Trip Report Socorro Trip on the MV Valentina

[micquinn]

Moment of panic! I saw your note about marine park fee and was not prepared for an additional $700.00! I did some follow up and it appears that different ops handle things in different ways. We will be diving with nautilus and the fees are factored into the cost of the trip. So I guess we already paid them up front. For me, I prefer this approach. Though I'm sure it a makes marketing a bit tougher.
That said, we are being charged $350 each. Not $700.
Either way, nice report. As you note, "It is the ocean so you get what you get." Hope we get a bit better luck! Finger crossed!

Well I'm glad my report was helpful to have you verify that. I'm guessing that Fun Azul had that information buried somewhere but it certainly wasn't made very clear and was not a great way to start the trip. Hope you guys have a wonderful trip.

 

[micquinn]

Which makes your report all the more valuable to others who may research it. I've seen the vessel mentioned before, but in the context of Sea of Cortez trips; it's not one of those I often hear mentioned with Socorro trips. What led you to pick this vessel over other options.

Are you saying you'd stay elsewhere, or skip arriving a day early and take your chances of showing up day of the trip putting you at risk for flight cancellation, baggage delays, etc...?



Good to know. Do people on Socorros trips take tough gloves for holding onto rocks the way Galapagos liveaboard divers do? Do you spend much time holding onto bottom structure such as boulders, or are you nearly always in the water column?

I had originally read that you were not allowed to wear gloves but brought them anyways. I was glad I did because there were a couple of times where I had to crawl along the bottom to get to where we were going due to the current. And then there were some spots where you would normally have used a reef hook, but since I didn't have one I had to use my hands and it was helpful to have the gloves. However as I mentioned in the trip report I would recommend bringing a reef hook in addition.

 

[tarponchik]

Thank you, good to know about the park fees.

How was the visibility and how deep did you dive?

 

[micquinn]

Thank you, good to know about the park fees.

How was the visibility and how deep did you dive?

Thank you, good to know about the park fees.

How was the visibility and how deep did you dive?

I think our deepest dive was about 105 feet. I was on EAN 32 the whole time. Visibility definitely varied. The low was probably 30 feet and the high was probably 70 feet.

 

[micquinn]

I had originally read that you were not allowed to wear gloves but brought them anyways. I was glad I did because there were a couple of times where I had to crawl along the bottom to get to where we were going due to the current. And then there were some spots where you would normally have used a reef hook, but since I didn't have one I had to use my hands and it was helpful to have the gloves. However as I mentioned in the trip report I would recommend bringing a reef hook in addition.

To answer the other questions that were posted; I picked the Valentina because it had a relatively small number of divers compared to some of the other boats and what little I could determine from reviews seemed positive. And regarding the pretrip logistics, if I was gonna come in a day early, I would recommend the La Marina, but it did add cost of the hotel, extra meals and I had to pay for my own transportation from the airport to the hotel where it is part of the package if you come in the day of the trip departure. I let them arrange the transport and they actually booked a SUV which landed up costing $75. On my day of departure because I wanted to leave for the airport earlier than the transport the Valentina had booked, the dive master Lorenzo arranged for a small car the cost I think $30.

 

[SMormol]

Thanks for all the information. I am going next week. Couldn’t find many reviews. I am taking a group of 18. Many were asking if the the WiFi works (I know it’s an extra fee).
Also is most diving in the water column ? My Maine concern is water temp & current
Thank s

 

[Posinator]

Thanks for all the information. I am going next week. Couldn’t find many reviews. I am taking a group of 18. Many were asking if the the WiFi works (I know it’s an extra fee).
Also is most diving in the water column ? My Maine concern is water temp & current
Thank s

I was on the Rocio Del Mar in January. No wifi. Water temp 77F. Not sure what you mean by water column. Most dives were similar to wall diving. On many dives you will not see the bottom. We did spend some time out in the blue traversing between spots or trying to get close to hammerheads. Max depths on our dives were in the 80-115' range