Photo: Erick Higuera

Today we are on our way back to Cabo San Lucas after spending an outstanding day of diving in San Benedicto Island, sharing time and space with mantas that seemed to know that was the end of the season and wanted to blend in with the divers as much as they could, such an experience to remember!

The day started early morning with cloudy skies and dolphins surfacing here and there at Cañon, we thought it was gonna be a dolphin day but our surprise was big as the day passed by. The conditions were good with mild swell, no current at all but a little murky for the dives at Cañon so we tried to get the best of the site. Water temperature of 75 F / 23 C, very low visibility of 30 ft / 10 mts.

The first dive at Cañon was remarkable thanks to the friendliest manta ever, a black one kept us entertained for 50 minutes coming and going along the rock swimming between the divers and hovering feeling the bubbles next to its body, so the divers got the time to master the bubble technique so later they could apply it on Boiler. The dive went good at the end too with the silkies swimming under the boat getting teased by the jacks and the creole fishes.

The second dive was a regular dive with some hammerheads showing themselves close to the cleaning station but far away to have a good look at them. A black tip came by as well as the silkies swimming under the boat, so we decided to move to Boiler, wise decision!!

Once we got to the Boiler, the action was already going on, so we just ducked down and started to become part of the manta party, 7 of them swimming, twirling and hovering all over the place. Black mantas, chevron mantas, all mixed and quite chaotic from their side but such a fun dive and manta interaction just incredible. We needed more air to stay longer at the end, they kept coming towards us in a clear sign of sympathy. Hard to describe what was going on, but I have to say that this day maybe one of the best of the season, specially the last dive when the mantas where getting in line to get bubbles, they were so playful that at one point one of them even got so close to one of our divers that she decided to flash a hug, such an incredible view from our perspective it looks like the manta came and decided to embrace the diver even though he didn´t even realize what was going on!! In total more than 6 mantas all together, just magical.

This is the end of the trip, end of the season, but time to remember and keep a smile on our face. Mission accomplished.

Until next season Socorro...

Rodrigo Marroquin, dive instructor, SOLMAR V.