May 7, 2026:
Socorro Islands: Punta Tosca, Socorro Island (Finale):
We wrapped up our mellow fourth dive day with a mid afternoon dive at “Punta Tosca.”
Aside from a brief distant flyby made by an Oceanic Manta Ray, we once again encountered no other marine megafauna.
As before, I spent my dive shooting wide angle close ups, mainly of local reef fish.
Once everyone was back on board, we headed off to Roca Partida for the final dive day of our cruise.
We hoped for a return of “high voltage” diving once there, and we weren’t disappointed!
Here are several of my favorite images from our final dive at “Punta Tosca”:
Schooling Pacific Porgies; Forcepsfish; Chinese Trumpetfish; Socorro Spiny Lobster; Moorish Idol; a pair of female Redtail Triggerfish with Cleaner Wrasses; and a Clarion Angelfish.
Enjoy!
April 29, 2026:
Socorro Islands: Punta Tosca, Socorro Island (Continued):
We encountered no marine megafauna during our late morning dive at “Punta Tosca.”
The ocean conditions were great, with 79° F water, no current, light surge, and 100′ visibility.
During this relaxing dive, I concentrated on taking reef fish portraits, utilizing wide angle close up technique.
Here are several of my favorite images from this second dive at “Punta Tosca”:
Sunset Wrasse (Terminal phase); Razor Surgeonfish; Moorish Idol; Socorro Spiny Lobster; Forcepsfish with a pair of Coral Hawkfish; Goldrim Surgeonfish; and a Bicolor Parrotfish with a Twospot Wrasse.
Enjoy!
April 24, 2026:
Socorro Islands: Punta Tosca, Socorro Island:
We remained at Socorro Island for the fourth dive day of the cruise.
“Punta Tosca” (Rough Point), located on the southwest side of Socorro Island, was the site for our three dives.
The dive site is presumably named for its series of rough hewn lava fingers, with a boulder-strewn sandy bottom in between.
Our early morning dive was in 79° F water, with excellent 100’+ visibility, no current, and mild surge.
Three Bottlenose Dolphins briefly visited us at the beginning of the dive.
A couple of Oceanic Mantas cruised by out of camera range, but also didn’t hang around.
Otherwise, it was a slow and mellow dive, without much action, during which I practiced taking wide angle close up fish portraits.
Here are a few of my favorite images from our early morning dive at Punta Tosca:
Two photos of the Bottlenose Dolphins; Reef Cornetfish; and a Redtail Triggerfish.
Enjoy!
April 21, 2026:
Socorro Islands: Cabo Pearce, Socorro Island (Finale):
We wrapped up the third dive day of the cruise with an excellent late afternoon dive at “Cabo Pearce”!
A large Whale Shark greeted us, and cruised around the dive site at relatively shallow depths for most of the dive!
Based on its unique patterns of markings, when I compared photos of this Whale Shark, with those of the Whale Shark that we encountered two days earlier at “The Boiler,” located just off the northwest coast of San Benedicto Island, I realized that it was the same individual!
It had traveled 35 miles from San Benedicto Island, to Socorro Island, during those two days!
Pretty cool!
We also encountered several Oceanic Manta Rays during the dive, and were briefly visited by a pod of five or six Bottlenose Dolphins!
As we ascended to our safety stop near the shore, swimming nearby was the resident large school of Steel Pompano.
Here are several of my favorite images from this great dive at “Cabo Pearce”:
Whale Shark (with guest Jens); five additional shots of the Whale Shark; and an Oceanic Manta Ray
Enjoy!
April 17, 2026:
Socorro Islands: Cabo Pearce, Socorro Island (Continued):
Our early afternoon dive at “Cabo Pearce” was action packed and great!
We encountered at least four or five Oceanic Manta Rays, a pod of six or seven Bottlenose Dolphins, and occasional cruising Scalloped Hammerhead Sharks and Yellowfin Tuna!
Fun!
Here are several of my favorite images from this third dive at “Cabo Pearce”:
A pair of Bottlenose Dolphins; dive guide Nico with five Bottlenose Dolphins; two photos of Oceanic Manta Rays; dive guide Nico with an Oceanic Manta Ray; guest Laura with an Oceanic Manta Ray; and two more Oceanic Manta Ray shots.
Enjoy!
April 15, 2026:
Socorro Islands: Cabo Pearce, Socorro Island (Continued):
Our second dive at “Cabo Pearce” was very peaceful, with no current and unfortunately a paucity of marine life.
Occasional Scalloped Hammerhead Sharks and a Yellowfin Tuna cruised by, and a few Clarion Angelfish and a Mexican Hogfish were hanging around.
Lacking animal subjects, I photographed several of my fellow divers who graciously posed for me during the dive!
Here are sveral of my favorite images from our late morning dive at “Cabo Pearce”:
Clarion Angelfish; Marianna (Dive Guide); Mexican Hogfish & Clarion Angelfish; Sofia (Guest); Yellowfin Tuna; Clarion Angelfish; and Celina (Dive Guide).
Enjoy!
April 12, 2026:
Socorro Islands: Cabo Pearce, Socorro Island:
After finishing up our second dive day at San Benedicto Island, we cruised to Socorro Island, where we remained for the next two days.
Four dives at “Cabo Pearce,” (Cape Pearce) a dive site located just off the East coast of Socorro Island, occupied our third dive day.
This site comprises a downsloping submerged ridge, which is the underwater extension of a topside lava dike.
Cabo Pearce is a cleaning station, attracting marine megafauna such as Oceanic Manta Rays and various shark species, including occasional Whale Sharks!
Bottlenose Dolphins are also frequently encountered at this dive site!
Currents here can range from minimal to ripping!
Our early morning dive at “Cabo Pearce” was in 79° F water, with minimal current and 75′ visibility.
It was a mellow dive, featuring several Scalloped Hammerhead Sharks, one or two Oceanic Manta Rays, and a trio of Longfin Spadefish, a species rarely encountered in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and where it is considered invasive, but common, and normal, in the Western Pacific Ocean.
Here are several of my favorite images from our first dive at Cabo Pearce:
Three photos of the Longfin Spadefish; two shots of Scalloped Hammerhead Sharks; an image of a fish which I can’t identify, at present, perhaps a Triggerfish? (Any ideas?); two photos of Oceanic Manta Rays; and a Black Jack.
Enjoy!
April 9, 2026:
Socorro Islands: Tres Hermanos, San Benedicto Island:
Our final dive of the second dive day of the cruise was a dusk drift dive in mild current at “Tres Hermanos,” a dive site located close to “El Canyon.”
During the dive, we drifted along a nondescript boulder-strewn slope, in 79° F water, with 50′ visibility.
No marine megafauna were encountered during the dive.
Nonetheless, we did come across numerous smaller photographic subjects, enabling me to practice my wide angle close-up technique.
Here are several of my favorite images from our mellow dive at “Tres Hermanos”:
Redtail Triggerfish; Clarion Angelfish; Flag Cabrilla (a.k.a. Starry Grouper); a pair of Socorro Spiny Lobsters; Guineafowl Puffer (Black Phase); two Bluefin Trevally; Clarion Angelfish (Intermediate Stage); a trio of Goldrim Surgeonfish; and a pair of Clarion Angelfish with aggregating Pacific Creolefish.
Enjoy!
April 6, 2026:
Socorro Islands: El Canyon, San Benedicto Island (Finale):
We spent our mid-afternoon dive at “El Canyon” at the dive site’s cleaning station and along the adjacent wall.
We were treated to numerous close passes made by small groups of Scalloped Hammerhead Sharks both cruising the wall and traversing the cleaning station, as well as many Silvertip Sharks and occasional Galapagos and Whitetip Reef Sharks swimming through the cleaning station!
It was quite an entertaining and enjoyable dive!
Here are several of my favorite images from this third dive at “El Canyon”:
Three photos of Scalloped Hammerhead Sharks; Whitetip Reef Shark; Silvertip Shark; Galapagos & Silvertip Sharks; and two additional shots of Galapagos Sharks.
Enjoy!
April 5, 2026:
Socorro Islands: El Canyon, San Benedicto Island (Continued):
We returned to “El Canyon” for our late morning dive.
Our group began our dive along the wall located near the cleaning station.
There we encountered schooling Scalloped Hammerhead Sharks cruising just outside of photographic range, and an Oceanic Manta Ray that made a brief appearance.
I subsequently split off from the group and tried to find the cleaning station, which, unfortunately, I never located!
Oh well!
Along the way, I came across a Mexican Hogfish, several Barberfish and Clarion Angelfish, and a Chinese Trumpetfish.
Here are several of my favorite images from this second dive at “El Canyon”:
Mexican Hogfish; two photos of Clarion Angelfish; Oceanic Manta Ray; Barberfish; and a Chinese Trumpetfish.
Enjoy!
April 4, 2026:
Socorro Islands: El Canyon, San Benedicto Island:
We remained at San Benedicto Island for our second dive day.
“El Canyon” was the site for our first three dives of the day.
This is a cleaning station, located at a depth of 85′-90′, which attracts numerous shark species, as well as Oceanic Manta Rays.
The highlight of the dive occurred as were descending to the cleaning station, when we encountered a Tiger Shark that stayed around long enough for me to get a few photos at close range!
Once situated at the cleaning station, we were treated to a parade of several large Galapagos Sharks, multiple Scalloped Hammerhead Sharks, some in small schools, and one or two Silvertip Sharks.
Unfortunately, the Scalloped Hammerhead Sharks remained just out of range for decent photos.
However, I had opportunities to photograph them later in the day.
At our safety stop at the end of the dive, three or four Bottlenose Dolphins and an Oceanic Manta Ray swam close by!
Here are several of my favorite images from our great early morning dive at “El Canyon”:
Two shots of the Tiger Shark; five photos of Galapagos Sharks; and a Silvertip Shark.
Enjoy!
April 3, 2026:
Socorro Islands: The Boiler, San Benedicto Island (Finale):
We rounded out our first dive day of the cruise with a mellow and quite fishy late afternoon dive at “The Boiler.”
Two or three Oceanic Manta Rays made a brief appearance towards the beginning of the dive.
Other highlights included schooling Cottonmouth Jacks and Pacific Creolefish, a cruising Galapagos Shark, a Chinese Trumpetfish, and hunting Bluefin Trevally.
It was a nice ending to an excellent dive day!
Here are several of my favorite images from this third dive at “The Boiler”:
Two photos of schooling Cottonmouth Jacks; Chinese Trumpetfish; a pair of hunting Bluefin Trevally; two shots of Oceanic Manta Rays; Schooling Cottonmouth Jacks and Pacific Creolefish; Galapagos Shark; and two additional images of schooling Cottonmouth Jacks.
March 31, 2026:
Socorro Islands: The Boiler, San Benedicto Island (Continued):
Our second dive at “The Boiler” was also excellent!
We interacted with at least four different Oceanic Manta Rays!
The Manta Ray encounters in the Socorro Islands are truly special, and in my experience, unique to the world!
The curious and highly intelligent Oceanic Manta Rays actively seek out divers and swim to them!
I believe that they actually recognize individual dive guides, with whom they have interacted literally hundreds of times, and preferentially seek them out!
The Mantas often hover just above a diver, and appear to enjoy the sensation of the diver’s bubbles bouncing off of their ventral surface!
It’s a truly amazing experience, one that I never get tired of!
During the dive we were also treated to a large Whale Shark that was cruising around the cleaning station!
In addition, there was a school of Cottonmouth Jacks, occasional cruising Whitetip Reef Sharks, and stacks of Lobsters hiding in the crevices of “The Boiler!”
Incredible!
Here are several of my favorite images from this great dive at The Boiler”:
Whale Shark; Oceanic Manta Ray; two photos of this Oceanic Manta Ray interacting with dive guide Felipe; Schooling Cottonmouth Jacks; Oceanic Manta Ray; Pelagic Stingray; Oceanic Manta Ray; stacks of Lobsters; and another Oceanic Manta Ray.
Enjoy!
March 28, 2026:
Socorro Islands: The Boiler, San Benedicto Island:
After spending four days in Cabo San Lucas, I boarded the Nautilus Explorer for the 250 mile, (30 hour), cruise to San Benedicto Island in the Socorro Islands (a.k.a. the Revillagigedo Archipelago).
Early the next morning, we began our diving with an uneventful ckeck out dive at a site called “Fondeadero” (“Anchorage”).
Then we moved to “The Boiler,” a dive site located off the northwest coast of San Benedicto Island, where we spent the remainder of the day.
The site comprises a massive submerged volcanic pinnacle, which rises from a depth of about 165′ to within 20′ of the ocean surface.
When current is running, which is often the case at “The Boiler,” the water is turbulent over the shallow top of pinnacle, giving the site it’s name.
This pinnacle serves as a cleaning station for large pelagic species such as Oceanic Manta Rays and several species of sharks.
We had an amazing mid-morning dive at “The Boiler!”
There was non-stop manta action, a brief visit by a pod of 7 Bottlenose Dolphins, schooling Cottonmouth Jacks, and cruising Galapagos and Whitetip Reef Sharks, in 79° F water, with minimal current and 75’+ visibility!
Here are several of my favorite images from this first dive at “The Boiler”:
Three photos of Oceanic Manta Rays; schooling Cottonmouth Jacks; two additional shots of Oceanic Manta Rays; a not so great image of an Oceanic Manta Ray and seven Bottlenose Dolphins (if you look carefully); and an additional Oceanic Manta Ray photo.
Enjoy!
March 26, 2026:
Mexico 2026: Humpback Whales, Cabo San Lucas (Finale):
Before moving on to share images from the Socorro Islands (a.k.a. the Revillagigedo Archipelago), I’d like to share several images from my fourth, and final, morning of whale watching around Cabo San Lucas:
Humpback Whale Pectoral Fins (the whale is swimming on its back); Humpback Whale Fluke; two photos of individual Humpback Whales cruising; two shots of a Humpback Whale Breaching; two Humpback Whales cruising side-by-side; Humpback Whale Fluke; solitary Humpback Whale cruising; and another pair of Humpback Whales crusing side-by-side.
Enjoy!
March 21, 2026:
Mexico 2026: Humpback Whales, Cabo San Lucas (Continued):
The undisputed star of the show during my third morning of whale watching in the waters around Cabo San Lucas, was a Humpback Whale calf that was practicing breaching as its mother looked on nearby.
The calf put on a great show, repeatedly launching itself out of the water!
Here are several of my favorite images of this terrific display.
Enjoy!
March 20, 2026:
Mexico 2026: Humpback Whales, Cabo San Lucas (Continued):
Here are several more images from my second morning of whale watching around Cabo San Lucas:
Series of three photos of a Humpback Whale Breaching; Humpback Whale Fluke; four shot series of a Humpback Whale Breaching; another image of a Humpback Whale breaching.
Enjoy!
March 19, 2026:
Humpback Whales, Cabo San Lucas:
Each year, from November through April, large numbers of Humpback Whales gather in the waters of the Sea of Cortez and the Eastern Pacific Ocean around Cabo San Lucas, to give birth and to mate.
Consequently, I have scheduled my trips to Baja California Sur during these Winter months, in order to have the opportunity to observe and photograph the surface activities of the whales.
I spent four mornings out on the waters around Cabo San Lucas, in a “water taxi” ably operated by Captain Hector, looking for whales.
I was not disappointed!
There were many whales around, and a lot of surface activities!
Here are several Humpback Whale images from my first two mornings of whale watching:
Humpback Whale Breaching; Humpback Whale Fluke; Humpback Whale Spy Hopping; two Humpback Whales cruising; two more photos of Humpback Whale Flukes; a pair of “rowdy” male Humpback Whales going at it; and a shot of another Humpback Whale Fluke.
Enjoy!
March 18, 2026:
From January 18th through February 7th, I was in Mexico for a fabulous trip!
I spent a total of five days in and around Cabo San Lucas, located in Baja California Sur, and two weeks scuba diving in the Socorro Islands (a.k.a. The Revillagigedo Archipelago).
I plan to post selected images from this trip over the next few weeks.
Today, I’d like to start off by sharing several images of birds from in and around Cabo San Lucas:
A trio of Brandt’s Cormorants; Cactus Wren; Osprey; Gull; House Finch; a couple of photos of Brown Pelicans; House Sparrow; and a Snowy Egret.
Enjoy!
