For anyone who has traveled with us, you have probably met Julio as he has been with us from the very beginning. Julio started with us when the boat was being built in 2007. He did all of the amazing woodwork you see on Rocio del Mar including the wheel house. When you meet Julio, you would never know that he is not from the sea but he quickly adapted to it. Dora certified him as a diver and Julio was part of finding and naming your favorite dive sites in the Sea of Cortez. His first job was being a panga driver and, over the years, Julio has played most every role on the boats. Julio is now a captain and holds one of the highest certifications you can have. Julio lives in Puerto Pansco and has two teenage daughters.

If you have dived with us in the last few years, you'll recognize Abraham as he's always on the deck when the pangas come back from a dive with open arms, a big grin, and a loud yell. Abraham joined us in 2015 as an Engineer helping us to refurbish Quino el Guardian. He just loves working on motors and making them purr. Abraham became a Captain last year.

Abraham's goal this year is to learn how to scuba dive. He loves breathing on a tank and does dive but so far it has only been in the marina and to scrape the bottom of the boat.

Abraham is married with three children and lives in Puerto Penasco.

Nestor loves being a captain with Rocio del Mar and Quino el Guardian and really enjoys working with the crew. His favorite part is welcoming the divers back to the boat after their dive. He enjoys seeing the happy expressions and hearing how fantastic their dive was.

Nestor studied in Escuela Náutica Mercente de Mazatlán, one of three nautical schools in Mexico. After multiple years and certifications, Nesto got his license to captain any vessel under 3000 gross tonnage (Rocio is 180 and Quino is 150 as a reference).

Nestor considers himself a rookie diver as he has only dived 15 times between San Pedro Mártir and Revillagigedo. He started diving because the dive masters on board encouraged him to try it and he was curious to see what all of the passengers were talking about. Having tried diving he now understands what a wonderful world it is underwater - it is where anything can happen. He especially loves "The Boiler" on San Benedicto where he got to be face to face with the majestic manta rays.

hen Nestor isn't working, he spends all of his time with his family. He lives in Mazatlán with his wife, two-year-old daughter and a one-year-old son.

Joshua is one of the most popular crew members because he is the chef and keeps us all very well fed! The food starts at 6 am with a continental breakfast, full breakfast after the first dive, homemade soup and plated hot lunch, heavy snacks like ceviche, chocolate-dipped strawberries, and homemade donuts and then a three-course dinner of plated salad, elegant entree, and beautiful dessert.

Joshua also loves to dive. His favorite place is San Benedicto. He's done three dives and has seen hammerheads, silky and white tip sharks and manta rays but he hasn't seen his favorite animal yet - dolphins!

Joshua's favorite thing to cook is Italian food and desserts.

Joshua lives in Puerto Penasco with his wife and four children.

Jorge joined Rocio del Mar and Quino el Guardian Liveaboards three and a half years ago. Before then, he worked in some of the finest hotels and restaurants in Mexico. His favorite cuisine to make is Asian (especially sushi) and especially likes making prime rib, baked, and grilled meats. Even at a young age, Jorge liked the sea and was really excited to work on a ship. We could not be happier that he chose us!

He really enjoys what he does and loves traveling on the ships, especially the beautiful islands in the Sea of Cortez. When asked what he likes best about what he does he said making the guests happy. He loves meeting people from all over the world and learning about their cultures.

Jorge is not a diver yet but he is looking forward to learning so he can dive with the sharks in Revillagigedo.

When Jorge is not working, he spends time with his family in his home town of Melaque on the Jalisco coast; his wife, Virginia, and his children, Santiago, Johan, and Enrique.

Whenever you see Miguel, he always has a giant smile on his face.

Miguel joined us in February 2017. From his earliest memories, he has loved the kitchen and the sea. When he was 11 years old, he would watch the boats coming into the harbor and see people working on them. One day, Miguel went up to one of the men and told him that he will work on a boat, too. And now his dream is a reality. "I work on one of the best boats and I love working with my fellow crew. The guests are wonderful and every trip I learn something new from them. I especially enjoy working as a steward as I get to interact with the guests all day long."

Miguel was born in Guadalajara and lives in Manzanillo, Colima, Mexico with his family. He has been married for 18 years and he has two beautiful girls and two handsome boys. When he isn't working, he likes to spend his time with his family outdoors.

Ben started diving in 2013 as a dive instructor in Cabo San Lucas. After 3 years a new adventure came calling and he joined the Rocio del Mar/Quino el Guardian crew in 2016. He is passionate about sharks and is a keen underwater photographer. He loves diving Revillagigedo and every dive site has something special. Still, his two favorites dive sites are "The Boiler" at San Benedicto and Roca Partida because that is where anything can happen.

His number one priority in the water is to his customers: it's very important to him that they dive comfortably no matter the conditions and that they see everything this amazing dive destination has to offer.

Ben is from Guadalajara and he lives in Cabo San Lucas.

Jerson is our newest divemaster, who joined us in September of 2019. Before we were lucky enough to nab him, he was working in Sharm el Sheik in Egypt, Manta Divers in Cabo San Lucas, and, before that, as a diving guide in the caves of Playa del Carmen. Wow - that's a lot of experience!

In fact, Jerson grew up in Playa del Carmen and started working at a dive center at the age of 15. He learned how to do everything from fixing a regulator to driving a 42' boat.

Jerson is a true diver as he feels his best when he is underwater. "I love seeing big animals and feeling my breath. It is my happy place!"

Jerson lives in Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, in Mexico. He has a son, Rajiv. When he isn't working, he likes to visit his family. He also enjoys cave diving.

When asked if he preferred Socorro or the Sea of Cortez, he said he doesn't know as this will be his first Sea of Cortez/Midriff Islands season. So far, he likes the BIG STUFF of Socorro. His most memorable dive was when he saw a humpback whale with her baby at Roca Partida. Yet like most divers, he is eager to explore a new area.

Jerson does not have a nickname, but the rest of the crew is eager to remedy that. In Jerson's words, "I just know that I am the most handsome boy I know." There is probably an excellent (and fun) nickname in there somewhere!

Tico has been working in Reviagilledo for five years and, while he knows the islands like the back of his hand, it never ceases to amaze him. "I love the fact that I can dive with big, pelagic animals almost every dive. I especially enjoy how they just come out-of-the-blue." His favorite dive site is El Cañón in San Benedicto because of the hammerheads as well as the chance to see tiger sharks in the sandbanks.

Tico is originally from Costa Rica. In fact, that is how he got his nickname. His real name is Michael but everyone calls him Tico. "Growing up in Costa Rica, it is almost impossible not to have a fascination with the ocean."

Tico came to Mexico specifically to be a divemaster in Socorro. He's looking forward to his second season in the Sea of Cortez.

Tico lives in Cabo San Lucas with his girlfriend, Maria, and his three dogs, Kira, Deco, and Aqua. When he's not working he loves spending time with them, playing on the beach, having a barbecue, or having friends at the house.

Special note: When asked if there was something special Tico wanted people to know about him he said, "My profound love for tacos. All-day, every day, any kind of tacos." His favorite - al pastor.

MEET THE CREW: Axel, Divemaster AKA Man of the Sea

Axel joined Rocio del Mar in the winter of 2013/2014. Before he joined us, he was a full-time Chef in Valencia, Spain. Having worked in Mexico before that, he was eager to return.

Axel is originally from Belgium and, even with only 68km of coastline, has always been attracted to the ocean. He loves the feeling of the waves, the ocean breeze, and the energy of the sea.

His favorite part about working on the boats and being a divemaster is showing divers the beauty of the underwater world, whatever their skill level.

Axel works with us during the winter. From April through October, he and his wife, Elizabeth, have a summer "chiringuito" a typical Spanish restaurant and bar near the sea. Their specialties are paella, fideua, and gin and tonics.

When he and Elizabeth are not working, they love to travel all over the world but especially love Baja, California. They want to know as much as they can about the peninsula so they can show and talk about the beauty of BC.

When asked what destination he preferred (Socorro or the Sea of Cortez), he said that you cannot compare them. They both have their attractions. He has three favorite dive sites - El Canon in Revillagigedo, and Las Animas and Cabo Pulmo in the Sea of Cortez.

Axel's best memory while diving took place in Roca Partida, where dolphins played with a whale shark while silkie sharks were scratching their bellies against the whale shark.

From April through October, Axel lives with his wife, Elizabeth, better known as Betita, in Valencia, Spain, and the rest of the time they are in BCS, Mexico. Betita is from a small village on East Cape called "El Cardonal," an unknown jewel 130km from Los Cabos.

Axel has the best nickname ever - "El hombre del mar," which means the "Man of the Sea." Perfect!

Bob has been with us since the very beginning. He met Dora at a dive show in 2008 when Rocio del Mar was being built. As Bob said, "Once you hear Dora laugh, you are hooked on liking her. She is so genuine and full of life and joy. The crew and I always say, 'God loves Dora' because she can make anything happen despite the trials and tribulations that come with owning a liveaboard dive business." Bob came on board the first season in the Sea of Cortez with a couple of divers, and Dora asked him to help divemaster. He's been with us every summer since.

Bob is an interesting character. Bob's father was in the Navy, and his family always had boats, so his love for the sea started as a toddler. He learned to dive in 1966. Before working with us, he taught diving at Marin Diving Center in California. When he's not on the boats, he is an analyst for the RAND corporation and dreams of diving.

The thing that brings him back every summer is the joy of engaging with the divers. He enjoys keeping them safe and informed so they can have fun. He also loves working with the entire crew and says, "They are the best people in the world." As a divemaster, his focus is safety first, second, and third, so everyone can enjoy themselves and have a wonderful time.

Bob's favorite dive sites are Ravijunco on San Pedro Martir in the Sea of Cortez and Cabo Pearce on Socorro Island. He loves them both equally as each never ceases to amaze him with its surprises and challenges.

His most memorable moment was snorkeling with sperm whales in the Sea of Cortez, and one came within a foot of him. "It was amazing to look one right in the eye just one foot away."

Bob lives in Southern New Jersey with his wife, Deanna, who is a diver, too. Bob has two sons, Devin and Damian and two grandchildren, Ocean and Soldier.

When asked if Bob had a nickname on the boat, he said that the crew gave him many, but most are not safe enough to print.

If you've dived with us before, then you know Everardo. That's because he's been working with us for over 10 years. Before he joined us, he was working in Virginia on a scallop boat. You'd think that this means that Everardo has loved the sea all of his life but not really. His first love is being in the forest and deserts.

Everardo's favorite thing about working with us is meeting people from all around the world. When he's not working, he with his family in Puerto Penasco, Mexico - his wife, Laura and sons Aldo and Matias.

Everardo is a diver and his favorite dive site is El Canon in San Benedicto, Revillagigedo. Yet the Sea of Cortez is like being at home.

The crew gave a nickname to Everardo and they call him "Eveready". That's because he's ready for anything that the guests or crew need from him which is a great feature of a panga driver!. Who could ask for more?

One more thing ... when asked what Everardo would like people to know about him he said, "I LOVE MY JOB!" We love you, too!

For Alan, it wasn't a love of the sea that brought him to us four years ago, but a man of the sea he is now. Before coming to us, Alan worked on a ranch. When asked what he likes best about working with us, he said he enjoys everything about working on the boats, but the sea is incredibly beautiful.

Alan has learned to dive and loves diving in the Sea of Cortez, especially the dive sites of Corralito and Punta Diablo.

When he's not on the boats, he loves working with the cows on a ranch in Torreon de Canas, Durango. He is the very proud father of a daughter, Sherlyn, and son, Manuel Eduardo.

You can probably guess Alan's nickname - it's Cowboy! The crew gave him that name because he was dressed as a cowboy the first day he showed up at the boats. Yeehaw!

Leonel (known as Leo) has been in and around the sea his entire life. He is originally from a tiny fishing village named Tortuga near Guerrero Negro in Baja California Sur. It is here where he was a commercial diver and would dive for abalone. Leo joined us in September 2017.

Leo's lifetime of experience on the ocean is only part of what makes him an incredible panga driver. He knows the sea, so he has complete control over the boat as well as can see divers bubbles in any conditions. He's strong, patient, and genuinely loves what he does. "I love to see the guests' expression on their faces when they come up from a dive."

Leo is an avid diver, and his favorite place to dive is El Canon at San Benedicto, where he has seen schooling hammerheads. His goal is to become a Dive Master.

When Leo isn't working, he likes to visit his home town with his wife.

To be a panga captain with us, you have to have many skills. Keen eyesight to spot the divers' bubbles, an intimate knowledge of the sea to calculate how to maneuver the boat in all conditions, strength to lift even the biggest rig out of the ocean, kindness to help an unbalanced diver negotiate themselves on the panga and a sense of humor to keep everyone entertained. And that is Antonio.

Antonio started working with us aboard Quino el Guardian when it launched in 2015. He has always worked on the sea. Before he joined us, he worked on shrimp boats for 10 years and was the captain of a sport fishing boat.

While he doesn't dive, he does like to snorkel and his favorite is the Sea of Cortez. He says it is incredibly beautiful above and below the surface.

When asked what he liked best about working on the boats he said "everything". As you can see from the photos, Antonio loves working with the crew. When he was asked to narrow that down, he said he liked taking care of the clients.

When he isn't working, he is with his wife, his 22-year-old son, 29-year-old daughter, and his grandchildren who are 3 and 8.

Jaime joined us in 2018, but he has been a man of the sea all of his life. Before he came to work with us, he was a fisherman and a commercial diver for 15 years. In 2010, he began his journey as a scientific diver assisting scientists with monitoring transects. He met the folks from Niparaja, an organization devoted to working with fishing communities and teaching them about sustainability when they came to his village, where he lived with his parents in Tembabiche. He was invited to join the scientific team because of his skills, and that is when he became a certified diver. He was part of creating the very first refuge area in the Gulf of Californi.

Jaime is one of our fantastic panga drivers, but he also works with us as a divemaster. Because of his vast experience in and around the ocean, Jaime has a sixth sense when it comes to finding critters underwater. His current goal is to better his English, so he enjoys practicing this with the guests on the boats.

When he isn't working, he loves to spend time with his family, parents, and community. Jaime has a son who is 16 and a daughter who is 11.

Ricardo, known as Tigre, joined the Rocio del Mar and Quino el Guardian team in June 2019. He has worked on vessels, both for tourism and industrial, all of his life. Even when it can be challenging due to storms, Tigre has always loved the sea.

When asked what he likes best about what he does, Tigre said that he enjoys everything about being a machinist, being able to assist divers, and even helping them repair their photography or diving equipment.

Although he doesn't dive, he loves being on the sea and appreciates the incredible landscape and sunsets of the Sea of Cortez. In Revillagigedo, he enjoys the crystal clear waters and can see, from the surface, whales, sharks, the majestic mantas, and incredible varieties of fish. Whether sailing or at anchor, his daily goal is to ensure the safety of the boat and divers on board. When asked if he wanted to share something that people might not otherwise know about him, he replied, "I get great satisfaction from my work. To be able to contribute to the divers having a great experience in such an incredible and magical place is very special ".

When he's not working, he's a dedicated family man to his wife, Leticia, daughters Tannya and Rebecca, and his youngest son, Elliott.

Wondering how Tigre got his name? He said that he got it from the crew and his coworkers. "It is a name given to someone, highlighting their ability to perform their various duties well."

That you do, Tigre, that you do.

Francisco, also known as Cinco, is why we have such a fantastic reputation. It's the authenticity and devotion of our crew. When you board, you will immediately notice our team loves what they do, and there is almost nothing they will do to ensure that our guests have the best experience possible, above and below the water.

Francisco works as both a steward and a deckhand. He joined us one year ago, and, before that, he was a fisherman on a shrimp boat. Being from Puerto Penasco (Rocky Point), he has always loved the sea; it's beauty and animal diversity.

When asked what he likes most about what he does, he said, "It depends. When deckhand hand, I really enjoy getting to sail the ship. When steward, I love the opportunity to interact and get to know people who come from all over the world."

Francisco knows the Sea of Cortez like the back of his hand, the dive sites, and the islands. He is excited to go to Revillagigedo and go 250 miles offshore to see Socorro, San Benedicto, and Roca Partida. "I'm looking forward to this new, great adventure!"

When asked what his favorite memory is from being at sea, he said it is when he saw a mother whale and calf jump together.

Francisco lives in Puerto Penasco, Sonora, Mexico, with his beautiful wife, Oneida, and 3 children, Cristian, Oneyda, and Stefany. When he isn't working, he likes to exercise, walk on the beach, eat well and sleep.

When asked how Francisco got his nickname, it was easy - that's his last name!

In 2016, Dario ran away from the city rush of Monterrey, Mexico (the third biggest city in Mexico) and moved to Cabo San Lucas, BCS. He's been working on the ocean ever since.

He loves being by the ocean and traveling. If he is not diving, you might find him exploring Baja, where he is the happiest, or maybe wandering through the world with Angie, his fiancee.

Before joining us, he was busy guiding diving excursions in Cabo San Lucas, swimming with whale sharks, freelancing as a photographer, and occasionally sailing, a new passion.

Dario joined Mexico Liveaboards in 2021 for his second season in Revillagigedo. He likes working for the company because of the incredible, hard-working crew and Dora's program, Heroes del Mar. His favorite site is El Boiler at San Benedicto because of the giant manta rays' majestic behavior. He enjoys showing divers the underwater wonders that all the dive sites have to offer.

Pablo has been working on the ocean for 17 years, mainly in the oil industry. He started as a helmsman and worked his way up to captain. He enjoys taking a small boat out and playing around Cozumel Island, where he lives on his days off.

After all of this time, changing to the diving industry has been a pleasant surprise to Pablo. He really likes how the divers perceive the ocean. He enjoys being part of the Mexico Liveaboards crew, as everyone works well together.

Noberto has been working on boats of all kinds for thirty-two years. He feels most comfortable when he's in the engine room. When he's not working, he lives in Puerto Peñasco and has two daughters.

Manuel is part of our first generation of Heroes del Mar, a program created by Dora Sierra to help children of Baja fishing villages. The program shows the different opportunities outside of fishing and, should they decide to be fishermen, it provides them with good and sustainable fishing practices. Manuel has gone through the three-year program. He just graduated from high school.

"During the program, I realized how amazing the ocean is, how interesting being on a boat can be and how mind-blowing scuba diving is. My goal is to learn as much as I can as fast as possible since I have this new passion for the ocean. I am now working as a steward, which allows me to work with people. It helps me develop discipline and learn how to work as a team. In the future, I want to become a professional scuba diver."

We love seeing Manual grow and are excited to have him on board.

Leonardo is a PADI specialty instructor. For the last five years, he has lived in the Mexican part of the Caribbean and spent time in Costa Rica, where he worked and completed his instructor course. He heard about the Sea of Cortez and Revillagigedo, which piqued his interest.

Leonardo's favorite thing to do is share his experience as a diver and instructor with others. "My first career was as a history professor, so I like to add the secrets and histories of the place I am diving to the divers. I also like to help people understand how important it is to take part in the health of our oceans."

Leonardo loves being part of the Mexico Liveaboards team and working with the divers on board. "I'm so happy to be part of this team because, in addition to finally getting to know the beautiful Baja area, I now have the opportunity to use my passion for diving to give back to my community and help people to enjoy their relationship with the sea."

Dario joined Mexico Liveaboards in 2021 for his second season in Revillagigedo. He likes working for the company because of the incredible, hard-working crew and Dora's program, Heroes del Mar. His favorite site is El Boiler at San Benedicto because of the giant manta rays' majestic behavior. He enjoys showing divers the underwater wonders that all the dive sites have to offer.

When he was 14 years old, David began diving when he started his life as a seaman working and living in Zihuatanejo, Mexico. When he was 18, he became a divemaster, and his first job was leading dives on Isla Mujeres and Cozumel. After a year, he learned how to drive small boats, became a panga/skiff driver, and worked in the Caribbean for a year.

When David was 20, he wanted to go back to where he was born, Los Cabos, BCS. He has been working as a divemaster and panga driver all over Cabo Pulmo, and now, his dream has come true - to work on a liveaboard!

"Diving Revillagigedo and meeting so many new and different people have been pleasant surprises for me. Now that I'm 23, I'm truly grateful to have the opportunity to work with Mexico Liveaboards and the other crew members while I learn and fulfill my goals."

Emilio started diving on the oil rings in Mexico as a commercial diver. He is also a dive instructor and loves guiding groups of divers. He's funny, caring, and passionate, and above all, he cares deeply about marine animals and pollution. He's patient with divers and loves what he does. "Being underwater is the best place ever to be," says Emilio. He has been working for over 11 years diving all over Baja, the Pacific, the Sea of Cortez, and the Revillagigedo Islands.

When Emilio isn't working, he likes to work in his pizza shop in Ensenada and spending quality time with his family in Baja.

Enrique was born in Sinaloa, Mexico. He started diving in southern Brazil in 2014 because he was curious, and a job opportunity opened up for him. He liked it so much, it became his career. He moved to Playa del Carmen, México, and got certified as an instructor, cave diver, and free diver. He has also dived in the Dominican Republic, Thailand, and Indonesia.

He really enjoys working with Mexico Liveaboards. "My former job was in construction and an agricultural company. I decided to work in the water because of the positive experiences that diving always gives me. I enjoy the connection with the divers and my fellow crew members. It makes the trips truly enjoyable."

Paul loves the sea and the ocean. He has been a guest many times as a monitoring diver with an NGO on board Quino el Guardian. He fell in love with the ship and decided to be part of the crew. He is a marine biologist specializing in manta rays and is studying for his Ph.D. He joins us in his free time. Paul also works closely with Dora with Heros del Mar.

When Paul isn't on board, he spends his time learning about manta rays and marine biology, spending time with his family, and making intrepid trips with his girlfriend.