Liveaboard Diving in Roca Partida
Liveaboards to San Benedicto, part of the Socorro Islands, officially known as the Revillagigedo Archipelago, will escort divers to one of the best dive areas to see large pelagics. The Socorro Islands are a group of four volcanic islands located in the Pacific Ocean about 400km (250 mi) off the coast of the southern tip of Baja California, a southwestern state of Mexico. This archipelago is a popular dive area and most popular for the different aquatic species you can see and dive with. The other three islands are Socorro Island, San Benedicto, and Clarion, all incredible dive sites in their own ways. Roca Partida is the smallest of the islands, with a pinnacle of 30m (100ft).
Roca Partida is a year-round dive area, but each season brings its own gems. The calmest seas are from November to May, with the waters being around 28 degrees Celsius (82 degrees Fahrenheit) in November, 21 degrees Celsius (69 degrees Fahrenheit) in February, and back up to 25 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit) in May. These winter months also bring with them the main spectacles: the thousands of humpback whales that stop over here during their migration to and from Alaska and numerous Pacific manta rays. The visibility here depends solely on the plankton in the water, which depends on the moon, but in general, the visibility varies from 15 - 50m (49 - 164ft).
Roca Partida is a more advanced diving area as sometimes there are strong currents and big waves, and most dive spots are quite deep; however, each liveaboard to Roca Partida has its minimum dive experience level, most expect to have your Advanced Open water with at least 50 logged dives, but there are a few which only need you to have your Open Water and no minimum logged dives. Please keep this in mind.
What You Can See
Roca Partida liveaboard dive cruises allow divers to see a large variety of marine life to satisfy all divers with a unique experience. It is open water dives and unsteady conditions, with currents coming and going and large waves coming and going; many pelagic species are attracted to this area. When diving down, you will first be met by large schools of Jacks and Tuna, which live around the pinnacle. 20 meters (60 feet) down the pinnacle, there are multiple caves that you can explore, including lobsters and different species of sharks. Some of the most popular sharks you will run into here are Oceanic white tip, schooling Scalloped Hammerhead sharks, and Whale Sharks on an extremely lucky day. Other inhabitants are the impressive Giant Pacific Manta Rays, which fly through the water with wingspans of around 7 meters (21 feet); they are extremely curious and come close to the divers for a fantastic experience.
This archipelago of islands is part of a protected biosphere reserve, and many conservation organizations are working to preserve the unique wildlife that inhabits and passes through it. Socorro diving area is not a coral reef, so do not expect bright colors everywhere, but once you spot the spectacular marine wildlife, you won't be able to focus on much else anyway!
Getting To Roca Partida
This island is only accessible via a Mexico liveaboard, and because this island is mostly uninhabited, this is the perfect way to get away from the busy cities and get a good quality experience with some of the best the oceans offer. Liveaboard.com currently offers six different liveaboards that visit these sites, all different to suit anyone's desires.
There are two ports from which the liveaboards depart: Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo. These are both cities in the state of Baja California and located in the most Southern municipality; Los Cabos in Mexico. The closest international airport to these two cities is Los Cabos International Airport, which has flights arriving from the United States, Canada, and other Mexican Cities.
