Diving at Cocos Island

[oceanrealm]

Hello everybody.
Has anyone dived Cocos Island off Costa Rica? I am looking for big fish and according to Scuba Diving magazine this is one of the best places to see hammerheads, black tips and possibly whale shark. How true is that?
Also, is air transfer avaialble? As Scuba Diving mag mentioned it is 375 miles, 36 hours sail in rough seas. I was ready to jump off the boat after 16 hours sail in Coral Sea in September 2004! so not sure if I want to sail again!

Cheers,
Pit.

 

[cyklon_300]

has abundant big animals and no infrastructure. With the exception of park rangers, it's an uninhabited island. If you can't tolerate a lengthy boat passage, you won't be diving there.

 

[oceanrealm]

has abundant big animals and no infrastructure. With the exception of park rangers, it's an uninhabited island. If you can't tolerate a lengthy boat passage, you won't be diving there.

If diving is worth going there, I might as well chain myself to the boat
Is July August a good time?

 

[MoonWrasse]

NOVA made an IMAX film there. It's worth watching IMO.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sharks/

 

[Mike Veitch]

i was there july 2003, warm water 81, loads of silvertips, hammerheads etc. Crossing was smooth both there and back at 32 hours each way...
Most amazing night dive i have ever done, i did it every night! 100+ whitetips hunting in the shallows in a pack...even had one bite the camera out of my hand...cool!

The week before me and the week after me both saw whale sharks...we did not.
Mantas, 100s of stingrays, jacks, dolphins
Yes, well worth it, was better for me photographically than Galapagos.

Just Do IT!!!!!! thats what seasickness meds are for...

 

[Scuba65]

I'll be heading there next August.. and can't wait. It's a liveaboard that a friend has so that will be good. No you can't fly there. I have heard that August is the best time of yr. to go there. so, i'll let everyone know then.

 

[BernieL59]

Heading to Cocos in one week for a 13 day trip on the Seahunter. First few days are at Malpelo and then up to Cocos for the balance. Will drop a report when I return.

 

[Diversauras]

My son and I did the trip on the Okeanos in January of 2003 and the diving was great but the hammerheads were scarce. Once on board they told us that June to November is the best time to go.

All that said, I would go again and pay full fare, I'd just go when the sharks were schooling. The trip was as flat as it gets.

 

[mjh]

There are a ton of trip reports, pics, videos if you search the web. We are going to do this trip and you sort of have to pic what you want to see. The two star critters that are sesonal are the Whale Sharks and big schools of Hammer Heads. If you want Whale Sharks Nov-June best luck April-June. If you want schools of Hammer Heads than you have to wait till the rainy season July-Jan. As others have said check w/Sea Hunter and Aggressor live aboards.