Mantas and Sharks from Socorro -- April 22-30, 200

I just got back from a week aboard the Nautilus Explorer in Socorro. The 240 mile crossing was rough with 8-10 foot seas, but the diving was great. We had humpback whales, dolphins, manta rays, sharks (white tip reef, silky, galapagos, silvertip, scalloped hammerhead), turtles, eels, octopus -- you name it. I would highly recommend the boat & crew as well as the location if you're looking for "big animal" diving. Photos below:

Beautiful shark photo, the first one is very nice. Good job!

All good photos, the one of the manta with the diver stands out for me, the elements are perfectly placed!

Richard.

I think the 4th photo with the Manta and the diver is the best - really awesome. But the one that actually stands out to me is the head-on manta with the remoras. Very cool symmetry in the shot.

Thanks!

Impressive shots!

Doug, Doug, Doug!!!

Great shots all! Sounds like a productive and pleasing trip.

Nice. Very nice. What lens were you using for your manta shots? I'm booked on Nautilus next year & I've been hearing great things about Soccoro. My experience with the Bahamas sharks earlier this year makes me think that my 10-22mm lens was a tad too wide for much of the action we got. So I'm thinking 17-40mm will definitely be coming with me next time.

Hamish.

Hi,

I did about 8 trips on the Nautilus this year and i would recommend the widest lens you can get your hands on for the Mantas, i regularily used my 10.5mm at the Boiler and Roca Partida, and the 12-24mm was very useful too. For the Sharks i would say a 60mm macro or equivalent, because if you are having a slow week with the pelagics you may be able to get some cool shots of Clarion Angelfish or Blennies in the rocks.

For a land lens take a long telephoto if you have one for the breaching whales....

Simon

Great stuff Doug!

Hamish --

I used either my 18-55 mm or my 10-22mm for the mantas, mostly the 18-55 mm. That way with my zoom gear I could shoot other smaller stuff on dives where the mantas didn't show up.

Mike--

Thanks for the kind words. Not up to your level with the mantas, but then I don't get to play with them everyday!

Doug,

Are those triggerfish on the manta on the second shot? Whatever they are, very cool symmetry and flow. Great shots.

Chris

Chris:

They're just remoras catching a free ride.

Doug