I was recently onboard the Rocio Del Mar liveaboard for Bluewater's Socorro Big Animal February 2021 Photo Workshop... and what a week it was!
This was my first time on the Rocio Del Mar, a liveaboard approx 100' long that holds up to 20 guests. It was a very enjoyable home for the week...
The main level en-suite bunk accommodation design with the two beds at 90 degrees from each other was a smart design for maximizing available light from the window (which many liveaboard cabins don't have), creating storage space and giving two guests (who didn't know each other before the trip) the feeling of more personal space.
The boat's port/starboard stabilizer system provided extra stability on the 24 hour journey out to Socorro.
The dive deck is adequately sized and the camera table, while not the biggest, was adequate even for a photo workshop. Having the dining area below deck with no windows was new to me and made some guests feel uncomfortable if the boat was rocking... but the food was first rate. Several meals were Mexican and were particularly good.
The dive guides were fantastic. They had all worked for the operation for several years - a good sign they enjoy their work, and got on well together. They were engaging to the guests and helpful.
All diving was from zodiacs and the journey from mother ship to dive site was never more than a few minutes. The dive guides were obviously very familiar with the sites and how to get the best out of the dives.
Without getting too detailed on what creatures were seen at each specific dive site, I'll say that each of the 3 islands visited yielded great experiences. Plentiful Manta Rays, Dolphins, sharks (Scalloped Hammerheads, Silver Tips, White Tip Reef, Galalpagos, Tiger, Silky) were seen on multiple dives. This was my second trip to Socorro and neither has disappointed me. I will go again. We also heard Humpbacks singing (February was good timing for Humpback sightings), and on the last dive of the week one group (not mine, sadly) actually saw two Humpbacks while in the water!!
As I mentioned, this was actually a photo workshop. It was led by Nirupam, who is also the Editor of Bluewater's uwphotographyguide.com. I enjoy photo workshops because diving with other photographers is different from diving with non-photographers. The priorities and goals differ and means diving with other photographers is usually more productive. I'm also of the mind that being with other photographers provides new learning opportunities, no matter how experienced someone is. Nirupam was a great host - his vast knowledge of a wide range of cameras meant he was able to provide assistance to anyone who wanted it. He also had the foresight to group video shooters together (there were 3 dive groups in total), a move that worked well. His optional classroom sessions were well structured and well attended. 1:1 guidance was also offered. I really enjoyed meeting and diving with Nirupam.
All in all, a fantastic trip. Socorro is an awesome destination, and I feel its good value for money compared to Cocos Island and Galapagos, which often get mentioned in there same breath.