It's been hammerheads all day here in Isla San Benedicto.

Hola from the Solmar V,

It's been hammerheads all day here in Isla San Benedicto.

We started the day on El Canon. The visibility was 40 feet, with a slight current from the west and a surface temperature of 76 degrees (F). As usual, we spotted dolphins from the surface and hoped to catch a glimpse underwater. So we made our way to the corner hoping for some action. Right away we watched a large hammerhead come very close. We waited at the cleaning station and saw a few single hammerheads pass by. A manta even stopped in for a visit. Since we had yet to see a big school, we went hunting further east. That was a good move as all of a sudden we had a small group of 5 hammerheads swim through, then a manta circled us for a minute or two. Finally, when we made it to the deep area where there are three large rocks, we saw a good school of hammerheads 20 strong. It was a good interaction as they came around three times. 

El Canon remained our spot for dive two. Conditions stayed the same, with the exception of the current. Now the current was coming from the south so we changed our game plan a little. Searching again for those elusive hammerheads, we crossed to the southside of El Canon going into the slight current. As we approached the reef, two mantas glided overhead. Not to be distracted from our hammerheads, we stood watch into the blue. We saw a single hammerhead here and there, but no big school. So we kicked into the blue. Then it happened....A school of 60 or more hammerheads swam around and around. We even had them weaving through eachother and swam straight towards us before veering off into the blue. This, of course, was the highlight of the dive.

Dive three took us to El Boiler hoping for muchas mantas. The visibility was 40, there was little current, and 77 degrees at the surface. We started our dive with no mantas so we headed to the west end. A single hammerhead greeted us as a silhouette of a manta passed overhead. A good sign. We followed the creolefish (baitfish) in hopes for some sharks. On the outside of the fish we found hammerheads. One after another they swam by. In front of us, behind us. Two mantas joined in the fun. It was exciting to have so much diversity of life surround us. We made our way to the cleaning station and to our amazement, three mantas were already there taking turns getting cleaned from the clarion angelfish. Then another manta joined the group, and another, before it was over we had six mantas at once on the cleaning station. Everyone got great pics and video. 

Conditions had decreased for the last dive of the day. Visibility bordered 30 ft. So we tried our chances on the west side again. We had a good look at a hammerhead and had two mantas approach us and circle, but went about their business. We spotted a few hammerhead silhouettes, but nothing close. So we headed to the cleaning station and got a great interaction with a manta. This particular manta circled us and the would stall pectoral fins wide open and on its side so you could really contemplate its 20 ft wingspan.

Another great day of diving here at Isla San Benedicto. 

Dave Valencia