Socorro Big Animal Photo Workshop February 2023

Why Join This Trip?

• 25% off rental photo gear from Bluewater Photo
• As many as 4 guided dives per day (conditions permitting)
• Beer and wine included
• Fun, engaged trip leaders who care about the guest experience
• You'll love the awesome boat, staff, food, and crew!

Watch this awesome video from our last trip there! 

Get great video with Kraken video lights

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Trip Overview

The trip starts and ends in San Jose del Cabo, then goes on to the Revillagigedo Archipelago which includes Socorro Island, Roca Partida, and San Benedicto Island. The Rocio del Mar is one of the better liveaboards cruising to Socorro. Dive to your heart's content as many as four times a day and get to interact with large pelagics up close and personal. 

 

Itinerary

Here's a sample day-by-day itinerary of this trip (subject to change):

• Day 1 (Feb 15) - The Rocio Del Mar will be ready for boarding at 5:00 pm, dinner is served at 7:00 pm, and will depart that evening.
• Day 2 - Rocio del Mar arrives in San Benedicto. 
• Day 3 – San Benedicto, 4 dives scheduled.
• Day 4 – Roca Partida, 3 dives scheduled.
• Day 5 – Roca Partida, 3 dives scheduled. 
• Day 6 – Socorro Island, 4 dives scheduled (check-in with naval station)
• Day 7 - Socorro Island, 4 dives scheduled
• Day 8 – San Benedicto, 4 dives scheduled. At the end of this day, we will start our departure to San Jose del Cabo.
• Day 9 – Arrive at San Jose del Cabo. Guests may sleep on the boat.
• Day 10 (Feb 24) - Disembark after breakfast by 8:30 am.

Dive Overview

The Revillagigedo Islands are where you will have an experience of a lifetime with large ocean pelagic animals including a wide variety of sharks (hammerhead sharks, tiger sharks, Galapagos sharks, and silky sharks), dolphins, tuna, barracudas, clouds of jacks, and of course, the friendliest mantas in the world. This is also humpback whale season, and if lucky, you may see a humpback whale swim by underwater. 

Hear more about diving & travel to Socorro from our travel & photography experts:

Diving Conditions in February

Water temperature will be around 25-27°C (77-79°F).

To learn more about what you can expect from this Socorro trip check out or 2022 Socorro trip report. You can also read the great reviews of the Rocio del Mar & the reviews on diving Socorro here.

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Inclusions

• Your accommodation and housekeeping
• All meals, snacks, and beverages, including breakfast on the day of disembarkation
• Local beer and wine
• 4 guided dives per day (conditions permitting)
• Tanks, air and weights
• 16% Mexican tax
• Port fees

Exclusions

• National Park Fee: $90USD per person per diving day = $540USD per trip
• Nitrox: $120 for the week
• Equipment rental
• Transfers to and from the boat
• Gratuity
• Travel Insurance: click here to learn more about our preferred plan

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TRIP TYPE

This trip is a PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP. It will be led by one of our photo instructors and will include daily underwater photography tutorials, in-water photography support, and one-to-one advice and guidance as required.

What to expect from our Photo Workshops

• Daily photo workshops - Your photo instructor will schedule seminars each day on topics including, but not limited to, equipment type and selection, the concept of underwater photography, lighting and composition techniques, and post-processing. They will also include additional topics relevant to the location and your experience.
• In-water support - Where possible, each dive group will spend time underwater with the photo instructor, receiving in-water support and guidance on their shooting techniques.  Participants can also request in-water assistance during the workshop and the photo instructor will do his or her best to accommodate all requests. 
• Consecutive days of practice & review - Each day you will have the opportunity to practice the techniques and skills learned in the previous day’s tutorials. If you are new to underwater photography you will likely see a vast improvement in just a few days.
• Daily photo image reviews - You are strongly encouraged to bring your laptop, a thumb drive, edit your photos, and submit your shots for review from both the instructor and your peers. These are fun and interactive sessions encouraging you to improve throughout the trip.
• Quality time with fellow photographers - Both new and experienced photographers from past workshops have expressed the advantages of joining a trip with like-minded divers with a passion for underwater photography.
• Suitable for everyone - New and experienced photographers are welcome on all our trips. Gain the necessary skills to start shooting great photos, increase your confidence in finding the best underwater shots, or hone specific skills. We also encourage non-photographers to join, as many of them really enjoy the daily photo reviews, learning about underwater photography, and some have even returned to a photo workshop with an underwater camera setup!

Enjoy free, unlimited access to a wealth of knowledge and advice from your photo instructor.

NOTE: Over the last couple of years we have received reports that some visitors have been charged a tax for bringing their camera housing into the country. Please click here for details on how to naviagate this issue should it arise.

About the Rocio Del Mar

The Rocio Del Mar is an 89-foot liveaboard yacht that offers 10 cabins for up to 20 divers. One of the best parts of the trip is the friendly, knowledgeable staff of the Rocio, the delicious Mexican cuisine, and the spacious room provided for underwater photographers to prepare their equipment before and after each dive, so you can be sure you'll be able to document your underwater encounters with the large pelagics completely.

All of the yacht's rooms have private bathrooms with hot shower stalls, Western-style toilets, lavatories, and above height window. Each cabin is air-conditioned. There are room-length windows with privacy curtains and convenient gear and clothes storage drawers beneath the beds.

Check this page to see more details and customer reviews on the Rocio Del Mar.

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Flight Information

Guests on this trip will need to fly into Los Cabos International Airport (SJD) and take a taxi to the Marina Puerto Los Cabos. The boat is located by the Hotel El Ganzo. Boarding time is at 5 pm.

Note: Guests arriving early may avail of day passes at Hotel El Ganzo, where they can spend time before boarding at 5 pm. There's an area for storing luggage and restrooms for changing. First come, first served, but guests can email the hotel before arriving.

• Rooftop Pool - 1000 pesos, guests can use up to 750 pesos as a food and beverage credit
• Beach Club - 750 pesos, guests can use the whole amount as a food and beverage credit.

On the way back, we arrive in San Jose during the early morning hours of the last day of the trip, February 24. Guests must disembark by 8:30 a.m. Since transfers are not included in our fees, guests will need to take a taxi to the airport, which the Rocio crew can help arrange. Return flights should be made anytime on the last day of the trip.

Recommended nearby hotels to book for extra nights include the Tropicana Inn, Hotel El Ganzo, or El Encanto Inn & Suites. You can get 10% off at El Encanto Inn by mentioning that you will be staying on the Rocio Del Mar.

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ABOUT THE Trip leader

Mark Hatter is an accomplished photojournalist who has had nearly one hundred feature articles with many hundreds of images published in more than two dozen fly fishing and diving publications over the last two decades.  His most recent destination features have appeared in Alert Diver and Diver (UK) magazines. 

Mark has traveled the world in pursuit of new underwater photography challenges, including cold-water destinations such as British Columbia and even Antarctica in January 2018.  

“Of course, I love shooting in tropical locations but I think cold water diving is a great forcing function to hone one’s photography skills as the environment and equipment are much more demanding of a diver.  Good image capture in cold water is particularly rewarding.” Mark tells us. 

Mark has been shooting underwater since the early 1980s and has worked in both film and digital mediums in his photojournalism pursuits.  In 35 years of diving, Mark has logged over 2000 hours, much of it doing underwater photography.  Currently, he teaches underwater photography classes locally at Seminole Scuba in Lake Mary, Florida. More about Mark here.

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Payment Schedule

Deposit: $995

Payment 2: $1,000 due Feb 1, 2022

Payment 3: $1,000 due Aug 1, 2022

Balance: due Nov 1, 2022

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WANT TO EXTEND YOUR TRIP?

We can help with that! See more of Mexico before or after your trip with Bluewater in Socorro. Flying all that way merits a multi-destination vacation! La Paz is an amazing destination nearby that offers a range of additional unique experiences. Here are some examples of packages we can add on to your trip reservation:

*Rates are subject to change at any time; please contact us for the most updated pricing. 

7 NIGHTS AT THE 5 STAR COSTA BAJA RESORT & SPA

Price: Starting at $2,087 per person based upon double occupancy.

The Hotel CostaBaja Resort & Spa is the first and only luxury hotel & spa in the city of La Paz. This boutique hotel offers a selection of ocean, mountain, and marina views. North of the hotel is Espiritu Santo Island, where you will find the greatest marine life in the world and the best sport fishing within Baja Sur.

• 7 nights in a king or twin room
• Full buffet breakfasts
• 5 days of 3 tank dives
• Lunches & drinks on the boat
• National park permit fees 
• Roundtrip Cabo transfers
• Free WiFi: Yes
• Swimming Pool: Yes

Costa Baja Resort & Spa

7 NIGHTS AT THE 3 STAR LA CONCHA BEACH RESORT

Price: Starting at $1,803 per person based upon double occupancy.

A beach resort offering a peaceful and mellow atmosphere on the Sea of Cortez. Over a hundred sea view rooms are featured in La Concha Beach Resort. Located in front of the ocean and with a full view of the beach and pool, the accommodations include essential details to luxury amenities.

• 7 nights in a king or twin sea view room
• Full American breakfasts
• 5 days of 3 tank dives
• Lunches & drinks on the boat
• National park permit fees
• Roundtrip Cabo transfers
• Free WiFi: Yes
• Swimming Pool: Yes

La Concha Beach Resort

7 NIGHTS AT THE 4 STAR HOTEL CATEDRAL 

Price: Starting at $1,670 per person based upon double occupancy.

Hotel Catedral La Paz is a new concept of accommodation to suit the needs of today's travelers. It is part of the historic center of the city, surrounded by major attractions next to Our Cathedral Lady of La Paz. With its sophisticated contemporary modernist architecture, Hotel Catedral La Paz focuses on every detail to offer its guests an excellent service and quality, both in the rooms and its gourmet restaurant.

• 7 nights in a king or twin sea view room
• Full breakfasts
• 5 days of 3 tank dives
• Lunches & drinks on the boat
• National park permit fees
• Roundtrip Cabo transfers
• Free WiFi: Yes
• Swimming Pool: Yes

Hotel Catedral La Paz

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Photo Gallery 

Socorro Underwater Photos from Previous Trips  

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