On this dismal evening for news I offer up this diversion. This is the second and final diary of photos from a recent trip to the Revillagigedos Archipelago off the west coast of Mexico.
The iconic arch at Cabo San Lucas. My trip left from this port for the 24 hour journey south to the Revillagigedos (commonly called Socorro after the largest and much-easier-for-Americans-to-pronounce island.
San Benedicto Island
We traveled overnight from Socorro to San Benedicto on the fourth night of the trip. The island geologically the youngest island in the group, most recently erupting violently in 1952.
Badlands Erosion
Scalloped Hammerhead Shark
Visibility was not great at this site, called The Canyon, due the volcanic ash stirred up by windy surface conditions and waves. I saw many hammerheads out in the gloom but failed to get any close shots.
Mexican Hogfish
Hammerhead and Diver
Jacks
Panamic Green Moray
When you take your eyes off of the blue and look down you find many of these large green moray eels.
Sten and Manta
On our last dive at the Canyon we encountered this playful manta that stayed with us for the entire end of the dive and safety stop.
Manta
We had better visibility on this dive.
The Boiler
On our last day of diving we moved to a spot off the west side of San Benedicto called the boiler. It is a pinnacle that rises from 250 feet to within ten feet of the surface. We had good visibility and some amazing encounters.
Bottlenose Dolphins
On our first dive we were joined by these playful dolphins.
Bottlenose Dolphins
Manta
...and there were at least three of these beauties coming and going all day, often hanging around with us for the entire dive.
School of Jacks
The amount of life is astounding. Unfortunately the Mexican government has limited resources and motivation to police illegal fishermen in the biosphere reserve. Much of the policing is done by the three commercial dive operations permitted to visit the islands. The fishermen probably check the schedules of the dive boats online so they can avoid being seen. The dive operations are raising funds to hire a private plane to periodically check the islands for illegal fishing so they can alert the Mexican government and keep awareness levels high.
Manta
From left to right you can see the cephalic fins used to guide water and plankton into the wide mouth, (in this photo they are curled up), the eye, the gills and a remora clinging to the underside of the manta.
Blue Spiny Lobsters
I count at least 22 in this photo, and many of them are HUGE.
Bottlenose Dolphin
Their skin is scraped and scarred, probably from rough interplay with each other. There is no doubt that these are big wild animals that deserve respect.
Bluefin Trevally
The endemic Clarion Angelfish
These fish can be seen cleaning parasites and dead skin from the mantas and sharks that visit these pinnacles and drop offs.
Manta
The patterns of white and black are used by researchers for identification. Photographers on these trips are encouraged to add their shots to the database after each encounter.
Manta
Evening Dive at the Boiler
Thanks for joining me on this visit to the Isles de Revillagigedos. Please be good humans.
The End of the Last Dive
Aloha