COCOS ISLAND, COSTA RICA

Year:2002

The Lost World of the sharks

Season: July-April (optimum season: July-December)

Visibility: 25-40 metres

Water temperature: 24-26°C

Far out into the Pacific, 260 miles southwest of Costa Rica, is a lost world rising from the ocean depths. The precipitous cliffs, covered in luxuriant vegetation and decorated with numerous spectacular, cascading waterfalls, are often swathed in mist, giving this remote island a mysterious, other-worldly feel. This is Cocos Island (or Isla del Coco), the Holy Grail at the end of the diver's quest, the veritable 'Kingdom of the Sharks'.

A truly undiscovered paradise awaits the adventurous diver who makes the 36-hour boat journey from the port of Puntarenas. It seems fitting that such a rite of passage should be undergone before one is allowed to experience Cocos, for such a place is not of the modern world with its noise, crowds and pollution - it is a relic of a wild, primeval time in the history of our earth, a time that is now long past. As you awake on the first morning after leaving the coast of Costa Rica you will be surrounded by the vast expanse of the sea, with only an occasional seabird to remind you that there is land somewhere out there. By the second evening excitement is reaching fever pitch and then, as dawn breaks next morning, Cocos Island lies dead ahead!

Those in search of uncommon marine life need look no further than Cocos Island. This remote and mountainous island, just 4 miles long with the highest point reaching an amazing 3,000 feet, is covered in lush and verdant rainforest. With no human residents apart from temporary marine park and coastguard staff, it is populated by tropical birds, exotic plants and colourful butterflies, many of which are found nowhere else on earth.

Diving Cocos Island is an incredible electrifying, once-in-a-lifetime experience! Many of the dive sites are sheer pinnacles with steep walls where the largest animals are commonplace. Here you can drive your adrenalin levels into overload as you dive amid gliding swarms of Scalloped Hammerheads and White-tip Reef Sharks, sometimes numbering into the hundreds. Grey Reef Sharks are common and even the impressive Oceanic White-tip Shark is a regular visitor here. The huge Whale Shark, which can reach a length of nearly 20 metres, is a frequent visitor to Cocos. These plankton-eating giants of the shark family are completely harmless, but it can sometimes be hard to persuade oneself of this when confronted by a truck-sized creature with a huge broad snout and an immense mouth!

Apart from the ubiquitous sharks, Manta Rays, Marbled Rays, tuna and dolphins are all commonly sighted, while Pilot Whales, False Killer Whales, Marlin and Sailfish have also been sighted here regularly. The enormous but graceful Manta Rays tend to go around alone or in small groups, but if you are fortunate you will see an entire school of their smaller, more sociable cousin, the Devil Ray. Although the major attraction here is the fantastic and abundant population of big animals there is also a stunning variety of the smaller creatures of the reef. Frogfish, Snowflake Moray Eels, Harlequin Shrimps and clouds of tropical fish provide excellent subjects for the keen underwater photographer who can bear to drag his or her attention away from the wide-angle lens for a short time! Huge schools of snapper and jacks sometimes blot out the light and the sheer abundance of fish, undiminished by fishing, is the prime reason why Cocos attracts so many large predators.

On most cruises Okeanos Aggressor circumnavigates Cocos Island and off-shore rocks, islets and seamounts are the usual dive sites. You may start your diving amongst the schools of Scalloped Hammerheads at Manuelita, where large gatherings of White-tip Reef Sharks are also a common sight. Dirty Rock (not a rock at all, but an island), also home to hammerheads, often yields sightings of Marbled Rays foraging for food on the seabed. Alcyone, a submerged rock that reaches to within 20 metres of the surface, has provided many sightings of Marlin and Sailfish, while Manta Corner often lives up to its name.

Diving off Cocos Island is for the more experienced diver: thermoclines and upwellings cause a considerable variation in temperature, while unpredictable currents and surface chop are also a feature of diving in this area. Visibility can vary from 25 metres up to 40 metres and dive depths usually range from 15-35 metres. Because the average dive depth is deeper than for most liveaboards, instead of the Aggressor Fleet standard of 'unlimited' diving the Okeanos Aggressor normally features four dives per day at Cocos (including a night dive).

OKEANOS AGGRESSOR

Okeanos Aggressor has ten very comfortable cabins, taking a maximum of 21 guests. Nine cabins have a double lower bed and a single upper bed with private head and shower. One cabin is designed for use by three guests, having its own head, shower and bath, plus an additional bath and shower next door only for use by the triple cabin occupants. Eight crew provide superb service throughout the cruise and make sure your diving holiday runs smoothly. She is completely equipped with full safety equipment including two radars, weather fax, radios and two hydraulic cranes as well as large water storage and watermaking facilities. She cruises at 10 knots and has a range of 3000 miles.

The dive deck provides gear lockers and storage space for equipment. Dive information is displayed on a large board which shows depth and marine life information. A large three-tiered camera table has plenty of space for camera assembly or preparation and separate rinse tanks are kept for cameras and videos. The photography department provides rental cameras and accessories as well as the services of the photo pro if you require a model or expert advice. E-6 processing is available daily. Light tables are always available for slide viewing. A range of PADI and NAUI speciality courses are offered on Okeanos Aggressor including Nitrox training and facilities. A full range of diving equipment is available for rental by pre-arrangement. Diving usually takes place from the two 18-foot inflatable dinghies, apart from night dives which are conducted directly from the boat.

For after the dive there is a shower and clean towels awaiting, as well as the chef's freshly prepared snacks to appease the after-dive hunger pangs! Delicious barbecues, American-style and local dishes are served; breads, biscuits and baked snacks come strait from the oven. Most meals are served buffet-style.

Okeanos Aggressor operates out of the harbour at Puntarenas, departing on Saturdays and Tuesdays respectively, for 9 or 10 nights cruises throughout the year. Arrive at the San Jose office (in the Barcelo Amon Plaza Hotel) by noon on the day of departure.

An Okeanos Aggressor brochure is available from our office on request.

9 nights cruise

£1824 in a triple cabin

£1964 in a twin cabin

10 nights cruise

£1964 in a triple cabin

£2105 in a twin cabin

Includes:

· Transfers between San Jose and Puntarenas.

· 9 nights or 10 nights cruise on Okeanos Aggressor on a twin/share or triple/share basis with full board, including non-alcoholic and local alcoholic beverages.

· 6 days or 7 days diving (4 dives daily, including night dives), cylinders and weights.

Please note: A park fee, currently US $105 per person, and a dive tax, currently US $28 per person, is payable in cash on board.

Non-divers: A £141 reduction applies.

Single Occupancy Supplement: If you are travelling alone and are willing to share a twin cabin with a fellow passenger of the same sex you can avoid paying any supplement even if a cabin-mate cannot be found! If you prefer to have a cabin to yourself a 50% supplement applies.

Deposit: £700

FLIGHTS

Okeanos Aggressor cruises run from Saturday to Monday (9 nights cruises) or from Tuesday to Friday (10 nights cruises), but as it is not possible to reach the cruise starting point in the the same day it is necessary to leave London on Friday or Monday morning and overnight in San Jose en route.

The airfares shown are the least expensive fare category available at the time of going to press. We will quote you the airfare applicable, based on current fare levels and booking class availability, at the time of booking. The usual airfare deposit is £100.

AMERICAN AIRLINES

Depart in the morning from London (Heathrow), arriving at San Jose, via Miami, in the evening. You will overnight at an hotel in San Jose prior to the transfer next day to Okeanos Aggressor. On the return journey, depart from San Jose on Monday or Friday afternoon and arrive back at London, via Miami, the following morning.

£616 for departures 1 January-21 March, 1-30 April, 1 November-19 December.

£651 for departures 1 May-30 June, 1-31 October, 25-31 December.

£746 for departures 22-31 March, 1 July-30 September, 20-24 December.

Includes:

· Scheduled flights London(Heathrow)/Miami/San Jose/Miami/London(Heathrow) by American Airlines.

Weekend Supplement: £10 each way for departures from London or San Jose on Fridays, Saturdays or Sundays.

Overnights in San Jose: £43 per night room-only at the Barcelo Amon Plaza Hotel on a twin/share basis. Please note: Airport/hotel transfers are not included: local taxis are safe and relatively inexpensive. A single occupancy supplement of £43 per night applies.)