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Okeanos Aggressor

Undersea Hunter

The Eastern Pacific

COCOS ISLAND, COSTA RICA & MALPELO ISLAND, COLOMBIA

The Lost World of the sharks

Important: Cocos Island (and Malpelo) is one of the world’s most sought-after dive destinations. The cruises, especially those on Sea Hunter and Undersea Hunter, tend to get booked up far in advance, so please plan far ahead for your trip, as much as one or two years for some cruises!

COCOS ISLAND

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 3000 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 Pygmy Devil Ray (or Mobula). 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, visiting liveaboards circumnavigate 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 Island, which is aligned north-south and can be dived on either side. The west side is usually dived as a deep drift along a wall that falls off to a sandy bottom at around 43 metres. Large gatherings of White-tip Reef Sharks and Scalloped Hammerheads circle in this area and photographers can ‘shelter’ from the current and take their time to set up their shark shots (which may be either above or below the diver). The eastern side of the island is a complete contrast for the crescent shoreline offers protection from the prevailing currents. This reef is where the ‘Cocos Nursery’ is situated. A fantastic variety of Pacific reef fish can be found here: goatfish, grunts, butterflyfish, boxfish, pufferfish, parrotfish, snappers, jacks, Rainbow Runners, and even some turtles. Where reef meets sand, one can find sharks and turtles along with pelagic varieties of fish, as this is not only a spawning area but also a cleaning station. At night the population changes and the creatures that hide themselves away during daytime come out to feed. Starfish and brittle stars appear. Shy eels search for prey. Yellow cup coral ‘blooms’ and big-eyed squirrelfish venture from their dens.

Dirty Rock (not a rock at all, but an island), also known as Pietra Socia or Boat Rock, lies in the northern region of Cocos and about one kilometre from the main island. Nutrient-rich currents flow through this area and form the basis for a food chain which attract immense shark and fish populations. This is perhaps the ‘signature dive’ of the Cocos area as this is home to one of the highest populations of Scalloped Hammerheads. Divers descend through a seemingly endless cloud of Pacific Creolefish, though the sharks will already be visible circling beneath. Below 25 metres large loose schools of Scalloped Hammerheads mill around, surging off in all directions and then re-grouping. If you are lucky, they will surge close to you. Their movements are random and apparently indiscriminate. There seems to be no plan or strategy in their actions, so keep looking out above, below and behind. The area between Dirty Rock and the main island forms a wide and spectacular canyon. Here an immense school of silver snappers appears to block the divers’ passage through the canyon, though Marbled Rays and sharks foraging for food on the seabed easily carve a path through this living curtain.

Maybe Dos Amigos is the most spectacular and thrilling dive at Cocos. Both these islands, only accessible to seabirds, are sheer and steep. Beneath the waves the visibility is usually excellent, though the current can be strong, particularly on the north sides. The inner island a has a deep and huge archway which is often filled with snappers, seemingly suspended in the water column and illuminated from above. The bottom of the archway is around 30 metres and the mass of sharks and snappers framed by the archway offers great scope for the photographer with a wide angle lens. The outer island contrasts with his brother under the water. The diving is deeper and needs a fine day to get the best from the available light. A series of boulders rest on the sand and provide a home for the ubiquitous snapper schools and also for rays that form small schools and use the nutrient-rich current to forage for food.

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, though there are some deeper dives. Because the average dive depth is deeper than usual, liveaboards normally features four dives per day at Cocos (including a night dive).

MALPELO ISLAND

The forbidding Malpelo Island is located 360 miles off the coast of Buenaventura, Colombia. A small Colombian naval garrison has been in place since 1986 and Malpelo is now recognized as a Colombian Fauna and Flora Sanctuary, with a marine protected area of six nautical miles around the island.

Malpelo, more of a rock than an island, is the peak of a large submarine volcanic ridge that extends for 150 miles, lying from northeast to southwest. The Malpelo ridge rises from depths of 4000 metres and breaks the surface in just one place: the tiny solitary rock of Malpelo. The rock has three distinct peaks, the highest of which, El Cerro de La Mona, reaches 376 metres. Maritime weather and sea action has eroded the island in its own inimitable style, forming steep cliffs and sea caves along its borders. Off the northern and southern sides of the island are 11 smaller satellite rocks, each with its individually characteristic dive sites.

There are few protected anchorages and the currents that flow through the area are strong. So what is the big attraction? Sharks, lots of them. Big fish in big numbers. At Malpelo divers are treated to schooling Scalloped Hammerheads (in possibly greater concentrations than at Cocos Island), often in shallower areas where cold thermoclines meet warm surface water. Dive sites at Malpelo share some features with Cocos Island; a remote location and dramatic marine life.

At The Altar of the Virgin divers can see hundreds of free swimming moray eels. One of Malpelo’s most famous and most common species is the Fine-spotted Moray Eel. They are everywhere: free swimming or in clusters inside crevices. The eels can be found snarling from their rocky lairs, undulating over rocks, or simply gliding sinuously through the water. Dolphins and Manta Rays sightings are not uncommon in this area. Also known as The Reef, this is the part of the island with the least vertical walls. For this reason corals have been able to take a hold and have formed terraces which receive a greater amount of light (so important for their growth). Numerous species of reef fish are thus called to pray at this altar: snappers, sea bass, surgeons, King Angelfish, damselfish, Moorish Idols, eels, Trumpetfish and goatfish congregate here. Schools of barracudas and jacks are also common here and hammerheads are seen on occasion.

Most of Malpelo’s dive sites are on the north coast. A group of pinnacles of the northern end, The Three Musketeers, comprises a series of tunnels and caverns filled with silvery baitfish, lobsters, schools of goatfish, grunts, groupers and jacks. One pinnacle has a large tunnel, Cathedral, that passes through it from a sandy bottom at 20 metres until almost reaching the surface on the other side. The walls of this tunnel are completely covered in corals and sponges and the interior is completely fish-filled, including huge aggregations of sweepers, creating a mystic atmosphere. Welcome to church!

Of course it is the shark action that lures divers to Malpelo and shark enthusiasts will certainly be in seventh heaven at The Fridge and Freezer Wall, where dense columns of Scalloped Hammerheads line up in the strong currents off the granite wall. There have been sightings of armies of Black-tipped Reef Sharks, so densely packed that it is impossible to distinguish individuals, and forming a panorama of sharks as far as the eye can see. Large female Hammerhead Sharks bully smaller ones with intimidating displays to win their place at the centre of the school. This area forms a small bay that hosts an important cleaning station for Almaco Jacks and Hammerhead Sharks. A high concentration of Creole Fish, together with a good chance of groups of Spotted Eagle Rays or other pelagics, make this place absolutely incredible, especially when the spectacle is completed by waves of Silky Sharks that can sometimes be counted in the hundreds.

La Gringa is the biggest rock on the south side of Malpelo. There is a cave that passes through part of this pinnacle between 25 and 40 metres. From here, with good visibility, it is possible to see three seamounts. A big school of Bigeye Jacks inhabit the exposed side of the rock where one frequently encounters groups of Scalloped Hammerheads. Sometimes Galapagos Sharks visit this area.

Diving off Malpelo, like Cocos, 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 10 metres in the warmer, upper levels to 40 or even 50 metres once you have dived below the wiggly disruptions that mark the thermocline. There are no sheltered anchorages and the boat must lay anchor close to the cliff face on the most protected side of the island. Crew members take it in turns to keep watch through the night and make sure that the boat does not drag its anchor and drift too close to the rocks.

SEA HUNTER & UNDERSEA HUNTER

Sea Hunter has eight comfortable air-conditioned cabins, taking a maximum of 18 guests. There are six double cabins and two triple cabins each with private head and shower. Seven crew provide superb service throughout the cruise and make sure your diving holiday runs smoothly. The boat is completely equipped with full safety equipment as well as large water storage and water making facilities. She cruises at 10 knots and has a range of 4000 miles.

Undersea Hunter has six comfortable, air-conditioned cabins, taking a maximum of 14 guests. There are four double cabins and two triple cabins and five heads with showers. Six crew provide superb service throughout the cruise and make sure your diving holiday runs smoothly. The boat is completely equipped with full safety equipment as well as large water storage and water making facilities. She cruises at 9 knots and has a range of 6000 miles.

On both vessels, a large camera/video work station has plenty of space for equipment assembly or preparation and separate rinse tanks are kept for cameras and videos. A full range of dive gear is available for hire. Diving usually takes place from the two 24-foot fibreglass boats or the 18-foot RIB. Both Nitrox and air are provided. The vessels offer full TDI training in Nitrox, with rental of Nitrox computers. Three dives per day are offered from the skiff boats and optional dawn and dusk dives are offered from the mother ship. Divers may chose to dive with their buddy or may dive with the group which is guided by the divemaster.

The menu on board both vessels is a combination of international and local dishes. Food is in abundant supply with plenty of fresh tropical fruits and salads. Vegetarians can be catered for with advance notice. Soft drinks are complimentary, and beer and wine are available for sale. Spirits are not available on board but you are welcome to bring your own.

Sea Hunter and Undersea Hunter operate a series of 10 or 12 nights cruises to Cocos Island, and 13 nights cruises to Cocos Island and Malpelo Island, out of the harbour at Puntarenas throughout the year. It is recommended that you arrive in San Jose, Costa Rica the day before your cruise is due to depart and that you stay one night in San Jose after the cruise returns.

Price: from about £2519 for a 7 nights cruise; from about £3002 for a 12 nights cruise; from about £3404 for a 13 nights cruise. Includes: transfers between San Jose and Puntarenas; 10, 12 or 13 nights cruise on Sea Hunter or Undersea Hunter on a twin/share or triple/share basis with full board, including non-alcoholic beverages; 7 (10 nights cruise) or 9 (12 or 13 nights cruise) days diving (usually 3 dives daily, plus dawn/dusk dives). In addition there is a National Park fee of US$245 (10 nights cruise), US$315 (12 nights cruise) or US$455 (13 nights cruise), subject to change, which is payable on board in cash. Deposit: £900 (10 nights cruise); £1050 (12 nights cruise); £1200 (13 nights cruise).

Single Occupancy Supplement: 50% of the cruise cost (but you can avoid paying the supplement if you are willing to share a cabin).

OKEANOS AGGRESSOR

Okeanos Aggressor has ten very comfortable staterooms, taking a maximum of 22 guests. Nine Deluxe Staterooms have private head and shower, with six having a double lower bed and a single upper bed and three having two single beds. The Quad Stateroom has two double beds and two single beds, and private head, shower and bath, plus an additional bath and shower next door only for use by the quad stateroom 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 water making 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. 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 for 8 and 10 nights cruises to Cocos Island, departing on Saturdays and Tuesdays respectively, throughout the year. Arrive at the San Jose office (in the Hotel Alta) by noon on the day of departure.

Price: from about £1575 for an 8 nights cruise; from about £1790 for a 10 nights cruise. Includes: transfers between San Jose and Puntarenas; 8 or 10 nights cruise on Okeanos Aggressor on a twin/share or quad/share basis with full board, including non-alcoholic and local alcoholic beverages; 5 days or 7 days diving (4 dives daily, including night dives). Reductions for divers 65 or over and non-divers. A national park fee of US$175 (8 nights cruises) or US$245 (10 nights cruises) and a fuel surcharge of US$100 (subject to change) are not included in the package price and are payable on board in cash. Deposit: £800 (8 nights cruise); £900 (10 nights cruise).

Single Occupancy Supplement: 50% of the cruise cost (but you can avoid paying the supplement if you are willing to share a cabin).

FLIGHTS: Prices from about £853 to San Jose. There are daily flight connections to San Jose. It is not possible to reach the cruise starting point in Puntarenas on the day of arrival, so it is necessary to overnight in San Jose en route. We will quote you the airfare applicable, based on routing, season, current fare levels and booking class availability. Our quote will include all taxes and fuel supplements applicable at the time of quotation, as well as our service charge. The usual airfare deposit is £300.

COMBINATIONS: Why not combine a visit to Cocos Island (or Cocos and Malpelo) with an enjoyable land-based diving holiday at Ocotal on Costa Rica’s northwestern coast? Talk to us about the possibilities.

Great Hammerhead (Charles Hood)