Quino el Gardian TRIP REPORT ISLA SOCORRO MEXICO
Tuesday the 12th of February 2019
San Benedicto Island
3 dives at San Benedicto, one at ‘el Canon’ and 2 at ‘the Boiler’, see Trip Report Rocio del Mar 5th – 12th of February 2019.
16.00. So into the zodiac we go with all our stuff and are dropped on the Quino el Gardian (www.quinoelguardian.com). Axel is dive guide on this boat and he’s kind of responsible we went to Socorro in the first place. We met him and his wife on a dive to the Protea Banks in South Africa November 2016. He later wrote us an e-mail with boat recommendations. So we decided to look him up. But it was after we booked the Rocio del Mar we learned he was scheduled on the Quino.
The Quino el Gardian is run by the same company as the Rocio del Mar but the boat is much smaller and so are the rooms. Quino has 4 quad cabins and 1 double cabin with 4 community bathrooms. We share a quad room with another couple, the film team. They have the 2 lower bunk beds, we the 2 upper. A curtain provides some privacy. There is a drawer for clothes. It’s an enormous setback from the Rocio room but hey, we’re here to do some more diving at Socorro (Archipielago de Revillagigedo).
So we have dinner on the Quino. The dinner room is actually nicer than on the Rocio. It’s above water level. Foods almost the same as on the Rocio and superb. We meet the rest of the divers. The crowd here is younger but not all. Lots of single divers as well.
The first night I do sleep in the little bed in the room but the place gives me the creeps. I feel like being in a coffin. The squeaking is terrible. The rest of the week I’ll sleep on the couch in the salon. Very comfortable once you turn of the aircon.
Wednesday the 13th of February 2019
San Benedicto Island
An awful night (of no) sleep. Our new room is very small and I get claustrophobic. Happy to get out of bed. More early risers on this boat. 4 in the dining area already. The offer is exactly the same as on the Rocio del Mar. That makes things easy. We go to the top deck and discover the Nautilus has left already. Probably wanted to be the first at the Boiler. In Socorro the system is, first boat to arrive is first to dive the site. All boats take turns. We were scheduled to sail over to the Boiler as well but since we’re the only boat and this area is nicely sheltered we stay at el Canon.
1st Dive: San Benedicto – the Canon
Time: 7.14
Dive time: 45 minutes
Depth: 26.5 meters
Viz: 20 m
Temp: 26 Celsius
Viz is much better than yesterday when we were diving this site with the Rocio del Mar. We start swimming along the rocky wall. A galapagos, 2 whitetips and a dolphin. Gerard gets its attention by acting like a dolphin until it swims up to the surface and joins the other dolphins. We wait at the beacon. A black manta passes over us. In the distance the other group is playing with the dolphins. The dolphins head our direction but keep a nice 20-25m distance. The manta circles as does a big galapagos. Meanwhile the silvertips have arrived at the beacon.
2nd Dive: San Benedicto – the Canon 
Time: 10.32
Dive time: 48 minutes
Depth: 29.1 meters
Viz: 20 m
Temp: 25 Celsius
Sunny skies, little wind, good viz. It takes a while but than a manta, one we haven’t seen before. It has huge sucking fish riding along. Sharks are coming to the marker, 2 big galapagos, 4 silvertips and on the bottom several whitetips. A nice spotted moray eel. All of a sudden right in front of us a school of hammerheads, just of the plateau on 24 m all the way up to 5 m under the surface. The manta hangs around all dive and again 2 hammerheads pass by. On the bottom an octopus is assaulted but also protected by fish.
Sunny, still little wind and very clear water. You can see the bottom from the boat. Minimal waves. Jacks are circling underneath the boat. The manta touches the surface.
3rd Dive: San Benedicto – the Canon
Time: 14.05
Dive time: 47 minutes
Depth: 33.7 meters
Viz: 20 m
Temp: 25 Celsius
Our third dive with Axel is again full of galapagos, silvertips and whitetips. The hammerheads are scarce, 1, 2, 3 together but playing the game ‘find the hammerhead’ is big fun. Above us a big tuna and several jacks following a shark.
After a snack we already start to gear up for the 4th and last dive of the day. Weather is still fantastic.
4th Dive: San Benedicto – the Canon 
Time: 16.20
Dive time: 43 minutes
Depth: 29.2 meters
Viz: 15 – 20 m
Temp: 25 Celsius
When we roll there is a big galapagos cruising the bottom. 2 hunting tuna’s and a mega tuna above us. Jacks are there, 3 hammerhead sharks, silvertips and a dozen hunting whitetips. We let ourselves drift back to the marker. On the bottom a big oceanic manta about 4-6 m span. At the marker the usual sharks are circling. A small manta arrives from the distance. It’s the same one we’ve seen this morning with the sucker fishes. We were told a story that manta like divers and will actually come close to check them out. And that is exactly our experience on this trip with the Rocio del Mar. If you ignore the manta’s they will come very close to claim attention. Just don’t chase them because than they swim of. The rest of the dive the 2 manta’s stay together circling. During our safety stop we get to meet some more sea creatures. Feels like jelly fish lake in Palau. (never been, read it’s closed). 
Time for a nice hot shower. No en-suite on this boat. Shower and toilets are next to the dive deck. Works out fine. Panga’s are hauled in with the hydraulic lifts. They’re put on the top deck. And off we go to Roca Partida.
In the evening the marine biology researcher gives us an interesting presentation about local angelfish and manta’s. They join this trip to do research.
Thursday 14th of February 2019
The crossing to Roca Partida was smooth. Slept great in the salon. Up at 5. Sun rises. Small clouds but they dissolve. Again perfect conditions above water with blue skies, little wind, little waves. We spot the first whale at 8.00 only 150 – 200 m from the boat. No dolphins. We’re the third boat to go diving.
The newbie gets a crewmember for dive buddy. That’s good because he just started diving and doesn’t have any experience at all. This is not the best place to start out in my opinion. But I guess every dollar is the same.
5th Dive: Roca Partida
Time: 9.29
Dive time: 42 minutes
Depth: 31 meters
Viz: 15 m
Temp: 25 Celsius
We’re dropped next to the rock again. Viz is far less than yesterday. We roll into a big school of fishes. Big tuna’s pass by. We swim away from the rock. Our bubbles start to act weird. So they did warn us about the Vortex but they also said it is very rare and they see it once in 2 years. Well we saw a little piece of it last time on the Rocio del Mar but Celina directed us back to the wall immediately. Now we get to see the Vortex full force. When the bubbles are sucked in it starts to show. The first part is big but the end is a fine tread of bubbles and the thing is getting longer and longer. We watch it go from 5 to 25 meters in no time. Bob tries to put his hand in, but is almost sucked into the swirl completely. But you can swim over or underneath the Vortex, no problem. Behind the Vortex a big galapagos is cruising.
We make our way back to the wall where some of the whitetips are swimming and some are laying peacefully on top of each other in the holes. Every once and a while one is pushed out by a new arrival. We swim until we get to a big school of brown fishes. Big tuna crisscross the school, hunting. We try hanging on the rocks in between moray eels and stone fish. But there is not much action going on so we let go. Before we exit the water 2 silvertips and a hammerhead.
Before we start our 2nd dive the water gets more quiet and the current gets ever more visible. Another whale close to the boat.
6th Dive: Roca Partida
Time: 12.24
Dive time: 43 minutes
Depth: 33 meters
Viz: 15 m
Temp: 25 Celsius
Same drop site. More current. Negative entry. Jacks and a big school of small fish. The caves are empty. We swim into the blue and see the Vortex and the other group. The group is heading for the wall like crazy. I feel down current and also swim back to the wall. Not much going on at 30 meter. The rest of our group is also struggling to get higher. Viz is a bit off and there is not much going on. We spot a few cruising whitetips. The rest of the dive is a bit messy but 30 minutes into the dive a manta shows and keeps circling. It likes the bubbles on its belly.
Back on the boat we spot another humpback with baby a mere 50 meters from the boat. The heavy swirls in the water create foam that first we think is garbage. We see the divers of the other boat drift of at an amazing speed.
Swells are building but still no wind and very hot. The other zodiacs drop their divers behind the island in the lee. SMB’s pop up in no time.
7th Dive: Roca Partida 
Time: 15.46
Dive time: 45 minutes
Depth: 24.2 meters
Viz: 15 m
Temp: 25 Celsius
We’re dropped on the other side of the island again, same spot. All caves are full of whitetips. It’s a fantastic sight. I slowly cruise passed all caves before I go deeper to find a big tuna hunting along with his tuna friends. We’re in the middle of it all. Nice but when a mega tuna swims towards you at full speed it does get a bit terrifying. There are silvertips and galapagos. The big school of brown fishes shoots from left to right, up and down. We stay a while looking at the jacks and hunting tuna. Lot of action. We try to swim around the corner but the current is to strong so we let ourselves fly back along the wall. An interesting mix of cold and warm water at the corner. A big green cloud at the corner as well. Again we hit a current. Lots of galapagos here, only 1 meter from our faces. But the current is fierce and filming the feeding frenzy is no option. Moreover the camera memory is full! Dive is finished anyway.
Back on the Quino in our room we find a beautiful plate with happy 27th anniversary in chocolate on it, decorated with strawberry’s and chocolates. Also a big bottle of champagne and 2 glasses. Very attentive. Our 16.00 snack is something in a corn leave and strawberry’s dipped in chocolate.
In front of the boat mother and child whale swim but no snorkelling on offer this trip. The panga’s go back on the top deck. The other boats are still diving. But we’re the slowest boat so we need to start heading back to Socorro. Sunset on the back deck.
After dinner we watch a movie of a guest’s trip with a B51 followed by a movie of a sky gliding trip of 2 of our fellow passengers. Luckily everybody is very tiered and of to bed by 21.15. I get comfortable on the sofa.
Friday 15th of February 2019
Socorro – Happy Birthday to me. 
Up at 5.00 after a wonderful sleep. We go up onto the top deck. We were scheduled to dive at 7.00 but the boat is too slow. We anchor in the bay where the water is quiet despite the heavy wind. Dolphins behind the boat
8th Dive: Socorro – Punta Tosca
Time: 7.41
Dive time: 49 minutes
Depth: 27.1 meters
We’re diving the lava fingers again. Not a big success story last time and not this time either. Viz is ok at most. We swim along the rock wall. Several whitetips, above some tuna’s, more whitetips and a small silky. Than the rock wall is lower and a dolphin swims over and comes straight towards me (happy Birthday) followed by two hammerhead sharks.
Time for my favourite breakfast, yoghurt, fresh fruits and cereals. We spend the interval all together on the top deck. The mood on this boat is in my opinion better than on the Roccio. More backpacker style. People hang together instead of hiding (sleeping) in their cabin. 
9th Dive: Socorro – Punta Tosca
Time: 10.50
Dive time: 51 minutes
Depth: 28.2 meters
Lot of wind, lot of sun, blue sky. We make our second dive in between the pier. Lousy viz, nothing interesting to see. The special angle fish shows and some Moorish idols. We look at some lobster and something like coral. Over us a gang of tuna’s. Some whitetips. 2 baby sharks. The elusive tiger shark doesn’t show. But finally we see 1 hammerhead and we start our favourite game again. In the end we’ve seen the same hammerhead 3 times.
Lunch is a wonderful soupa Azteca followed by spaghetti. Next dive is just me. Gerard has an open wound on his leg that needs to dry. He’s going to drone the launch. The oldest diver in our group is so slow the drone battery is almost empty when the zodiac hits the water.
We dive a new spot called Aquarium, very near Punta Tosca.
10th Dive: Socorro – Aquarium 
Time: 14.08
Dive time: 49 minutes
Depth: 24.1 meters
Temp: 25 Celsius
Well it’s not the Aquarium I hoped for. 1 spotted moray eel, 4 jacks, 1 green moray eel, some angel fish and Moorish idols and 1 whitetip. Lots of rocks with algae. Viz is mediocre,
Our stop at the harbour to meet the marine authorities is brief. Sailing to the next dive spot we have a wonderful sun set and a jumping baby whale. It puts on an endless show.
At dinner Mexican birthday music is playing and I get an handmade birthday cake. In the evening we play a game of werewolf.
Saturday 16th of February 2019
Socorro
Great night of sleep. Up at 5.30. Lots of silky’s are circling the boat. The Nautilus explorer is parked next to us. We hear dolphins. When it gets light we see dolphins on the other side of the reef. This is where we dove with dolphins while on the Rocio del Mar.
11th Dive: Socorro – Cabo Pearce
Time: 7.19
Dive time: 43 minutes
Depth: 28.8 meters
Temp: 25 Celsius
On the way to the dive spot a silky swims along with the zodiac. We can see it’s fin above water. Because of the big camera’s we roll close to the island. It’s dark and cold. We see the other group that went in first. Some current. 2 whitetips. Some Clarion Angelfish. We make our way to the cleaning station, hook, hang and wait. Nothing. Into the blue. A small silvertip. Back wait some more but nothing shows.
12th Dive: Socorro – Cabo Pearce
Time: 10.15
Dive time: 48 minutes
Depth: 28 meters
Temp: 25 Celsius
As soon as we roll we spot a manta in the breakers. The professional camera couple is having a ball. We decide to move on and spot a moray eel, 2 whitetips. All divers of the other group are parked flat on the bottom. We swim out into the blue but only see some tuna, a small school of fish and an elderly Irishman tangled in his SMB. In the zodiac it’s really cold. The wind is strong, lots of clouds.
13th Dive: Socorro – Cabo Pearce
Time: 13.43
Dive time: 48 minutes
Depth: 25.4 meters
Temp: 25 Celsius
Gerry doesn’t do this one because of leg and ear troubles. Again we’re dropped at the corner because of the big camera’s. We swim along the wall and round the corner. A stonefish. We swim to the cleaning station. I hook and wait. Our dive guide brings the newbie back to the surface. He runs out of air quick. A hammerhead passes. We circle and I see more moray eel than sharks. A big ray on the rocks and 2 nice groupers. During our safety stop a narrow string of see needles swims past at least 20 meters long. The other dive group is happy. They’ve seen a school of hammerheads.
14th Dive: Socorro – Cabo Pearce
Time: 15.48
Dive time: 45 minutes
Depth: 29 meters
Temp: 25 Celsius
For this dive I put on my extra 7 mm body. We swim along the wall to the cleaning station. The cute yellow barber fishes are waiting for customers. Morey eel, 2 whitetips, big ray. We make our way into the blue or better the grey. I almost get claustrophobic when 2 beautiful hammerheads swim past and another one. We surface only four of us. We usually loose some divers during a dive. This time I’m not cold in the zodiac because of the extra body.
Gerard is already holding a glass of Margarita. On both boats the crew will do its best to keep passengers happy, making margarita’s regularly. The crew is setting up pick nick tables on the top deck. We have a wonderful taco party. But we need to get moving again. So as soon as dinner is finished everything is stored and the zodiacs are put on the top deck again. We can’t stay on the top deck. Waves are too heavy, we need to go down. All of us go to play a game of cards but after one game halve of the group is done. We’re rocking and rolling big time. At 20.45 I claim my couch.
Sunday 17th of February 2019
San Benedicto
2 boats. Lots of wind. We are parked reasonable quiet so it must be at el Canon. The Belle Amie checks conditions at the Boiler. They’re back in no time. Boiler is a no go. We’re 3rd in line. At 6.00 dolphins all around the boat but they don’t show underwater. 
15th Dive: Socorro – el Canon
Time: 8.02
Dive time: 44 minutes
Depth: 26.8 meters
We spot a big hammerhead but are unable to swim closer because of the current. We do try but quit when a manta shows. Because everybody chases it, the thing flies in no time. Gerard parks at a rock near the marker. Silvertips swim back and forth. We didn’t bring our reef hooks on this dive but we did bring gloves which works as well.
Time for breakfast. Lots of wind, very cloudy. No more sun. Dolphins have bailed too.
16th Dive: Socorro – el Canon 
Time: 11.16
Dive time: 55 minutes
Depth: 28 meters
Same ritual as before. We’re dropped on the plateau. A big marble ray and all photographers jump onto it. We move along and spot a big hammerhead. I follow it but the big group is not there. 2 moray eels, a big galapagos and then back to the rock near the marker. Lots of small silvertips and big galapagos. Next to me a lot of cleaning is going on. We stay as long as possible. We see 2 manta’s but they’re far. They must have come over from the boiler because nobody’s diving there. Fish ball and a curious silky on our safety stop.
17th Dive: Socorro – el Canon
Time: 14.13
Dive time: 45 minutes
Depth: 27.9 meters
Last dive at los Revillagigedos. Gerard is not joining me because of a thick ear and a painful leg wound. I’m left with the bunch of unruly. A newbie that needs the dive guide to surface. The oldest diver of the group (the Irishman) that needs the dive guide to surface. 2 experienced divers that swim at least 500 m apart. One of them offers to be my dive buddy. But after we roll I find myself alone at the bottom because everybody else is chasing a manta at the surface. I would like to get another go at finding the hammerheads. Divers everywhere. The occasional hammerhead, 1 or 2 tops. Than I have to choose, 2 hammerheads in front of me, or 2 manta’s behind me. Love this kind of diving. I spend some time at the rock surrounded by silvertips. I spot a huge hammerhead and manage to slowly swim very close. My new dive buddy Bob signals he want to go up but we’re only in the water for 30 minutes. He signals 70 of which I think is 70 bar. Pretty enough I reckon. Later it turns out to be 700 PSI. The black manta shows and all of a sudden our whole zodiac is present again. Great dive, but too short. And that shows when the French guy tells they’ve seen a tiger shark.
As soon as we’re all on board the zodiacs are lifted. No 4th dive, we need to start moving back to San Jose del Cabo. On the way over they had an engine problem and el Quino is still only on 75% of its power. The crew don’t want us to miss our flights even though we disagree. The crew also predict a bumpy ride back and on that we will later all agree. We sail past the Boiler. It’s very choppy and diving here was definitely no option. So happy we dove there with the Rocio del Mar. 
We sit at the dinner table but the boat is rocking and bouncing so bad my stomach is flying in my body. I pass on the food and make my way to the couch. I will stay there for the next 36 hours. Only the next day Monday 18th of February 2019 I eat a little bit of soup at 12.00 and a tiny plate of spaghetti at dinner. I don’t feel sick (like some of the other passengers) my body just doesn’t function anymore.
Tuesday 19th of February 2019
Only when we’re parked in front of port San Jose del Cabo I start packing everything. When it gets light we’re allowed to enter. When we sail in dozens of Fisher boats move out. The full moon disappears behind the mountains. A quick shower but I still feel miserable. Guess I just don’t want to go home. But of to the city centre and the airport we go. 6 pax and only 15 USD/285 pesos. We’re at the airport early, check in and walk through security without problems. We see the whole airport fill up. I get some subs at Subways, the most expensive and tasteless subs ever. My advice, skip subways at los Cabos. Finally boarding. We fly Delta and it’s a nice plane. We’re at the last row but here the chairs do recline a bit in contrast to the last row chairs at Tui that don’t move an inch. It’s only 3,5 hours until Minneapolis. We get 2 drinks and a bag of chips and a cookie.
In Minneapolis we need to pass immigration. We have to scan our passport but our fingerprint don’t work well. We get a big cross but now we can go into the much shorter line. It’s a breeze and only takes 20 minutes to get thru. Enough time to walk and eat and have a huge fight.
The next plane is equally nice, comfortable chairs, good entertainment system. Lots of drinks and a variety of food. No sleeping, no talking. Lots of turbulence. We land right in time Wednesday 20th of February 2019 in sunny Amsterdam where our ride picks us up. Last weekend temperatures rose to around 18 degrees Celsius and it looks like this weekend will be nice again.