Catalina Island Costa Rica (Early February)

[pconsidine007]

Hi all-

I will be attending a wedding in Costa Rica in early February and me and a group of friends have booked a 2 dive morning trip to Catalina Island on a recommendation from a fellow diver from a recent Saba trip. Does anyone have anything to share about Catalina Island and any specifics about diving there in the early part of the year (late Jan, early Feb)? If so, please share your trip reports and/or insight about diving Catalina around that time of year. Many thanks for any insight you might have.

Best- Peter C.

 

[Beachlover]

I did some diving at Catalina Islands in Costa Rica back in July of 2000/2001. They(two) are two small islands side by side.The islands are small enough that you could almost swim around one of them if you had a 130' tank. I saw huge schools of jacks,several blacktip reef sharks,some nice walls,too. The vis was 30'-35',water temp. about 72-74 degrees f. I hope this was helpful.Have fun and Pura Vida!

 

[Rich Coast Diving]

Right now the Cats are great,loads of giant manta rays and happy divers.

 

[pconsidine007]

Thanks to those that responded to my post.

Has anyone ever encountered Bull Sharks while diving Catalina. I'm not sure where I read it, or if I'm just imagining things, but I thought I recalled reading that Bull Shark encounters are a possibility when diving Catalina. Can someone confirm???

Also, I know that Bull Sharks are of the more aggressive shark species. If the possibility of Bull Shark encounters exists, does anyone have any advice on how to proceed should a diver encounter one?

Many thanks to all!!
-Peter C.

 

[Girl Diver]

Hi Pconsidine007,
well, I have never been on Catalinas yet... I havenŽ´t heard anything about Bull Sharks either. Near Catalinas is an other dive site called "San Pedrillo" near the murcielago islands, I have been there like 4 or 5 times and I have seen bull sharks in there. IS AMAZING!!!

There is a dive center "Ocotal" it is located near cocos beach they have trips to catalinas and to this dive site Im telling you.

You can contact them so they can arrange both trips!! I really recomend you! Nice people.

Scuba Diving Costa Rica at Ocotal Beach Resort

Anyway, if you al ready have a Dive Center you can tell then to take you there (san pedrillo)!!

Goog Luck!!

 

[yukoncherry]

Sounds like you already have your dive centre booked. What beach are you staying on? I think youll find its easy to want to spend a few days diving the islands if you have the time. I bet theres probally bull sharks on Catalina Islands sometimes but the nearby Bat Island is very famous for them, maybe you can do a trip out there as well. Have fun in Guanacaste, such a beautiful part of the world.

 

[TARPON TONY]

4-time in costa ... Pura vida... Catalina is nice,manta,sharks,a little bit of everything when i last visited 08' june...heading to batman islands hahaha...this time around staying at the ocotal resort of playa de cocos...also diving in isla de canos down south of cornovado park, they say its really nice..paquere riverrafting and canopy in monteverde on the agenda check it out... Laters tarpon tony miami,fl:

 

[Rich Coast Diving]

Right now the Catalinas are great, we see mantas daily, bullsharks? Not likely, but never say never, we spotted one last year on a dive and we also had a whale shark once. It's the ocean..........full of surpirses!

 

[Prairie Diver]

Make sure you have a thick wetsuit and cup of hot coco for the surface interval. Water hit 15C or 59F yesterday and many divers canceled their second dives.

Check what the dive center has to offer for rental suits or bring a good one from home.

Hope it warms up a bit for you!
Happy Diving,
-Brent