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On the first dive at San Benedicto Canyon, hammerhead viewing as I could hang
we had a 12’ manta ray circle us for the first motionless amidst a large school of jacks
half of the dive. Although it wasn’t and watch the silvertips, whitetips, and
considered a “friendly manta” that allowed hammerheads leisurely cruise around and
us to stroke its belly, it did come within 5 feet sometimes through the school. The
of us time after time. Later that dive, a hammerheads ranged between 5 and 8 feet
school of scalloped hammerheads swam by in length.
in the distance – almost magically appearing
and disappearing. We also witnessed The silky sharks seemed more interested in
several juvenile silvertips and one what was going at the surface rather than at
Galapagos shark actively working a cleaning depth, although I did occasionally see them
station. Oh yeah – three dolphins stopped at depth. I had my best encounters with
by for a quick visit, but kept their distance. silky sharks while snorkeling – once during
Wow! – and that was just one dive. There is the day and once at night. On the night
so much to cover at each site – where to snorkel, we had five or six silky sharks
start… repeatedly mull about us as they were
attracted to our dive lights. The biggest silky
shark in this group was about 5 feet in
length. I got bumped a couple of times by
these impressive and inquisitive sharks.
Diving with these gentle giants is a religious experience
– an experience that never gets old.
Let’s start with the sharks. I saw at least
one shark on every dive, except one. The Whitetip sharks are common in the Socorros and often
five “common” species of shark in these lay in groups on shelves at Roca Partida.
waters are the whitetip, silvertip, silky,
scalloped hammerhead and Galapagos. The potential exists to see lone tiger sharks,
The whitetip, silvertip, and Galapagos were great hammerheads, and whale sharks.
readily found near the bottom working The divemaster spotted one large tiger
cleaning stations. At Roca Partida, more shark while setting a buoy, but they tend to
than a dozen whitetip sharks could be found be somewhat shy animals. In fact, most of
resting on numerous ledges on the east side the shark species are shy. Getting good
of the rock, often in groups. The whitetips encounters with sharks usually requires
were amongst the biggest I have seen - up patience, stealthiness, and a minimalist
to five feet in length. The silvertips, with approach. We would have to usually sneak
bright white highlights on their dorsal, tail, up covertly behind a ridge to a cleaning
and pectoral fins, ranged from three to five station to get a good look at the sharks. As
feet in length. The Galapagos sharks had soon as a couple of divers would come
quite a range in size, with the largest being a cruising down the reef 10 feet off the bottom,
lone specimen about eight feet in length I the sharks would vacate the area and head
spotted twice at San Benedicto Canyon. for deeper water.
The scalloped hammerheads tended to be
very cautious, often just flashing within Reef fish populations in the area are good,
visible range then disappearing. However, and there are a lot of different species. Most
at Cabo Pearce we had a school of ten noticeable are the bright orange clarion
hammerheads swim over the top of us. anglefish and rather large green moray eels,
Roca Partida probably offered the best both of which are found in abundance.
