Socorro Trip Report 2026

Led by Trip Leader Dan Bishop

In February 2026, 19 adventurous guests travelled to the Revillagigedo Archipelago (aka the Socorro Islands) with Bluewater Travel for a one-week photo workshop aboard the Rocio Del Mar. After a delayed start, we boarded the Rocio to begin our 26-hour journey to the islands. For the following five days, we were treated to sunny skies, calm water, and four dives a day at some of the most iconic sites Socorro has to offer.

Our first stop was the island of San Benedicto, known for its distinct volcanic shape and some of the best dive sites in the Revillagigedo Archipelago. We spent the first day diving El Canyon, where a cleaning station attracts silvertip, whitetip, Galapagos, and hammerhead sharks. We also had our first encounter with oceanic mantas, which would become a common sight throughout the trip.

For our second day of diving, we remained at San Benedicto but moved to The Boiler. This site features a very distinct underwater rock formation and is well known for its abundance of mantas. We were not disappointed, as the mantas appeared as soon as we descended. They interacted closely with divers, often cruising overhead to feel the bubbles. One group was fortunate to have a close encounter with a curious whale shark. Throughout the dives, we were accompanied by the songs of nearby humpback whales, which could also be seen breaching at the surface.

That night, we set out on the eight-hour journey to Roca Partida, a steep rock pinnacle that attracts large pelagics and dense schools of fish. Day three was spent exploring its walls, where white tip sharks rested in clusters along the ledges. We also enjoyed an extended encounter with bottlenose dolphins that stayed with us for nearly ten minutes. Roca Partida is also home to Galapagos and silvertip sharks, along with large tuna and schools of jacks. Once again, humpback whales could be seen breaching at the surface, some remarkably close to the boat.

Our fourth day of diving took place at Cabo Pierce on Socorro Island, where hammerheads and mantas were waiting. We had another encounter with a whale shark, and one group was lucky enough to enjoy a close visit from a curious dolphin.

On the final day of diving, we returned to San Benedicto for more shark and manta action. Three dives were conducted at El Canyon, while one dive explored a less frequently visited site known as The Zoo, where we experienced excellent manta interactions. In addition to hammerheads and silvertips, we were rewarded with a tiger shark sighting.

The Rocio Del Mar proved to be a comfortable vessel with an exceptional crew and excellent food. The ten-person team went above and beyond to ensure a seamless and enjoyable experience throughout the trip.

As this was a photo workshop, a one-hour class was held each day alongside the diving schedule. These sessions covered wide-angle photography theory, shooting techniques, and editing workflows in Lightroom. Image review sessions provided valuable feedback for participants, who ranged across a wide spectrum of experience levels. It was particularly rewarding to see the progression in each guest’s photography over the course of the week.

On the final evening before returning to port, the group gathered for a slideshow showcasing the week’s best images, followed by the announcement of the photo competition winners.