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PostPosted: 3/14/2006, 5:30 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

What a GREAT adventure Joe!! The pictures of the reef life are stunningly brilliant! I've snorkled around a couple of reefs and found that when you get underwater, everything just comes to life! What was dull and drab looking from the surface suddenly becomes vibrant with almost neon-like colors! Thanks for sharing this incredible adventure with us!!
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IGO





Joined: 08 Feb 2005
Posts: 4144
Location: Las Vegas

PostPosted: 3/14/2006, 5:46 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

That's just plain good living. Thank you!
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"Surely all God's people, however serious or savage, great or small, like to play. Whales and elephants, dancing, humming gnats, and invisibly small mischievous microbes - all are warm with divine radium and must have lots of fun in them." John Muir
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ck1





Joined: 04 Jan 2003
Posts: 1331
Location: Mesa

PostPosted: 3/14/2006, 7:25 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Bravo! Now that's cool!
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"The Journey is the Destination"
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Cholla





Joined: 26 Oct 2005
Posts: 379

PostPosted: 3/14/2006, 7:41 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Thanks Joe. Like Tim said. Hopefully, someday! I've done a very little snorkling, but nothing comparable to your adventures.
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paintninaz





Joined: 06 Jan 2003
Posts: 3515

PostPosted: 3/14/2006, 8:14 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

WOW! Very cool trip Joe! Great pics too!!
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“Friends make the bad times good — and the good times unforgettable.”
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evenstar





Joined: 03 Jan 2003
Posts: 5548
Location: SCW by way of CA

PostPosted: 3/14/2006, 8:43 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Awesome!
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When the Man waked up he said, "What is Wild Dog doing here?" And the Woman said, "His name is not Wild Dog anymore, but the First Friend, because he will be our friend for always and always and always. Take him with you when you go hunting."
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Suz





Joined: 27 Nov 2005
Posts: 3186

PostPosted: 3/14/2006, 8:51 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Joe, I loved Manta picture 121 and 138. Thanks for sharing.
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Davis2001R6





Joined: 12 Dec 2003
Posts: 5591
Location: Italy

PostPosted: 3/14/2006, 9:40 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

I went "Snuba" once in Hawaii at Molekini off Maui. You get like 25 feet of hose and are attached to a little raft that holds the air tank. I thought that was awesome, no certification or anything needed. Would like to learn scuba one day though!

TIM
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IGO





Joined: 08 Feb 2005
Posts: 4144
Location: Las Vegas

PostPosted: 3/14/2006, 7:15 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

I used to go snorkling on Lake Mohave. I'd take my boat close to the cliffs and tie off then I'd cruse the walls as they plummited to the depths. I'd put on a sky belt and troll for hours just watching the world below. When I wanted to, I'd just drop the belt and head deep to look into underwater caves or whatever then come back up and troll some more. What a totally different world underwater and that was just Lake Mohave.
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"Surely all God's people, however serious or savage, great or small, like to play. Whales and elephants, dancing, humming gnats, and invisibly small mischievous microbes - all are warm with divine radium and must have lots of fun in them." John Muir
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