The star on the map above marks the location where our Extreme 2008 expedition will begin. On Monday, November 10, 2008, the Extreme 2008 crew will set sail aboard R/V Atlantis for the 9°N dive site along the East Pacific Rise. Transit time is about 1.5 days. On November 19, the team will head back toward shore, into the Sea of Cortés (Gulf of California) for additional dives.

Manzanillo is located along the Mexican Riviera, between Puerta Vallarta and Acapulco. In 1521, it became Latin America's first shipyard — the wood from the manzanillo tree was used to build ships. Today, it is the largest commercial port on Mexico's west coast. It has a population of about 115,000.

In 1979, Manzanillo gained fame as the site of a Blake Edwards film, "10," starring Bo Derek and Dudley Moore. The resort area encompasses two large bays — Manzanillo Bay to the south and Santiago Bay to the north — with wide beaches that are popular with tourists. While several resorts exist in the area, it is more heavily dominated by fruit plantations, jungle vegetation, and uninhabited beaches. Manzanillo also is known as the "Sailfish Capital of the World" and has excellent deep-sea fishing from November to May.

CLIMATE: The air temperature in Manzanillo varies only a few degrees between summer and winter. Daytime temperatures average in the mid to high 80s, while nighttime temperatures average in the 70s. The hottest months are August, September, and October. During the rainy season, between the months of June and October, Manzanillo typically receives about 40 inches of rain.

Map courtesy of U.S. Department of Defense, The World: Series 1142.

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