The manta behaviour in this region is unique to anywhere else in the world. The 12-to-30-foot giant mantas of Socorro seek out intimate interactions with divers. They communicate with you, from locking eyes in a first contact to gently swimming just overhead to be tickled by bubbles. Sometimes they hover alongside or underneath a diver, where they often stay, curious and seemingly in want of a connection that has left more than one diver with tears of joy.

 

It’s one of the reasons Nautilus is committed to the Socorro Islands, also know as the Revillagigedo Archipelago.  This destination is well worth the full-day motor south from Cabo San Lucas. Volcanic in origin, these islands serve as an oasis amid the Sea of Cortez, 250 miles off the Baja Peninsula coast. The raw lava flows and active volcanoes in these islands resemble the lost world of “Jurassic Park,” which seems fitting as these outpost islands, including Roca Partida, beckon not just to giant mantas but to a host of big animals.

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Your journey with Nautilus will include four dives per day (subject to weather and unforeseeable circumstances)—each an opportunity to encounter resident pods of playful dolphins. You may also see up to 10 varieties of shark: schooling scalloped hammerheads, solitary giant hammerheads, Galápagos, white tip reef, silver-tip, silky, tiger and oceanic white tips. The list also includes whale sharks and dusky sharks and on occasion even a thresher shark. And perhaps the biggest attraction tis amazing destination has to offer? Humpback whales!

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On most days, you will enjoy visibility of 70 to 100 feet. When the current picks up, the ash from these volcanic isles can rise, reducing the visibility to 30 feet. For the wide-angle experience that is big-animal diving, this isn’t ideal. But, you're still cruising one of the most pristine underwater environments—so the Nautilus crew then choose dives where you're closer to the reefs and marine life such as eels, octopuses and Socorro lobsters.

 

The onboard experience isn’t just about diving, but exploring this outpost that few people will ever visit. To that end, Nautilus carries kayaks and paddle boards. They offer an option for a night dive and a night snorkel. For added entertainment, they invite you to their “theatre under the stars” for an open-air movie. It is their hope that the Nautilus team excels not only in surpassing your expectations of safety and excellence—but of fun and connection with the crew, the animals and the destination.