Liquid Diving Adventures | All posts tagged 'socorros'

Nautilus Explorer

4. Sep 2023 Liquid Diving Adventures Liveaboards - Mexico

Nautilus Explorer

In the world of scuba diving, few experiences rival the thrill of a liveaboard adventure. Picture yourself waking up to the soothing sound of ocean waves and the promise of underwater wonders waiting just below the surface. Today, we're setting sail on a virtual journey to uncover the marvels of liveaboard diving, with a spotlight on the incredible Nautilus Explorer. We'll navigate through destination highlights, the best times to embark on this adventure, and the captivating marine life you can expect to encounter during your voyage.

A Diver's Paradise Awaits

The Nautilus Explorer embarks on a series of captivating journeys that span across some of the most coveted dive destinations in the world. From the serene waters of the Sea of Cortez to the enchanting Cabo Pulmo Marine Park and the adrenaline-pumping encounters at Guadalupe Island and the Socorro Islands, this liveaboard experience offers divers a chance to explore a diverse range of underwater ecosystems.

Unveiling the Underwater World

One of the most exciting aspects of liveaboard diving is the wide variety of underwater experiences it offers. The Nautilus Explorer specializes in encounters with some of the ocean's most iconic and elusive creatures. Here's a glimpse of what you can expect:

Great White Sharks: Guadalupe Island is renowned for its thrilling great white shark encounters. These majestic apex predators patrol the waters, offering divers a front-row seat to observe their grace and power. Cage diving at Guadalupe provides a unique opportunity to come face to face with these magnificent creatures.
Hammerheads and Whale Sharks: The Socorro Islands are a hotspot for hammerhead sharks and the gentle giants of the ocean, whale sharks. Dive into the deep blue and witness the mesmerizing ballet of hammerheads or swim alongside the world's largest fish, the awe-inspiring whale shark.
Manta Rays and Silky Sharks: Cabo Pulmo Marine Park is a sanctuary for manta rays and silky sharks. Glide alongside these graceful creatures as they navigate the vibrant coral reefs of the park. Encounter silky sharks and other marine species that call this underwater haven home.
Bait Balls and Giant Mantas: Experience the excitement of bait ball events, where massive schools of fish gather, attracting predators from all directions. Dive into the heart of the action and witness the chaos and beauty of this natural phenomenon. The Nautilus Explorer is also known for encounters with giant mantas, which often grace divers with their majestic presence.
Sea Lions and Dolphins: Throughout your journey, you'll have the opportunity to interact with playful sea lions and inquisitive dolphins. These intelligent and social marine mammals provide unforgettable moments as they engage with divers in their natural habitat.
Cabo Pulmo UNESCO Site: Explore the wonders of Cabo Pulmo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site teeming with over 6,000 marine species. Dive into vibrant coral reefs and witness the remarkable diversity of marine life in this ecological treasure trove.

Preparing for Your Dive Adventure

Before embarking on your liveaboard voyage with the Nautilus Explorer, it's essential to pack wisely. Here's a checklistto ensure you're well-prepared for an unforgettable diving experience:

Diving Gear: Pack your essential dive gear, including a mask, snorkel, fins, wetsuit, and BCD. Don't forget your dive computer and underwater flashlight for night dives.
Camera Gear: Capture the magic of the underwater world with your camera gear. Whether you're an amateur or professional photographer, bring your camera, underwater housing, lenses, and strobes to document your encounters.
Swimwear and Rash Guards: Comfortable swimwear and rash guards are ideal for surface intervals and water activities.
Sun Protection: Protect yourself from the sun's rays with sunscreen, sunglasses, and a wide-brimmed hat. Lip balm with SPF will keep your lips safe from the sun.
Clothing: Opt for lightweight, breathable clothing for warm days on deck. A windbreaker or light jacket may be needed for cooler evenings.
Toiletries and Medications: Bring personal toiletries, prescription medications, and seasickness remedies for a comfortable journey.
Travel Documents: Safeguard your passport, travel insurance, dive certifications, and any required permits in a waterproof pouch.
Power Adapters: If you plan to recharge your camera and devices, bring the necessary power adapters and chargers.

As you prepare for your liveaboard adventure with the Nautilus Explorer, ensure your packing list is complete. Capture the wonders of the underwater world with your camera gear, and get ready for thrilling encounters with a diverse array of marine life.

Dive into Extraordinary Moments

A liveaboard journey with the Nautilus Explorer is an invitation to dive into a world of extraordinary moments beneath the surface. Whether you're seeking heart-pounding encounters with great white sharks or tranquil moments with manta rays, this dive adventure promises to leave you with cherished memories and a profound appreciation for the beauty and mystery of the ocean.

For more information and to book your liveaboard experience, visit the Nautilus Explorer website. Get ready to embark on a voyage where each dive is a testament to the wonders of the deep, and every moment is an adventure waiting to be discovered.

Diver's Guide to the Socorro Islands

29. May 2021 Liquid Diving Adventures Dive Destination Info, Mexico

A Divers Guide to the Socorro Islands

The Revillagigedo Archipelago is made up of four islands: Socorro, Roca Partida, San Benedicto, and Clarion. Due to the popularity of the largest island, the archipelago is often referred to as the Socorro Islands. All of the islands are volcanic. The islands were declared as a marine reserve and a Mexican national park in 2017. The waters typically reach a low of 68 F (21 C) and a high of 82 F (28 C), and the weather is typically warm and sunny.

Socorro Island rises abruptly from the sea to 1,050 meters (3,440 feet) in elevation at its summit. The island is the emerged summit of a massive, predominately submarine shield volcano. The island is part of the northern Mathematicians Ridge, a mid-ocean ridge that became largely inactive 3.5 million years ago when activity moved to the East Pacific Rise. All four islands along with the many seamounts on the ridge are post-abandonment alkaline volcanoes. Socorro Island is unusual in that it is the only dominantly silicic peralkaline volcanic island in the Pacific Ocean. It most recently erupted in late January-early February 1993, which was a submarine eruption off the coast from Punta Tosca. An earlier eruption was on May 21, 1951. Earlier eruptions probably occurred in 1905, 1896 and 1848. The island's surface is broken by furrows, small craters, and numerous ravines, and covered in lava domes, lava flows and cinder cones.

There is a naval station, established in 1957, with a population of 250 staff and families living in a village with a church. The village stands on the western side of Bahia Vargas Lozano, a small cove with a rocky beach, about 800 meters east of Cabo Regla, the southernmost point of the island. The station is served by a dock, a local helipad and Isla Socorro airport, located six kilometers to the north. There is a freshwater spring about 5 km northwest of Cabo Regla, at the shoreline of Ensenada Grayson. This is brackish and sometimes covered by the sea at high tide. In the 1950s, a small freshwater seep was known to exist some 45 meters (49 yards) inland at Bahia Lucio Gallardo Pavon, about 800 meters NW of the naval station.

The islands are located nearly 400 km (250 miles) from the Baja California peninsula. Due to the isolated location, the only way to visit Socorro is through liveaboard. Most visitors begin their trips by arriving at Los Cabos International Airport in Mexico. Then, divers travel 45 minutes to Cabo San Lucas where they take off on a liveaboard. It usually takes about a day for the liveaboard to arrive at the islands.

The diving season lasts from November to May as that is when the often-rough waters are at their calmest. However, even the calmer waters have strong currents, making this trip best for advanced divers.

Although the Socorro’s waters are not filled with the colorful reefs many divers look out for, the marine life more than makes up for it. Manta rays, dolphins, hammerhead sharks, tiger sharks, are just a few of the common sights in these waters. Humpback whales can even be seen on their migration path through the months of January and February, and the dolphins are known for coming into close contact with divers, most commonly from January to March.

When divers first arrive at the islands, they often begin their scuba adventure at El Fondeadero. This dive site is located in San Benedicto’s shallower waters where there are three pinnacles and sightings of lobster and eels. The famous sightings of humpback whales are east of Socorro island at the Cabo Pearce dive site. Abundant pelagic life can be seen at the isolated Roca Partida dive site. This site is over 80 miles from San Benedicto and has a pinnacle peaking up out of the water. This site is best suited for advanced divers and has over 100 feet of visibility.

When planning your next dive trip, make sure the Socorro Islands are at the top of your list. The close encounters with dolphins, sharks, and manta rays at this location are unmatched, and the humpback whale sightings are one of a kind.

The 5 Best Underwater Cameras for 2021 - Our Choices

8. Apr 2021 Liquid Diving Adventures Photo Tips, Underwater Photography

The 5 Best Underwater Cameras for 2021 - Our Choices

You have taken the leap into a new adventure in life and become a certified diver. After buying the gear that fits your style and with a few trips to a resort or on a liveaboard, you notice many of your fellow divers are packing a camera of some sort. Some carry a small sports camera like the GoPro HERO, some carry a small compact and fully waterproof camera that requires no housing like the Olympus TG-6, and others carry a camera that looks like it was assembled by NASA. Now you have decided to become part of the photography crowd, but the question is which camera will best suit your wants and needs. The decision can be complex with so many options for the buyer. Once you start looking at cameras and housing and strobes, you may find your budget could be the driving factor. A full top end camera setup can cost a few thousand dollars.

We have selected what we believe are the best cameras in their category along with a couple of options on housings. This article doesn’t delve into the world of underwater strobes and lighting which deserves an article of its own. We hope this article helps you decide which camera might be your first purchase or if you already have an underwater camera and are ready to upgrade, what will be your next step.

Our categories are entry level compact, high-end compact, mirrorless, full frame mirrorless, and DSLR (digital single-lens reflex). Each type of camera has its own pros and cons.

Compact cameras offer an attached lens while both mirrorless and DSLRs offer interchangeable lenses. After shooting with a compact camera, many people eventually upgrade to a mirrorless or a DSLR. The advantage with a DSLR is the choice of interchangeable lenses. This difference limits the flexibility of a compact camera, although wet lenses that can be added while diving can help bridge this gap. You also have more flexibility with different focal lengths and better image quality from superior optics and a larger sensor. Interchangeable lens cameras also have reduced shutter lag and better focusing capability. These are huge advantages.

Entry Level Compact Camera - Olympus TG-6

Key Features:

12MP Hi-Speed image sensor for low light performance and noise reduction

Dual Quad Core TruePic™ VIII Image Processor

F2.0 high speed Lens

4K and high speed video

Field Sensor System w/ GPS, Manometer, Compass & Temperature Sensor

Waterproof

The Olympus TG-6 is the same size as the TG-5 and has very minor improvements. The TG-6 will work in TG-5 housings. So, if you're really on a budget, take a look at the TG-5. Either the TG-5 or the TG-6 can be considered the best waterproof camera, outside of a housing.

Although we are calling this an entry level camera, this is a very good underwater camera. It's also a good option for snorkeling because it's waterproof without a housing down to 50 feet (15 meters).

The TG-6 has a high speed 12 MP sensor designed for excellent low light performance and noise reduction. It shoots 4k video, RAW photos, and includes built in WIFI, making transferring photos on the go easy. It's important to note that there is no full manual control on this camera. For the casual photographer who doesn't want to have to think about their camera settings this is probably not an issue. But if you want more control, you may want to consider a different camera. you'll be happier with an of the other cameras we mentioned above. For the housing, we recommend either the Olympus housing or the premium Isotta housing.

Pros

Smaller size for travel
Ability to change wet lenses underwater
Much less cost

Cons

Smaller sensor means less detail and more noise at high ISO
Shutter delay and focus delay is slow
Less control over depth of field.

High-End Level Compact Camera – Sony RX100 VII

Key Features:

1-inch 20.1 MP stacked CMOS sensor

BIONZ X processor

Built-in 24-200mm (equivalent) f/2.8-4.5 zoom lens

Electronic shutter up to 1/32000s

4K video with full pixel readout

S-LOG2, S-Log3, and HLG picture profiles

Pop-up EVF (2.36 million dots)

The Sony RX100 VII is packed with great features and improvements from its predecessor. New technologies have been integrated into the camera, which is similar to its cousins, the A9 and A6400. The improved autofocus tracking system, including animal eye autofocus makes the Sony RX100 VII a top choice for underwater photographers. You won’t find more useful technology for photographing underwater creatures on any other compact camera. Other upgrades include burst shooting without blackout and improved low light capability with a lower native ISO.

There are three things that make the RX100 series one of the best underwater compact camera series. First, the 1-inch sensor size is larger than most other compact cameras. The larger sensor produces better image quality and better low-light performance due to a larger pixel size. Second, the auto-focus speed is faster than traditional compact cameras. Thirdly, the advanced 4K video features available in the RX100 series are the top-of-the-line when it comes to compact camera video systems.

The highlight of this camera is its unprecedented macro capability. The zoom on the 24-200 mm f/2.8-4.5 zoom lens cannot be beaten by other compact underwater setups. Details captured with this lens are remarkable. When combined with a wet macro lens, the realm of super macro photography is attainable. The tiniest details of the smallest subjects can be captured with this set up. For the housing, we recommend either the Nauticam housing or the premium Isotta housing.

Pros

Sharp 8x zoom lens
Electronic viewfinder
1-inch sensor design
Eye detection

Cons

Expensive
Can't start video while images are writing to card
Limited touch functions

Mirrorless Camera – Panasonic GH5

Key features:

20MP Four Thirds sensor

5-axis in-body image stabilization system

4K footage taken using full width of sensor

Internal 4K/30p 10-bit 4:2:2 video capture

1080 video at up to 180p, enabling 7.5x slow-motion

4K and 6K Photo

9 fps shooting with continuous autofocus

Dual UHS II card slots

5GHz Wi-Fi, NFC and Bluetooth

The Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5 is the fifth in the company's industry-changing video and stills 'hybrid' lineup. With its 20MP Four Thirds sensor and deep video-centric feature set, it looks likely to pick up where the GH4 left off as a favorite of indie filmmakers and photographers whose interests venture into the realm of motion picture work.

The camera offers carefully thought-out features designed to let videographers of all levels record what they need with the new system. The body is larger and the price tag increased as a result, but the video produced speaks for itself. And the GH5's still photo capability holds its own against the best from Olympus and Sony.

The benefit of mirrorless cameras is that they offer the flexibility of interchangeable lenses, with a higher quality and better focusing than compacts in a smaller, lighter package than their DSLR counterparts. As the mirrorless cameras are becoming more robust, we’ve seen the sizes of these cameras begin to increase, getting close in size as DSLR cameras. We’re not quite there yet, and the Panasonic GH5, which the largest of the mirrorless options so far, is still smaller than a DSLR.

GH5 underwater housings are smaller than DSLR housings, and support both the GH5 and GH5s cameras, in addition to a variety of micro-four thirds lenses. The Panasonic 12-35mm lens is a popular choice for underwater video. For the housing, we recommend the Nauticam housing as it supports the largest number of lenses.

Pros

20MP sensor gives increase in resolution without increase in noise
Highly impressive video specifications (4:2:2 10-bit color, 4K/60p)
Auto ISO added for manual movie shooting
JPEG color improved
Dual UHS-II card slots, support for faster V60 cards in the future
Settings can be saved to card
Good battery life

Cons

On the larger end of the Micro Four Thirds cameras
JPEG sharpening improved
Viewfinder resolution drops noticeably during high-speed bursts
Autofocus in video can exhibit focus hunting
Slight decrease in video quality when shooting high frame rates (180fps)

Full Frame Mirrorless Camera – Nikon Z6 / Z7

Z6 Key features:

24.5MP sensor

5-axis image stabilization system

1080 video at up to 120 fps

4K video at up to 24 fps

12 fps burst shooting

ISO 100-51200

273-point hybrid phase-detection autofocus

Z7 Key features:

45.7MP sensor

5-axis image stabilization system

1080 video at up to 120 fps

4K video at up to 24 fps

9 fps burst shooting

ISO 64-25600

493-point hybrid phase-detection autofocus

The most important distinctions between the Z6 and Z7 are the sensor resolution and autofocus - both are markedly better on the Z7. Additionally, the Z7 has a native ISO of 64, expandable down to 32, which is better than the Z6's native ISO of 100 (expandable down to 50). This means the Z7 will pull out more details from the shadows and highlights than the Z6. Other than that, the cameras are almost the same, including the same physical dimensions and weights. And of course, the cost, with the Z7 about $1200 higher in price.

The most enticing thing about the Z6 and Z7 is the excellent construction. The weather sealing is tough in variable weather conditions. The Z7 is much smaller and lighter than the D850 (675g vs 1005g). For the travelling diver, the Z6 or Z7 wins every time.

The image quality on the Z7 is amazing. At first you might think that 45.7 MP is more than enough pixels in one camera. However, every bit of that information is useful. When you have so many megapixels on a full-frame sensor, you’re left with an ability to crop photos and produce a large, beautiful images with very minute details. Details like this will open new worlds for macro photographers.

The video on the Z6 / Z7 can be considered on par with the D850. This puts it at the top of the line for most underwater video systems. The color rendering is as good as in the Nikon D850 - which was revolutionary for Nikon at the time of its release. But the best feature on the Z7’s video is the autofocus full-time function. It outperforms the D850 and most other competing cameras. I did, however, have a little bit of trouble with this function in very low light. The most exciting thing for videographers using the Nikon Z7 is that it’s a full-frame camera with 4k video, capable of outputting video at 10 bits. Many cameras with this capability are over 10 times the price. An N-Log color profile is also available for the Nikon Z7, which will bring out more details after post-processing.

For the underwater housing, we recommend the Nauticam or the premium Isotta housing.

Pros

Amazing image quality
Very high resolution
High functioning electronic viewfinder
Smaller than competing DSLRs

Cons

Banding in low light
Noise at low ISO
AF slightly lower performing than the D850
Battery life
Single XQD slot

Digital Single-Lens Reflex (DSLR) – Canon EOS 5D Mark IV

Key features:

30.4MP CMOS full-frame sensor

DCI 4K 30/24p video using Motion JPEG + 4K Frame Grab

61-point AF system

Dual Pixel AF

ISO 100-32000

7 fps continuous shooting

Wi-Fi w/ NFC + GPS

The Canon EOS 5D series is one of the most recognized camera lines of the digital age and the Mark IV is designed to appeal to a wide range of professionals. Nearly identical in appearance to its predecessor, it features considerable upgrades, including: a higher-resolution sensor with Dual Pixel auto-focus, 4K video capture, an upgraded AF system, improved weather-sealing, built-in Wi-Fi/NFC, an interval timer and GPS. All this adds up to an amazing camera that fits into Canon's product line.

The 5D Mark IV is Canon's first full frame camera that can continuously focus in Live View during stills capture, and because of the way Dual Pixel AF works, focus is generally very accurate. It's good at sticking to the original subject on which you initiated the focus, and it's easy to specify the subject by tapping on it on the touchscreen in 'Face Detect+Tracking' mode.

Underwater and even in poor visibility, the camera will easily snap autofocus. And, if the camera is tilted from a near subject to a far subject, the focus triggers quickly and smoothly. The new autofocus features in this camera could be a milestone in video autofocus for underwater photographers.

No other DSLR camera on the market can master natural light white balances underwater without a color correction filter like this camera. This allows the shooter to take lights in the water and have the option to do natural or artificial light shooting on the same dive. The white balance procedure is a little bit different compared to previous models. This camera does not allow photos in video mode. This requires an additional step to switch to photo mode, take a shot, then go back to video mode. This is not big deal, but if you were used to the procedure on a previous Canon, it’s an additional step.

Canon has made some vast image quality improvements over the previous EOS 5D. Still images are superb and as far as video quality, Canon is the king. For the underwater housing, we recommend the Aquatica or the premium Isotta housing.

Pros