We had a great time diving in the Revillagigedos Islands in February. This is our second trip to the Socorro Islands and first on the Nautilus Explorer. Seeing Humpback Whales in the water has been on our bucket list for some time. During this time of year, mothers and their calves hang out around the islands while males can be seen above water cavorting as they pass through. We thought we would take another shot at catching these giants as they enjoyed the island waters.
Forgoing a scuba dive, Capt. Al Spilde took us out in search of some action in a zodiac. When the timing seemed right, we would slip in to the water to snorkel as quietly as possible in the general direction of the whales. With the light bouncing around through the water, we would look for the lighter color of the calf and the tail of the mother down in the water column. On one of our encounters, we could see the calf under the side flipper of the mother looking up at us as we approached. It was thrilling to see. The babies are sometimes curious and check out snorkelers when they come up for air. Mothers on the other hand are protective. In all of our sightings, the mother slowly rose up to guide the baby away from us. While they didn’t stick around for up close and personal pictures, it was exciting none the less.
With great weather, we were able to visit three islands, San Benedicto, Roca Partida and Socorro. Check out the gallery for some of our favorite pictures!