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SUMMER 2012
SOCORRO
Socorro is the only inhabited island in the chain. Gringos usually
use the name Socorro to refer to the entire archipelago because
our tongues and spellcheckers stumble over Revillagigedos.
Socorro is home to a Mexican Navy base, where every boat is
required to stop at one point during its journey so documents can
be checked. There are several good dive sites at Socorro, and it’s
one of the best places to encounter schooling hammerheads.
ROCA PARTIDA
The crown jewel of the archipelago is Roca Partida. Calling it
an island is overkill; on the surface it’s little more than a pair
of guano-covered rocks. But underwater the rocks’ sheer walls
fall off into blue infinity. Because it’s the tallest structure for
70 miles, it’s a magnet for marine life. Huge schools of jacks
flow through the water column, whitetip sharks congregate in
caverns, and morays peer from crevices. At 100 feet you can
look up and see the mountain peaks above the water’s surface.
Most of all, though, it’s the expectation of the unexpected that
makes Roca Partida special. On many dives over the years I’ve
encountered dolphins as well as silky, Galapagos, hammerhead
and whale sharks, and I’ve spent two unforgettable mornings
there with a family of humpback whales.
The last time I visited, we were lucky just to be at Roca
The hunting prowess of sailfish leaves this school
of sardines little hope of survival (Isla Mujeres).