Cocos ISLAND
25/9 to 05/10/2019
Hammerhead
Schools
EXPEDITION
Join us on an Offshore Expedition to one of the hottest spots in the world for pelagic diving. Cocos Island is 550km off the shore from Costa Rica and one of the few remote islands in deep Eastern Pacific. Like Galapagos it's a magnet for pelagic life - famous for its massive schools of hammerheads. You can also expect to dive with silky sharks, Galapagos sharks, as well as big sharks like whalesharks and tiger sharks. Amongst the regular visitors are also dolphins, pelagic manta rays, turtles and sometimes even Orcas or whales. It's all possible, in Cocos!!
- 36m Steel hull ship built for offshore travel
- diver locator systems for all divers
- 2 heavy duty fiber glass dive boats
- Full board food and drinks
- 10 double and twin rooms with private bathroom and AC
- Nitrox and rental equipment available
- Access to Deep Sea Submersible
THE ITINERARY
Cocos Island Marine Park is 550km off the coast of Costa Rica. We fly to San Jose and will drive from there for 3h to Punto Arenas, where the boat embarkation can commence. Its a long trip out to the island which can take 30-40h. It is a remote island in the middle of deep ocean, and your excitement will grow with every mile.
THE DIVING
Cocos Island Marine Park is situated in the middle of deep, deep water. Pelagic animals take a break from their journeys here and relax, clean or feed off the steep drop-offs.
We are going to be going to diving in the wettest season of the year. As you can expect from an Insider divers Expedition there is a reason - because this is also when you can expect the most action. It's smack in the middle of the best time for the really massive schools of hammerheads and eagle rays. Sometimes the biggest whalesharks, the pregnant 12-15m ones pass by here on their migration to their birthing grounds.
The diving in Cocos is advanced. You can expect strong currents, choppy to rough seas, and big animals. You should be comfortable in the water, have at least 80 dives under your belt, and preferably been on at least one liveaboard before.
THE BOAT
There are only four vessels going to this remote island, and Insider Divers only want to travel with the best. A former commercial diving support boat, the 119-foot (36m) Sea Hunter is superbly equipped to deliver Dive Safari Adventurers safely and in a stable manner to spectacular dive sites (thanks to zero-speed stabilizers). Completely refitted in 1994 for recreational diving, the Sea Hunter is the pioneer and still the undisputed customer satisfaction leader to dive cocos. Its heavy duty fiberglass skiffs make the diving as comfortable as possible, better than zodiacs used by other boats. Take a moment and compare the vessels out there, and you will come to the same conclusion
DEEP SEA SUBMERSIBLE
Undersea Hunter fleet features the 'DeepSee Submersible' On their boats. The DeepSee is a custom-built one-atmosphere submarine, capable of carrying a pilot and two passengers to a depth of 1,500 feet (450 meters). She is a flexible, capable and masterfully designed vehicle that can agilely operate throughout her range in comfort and safety.
The view from DeepSee’s acrylic sphere is unparalleled, with a 360-degree field of vision. The 4-inch thick acrylic sphere actually disappears when immersed, giving the astonishing sensation of total freedom. Expect to see bizarre deep sea creatures drifting past your unobstructed vision.
This once in a lifetime trip is not included in the package. There are two packaged available for depth of 80m and 305m and should be booked in advance of the trip.
RATES
This trip has a special Insider Divers discount, so inquire now.
This trip is operated through Southern Cross Travel Co Ltd, Hong Kong.