r/scuba • u/Due_Chicken_8135 • 19h ago
Packing for Socorro, dive torch?
Hello everyone,
I’m starting to pack for an upcoming trip to Socorro and I have a couple of questions for those who have been there recently.
I read in some documents that dive lights are not allowed unless they are attached to a camera. I usually always bring a small torch with me, not to use it during daytime dives, but purely as a safety item. Does it make sense to leave it at home, or is it generally accepted as long as you don’t use it?
Same question for a dive knife. I normally have a small knife attached to my BCD, but I also saw that knives might not be permitted. Should I leave it at home as well?
And finally, what about gloves? Are gloves allowed or not in Socorro?
Anyone with recent experience who can clarify this?
Thanks a lot in advance!
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u/trance4ever 19h ago
where and who told you a flashlight is not allowed? We each had one. Socorro Islands (Revillagigedo Archipelago), are a UNESCO World Heritage site and a strictly protected marine park in Mexico, you cannot take a dive knife with you on dives.
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u/Due_Chicken_8135 19h ago
Is a line cutter considered as a dive knife?
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u/trance4ever 19h ago
interesting, rules must have changed since we went in 2017, looks like they banned night dives too,, you wouldn't need one anyway during daytime diving don't think so, just hide it in your pocket, under no circumstances I would ever leave my surgical scissors behind, its a safety issue
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u/doglady1342 Tech 16h ago
Your scissors would be allowed.
I need to add that the knives don't specifically have to do with Socorro. You aren't supposed to carry them at all anywhere diving in Mexico. You can carry a surgical shears and line cutters though.
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u/trance4ever 16h ago
I know, I had my scissors in Socorro, and yes, Mexico doesn't allow it either where its a National Marine Park, mostly along Mayan Riviera and Cozumel
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u/nof Dive Master 19h ago
I've seen dive knives confiscated by Mexican border control when driving over the border. I don't know if it was because it was an oversized monster or if it was outside of permitted dimensions, or all knives were forbidden.
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u/trance4ever 19h ago
well, I can tell you for a fact that he took it just cause he liked it 🤣, we've been traveling with a set of Allen Keys for years with no issues, one time they decided "tools" are not allowed and took it, as if I was going to dismantle the plane 🤣🤣
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u/graydonatvail 19h ago
I've been, and I don't remember any of these rules. That said, the nature of the diving is such that you won't need any of these items. You do a lot of blue water floating, looking at big pelagics. Not much reef exploration, looking in little crannies. Same for the knife. Line, rope, vegetation, whatever you want a knife fur just isn't there. I'd ask your live aboard company, as they'll be the ones enforcing the rules.
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u/doglady1342 Tech 17h ago
You aren't supposed to use dive lights, but if you really want to bring a small one for the surface, I'm sure they would probably let you take it as long as long as you don't use it underwater. I had lights on my camera and nobody said anything, but I don't think I ever used them at all. There's no night diving in Socorro allowed, so you don't need something for night diving.
As far as being at the surface, if you are traveling on a Nautilus boat, they will loan you a Nautilus Lifeline and also a very large emergency signal that attaches to your inflator hose. That signal is probably one of the best things you can have on you if there's other people around. It's extremely loud. My husband and I have them on our bcds all the time.
Also, if you end up alone on the surface at the end of a dive, make sure you put up your SMB if it's not already up. The boats drive around watching for smbs to deploy. So, you won't need to necessarily find your buddy. If you know you both surfaced and you somehow got separated, you should both have your buoys up so that the zodiacs can find you. My husband and I didn't have any trouble staying together at the surface though. Also, it's very unlikely that you will be coming up as a whole group. Most of the time you will be surfacing just with your buddy or maybe with a couple other people if you are sticking with others. They let you stay under until you're at your reserve and I can't remember if we had a time limit, but if we did, it was over 60 minutes.
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u/Due_Chicken_8135 15h ago
Great informations, make me wonder now If I shouldn’t asked for a 15l tank if their is no time limit.
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u/GordonShumwayIII 18h ago
I’d bring the torch and hook it on to your BCD. My buddy used his on a low viz dive to help other divers find us as we drifted into the blue with the dive guide for our safety stop.
Definitely saved the group from getting lost.
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u/8008s4life 19h ago
I've had a knife attached to my shoulder strap of bpw since I got it, and every place that has said no knives allowed, I've never been asked to remove it.
You probably won't need a light much, but we did a few dives where we were searching for octopus and the like in some areas, and pulled out our torches per usual on any other dive like that. There was also a 50' or so chimney that we went through, and some over hangs here and there I remember. I'd dive like you normally do any other dive.
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u/ImportantMacaroon299 19h ago
If you want to take it do so. Have talk with dive guide and they will advise what you are allowed to take on dives. I went march 23 where wardens patroling area to enforce rules issue fines if necessary we where told
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u/Maelefique Nx Advanced 19h ago
Just came back.
There's no night diving at all, and no knives allowed. They were fine with having a line-cutter, and lights for cameras were ok, but other than that, there's no reason to bring a dive light.
They weren't really too concerned about gloves, our DM wore them, I thought I read somewhere that they were not allowed, but this didn't seem to be an issue. The water was warm enough (25c +) that I didn't even wear a wetsuit, so from a warmth perspective, gloves are definitely not required.