Gathering a group for Cocos with Argo on 10-20 September 2020

[Dan]

What is the expected tip to the crew?

It’s totally up to you. I didn’t read in their guest information nor hear from the crew of any expected tip amount. What I heard from CD was that they would really appreciate any tips from the guests. They work hard to please you. Your tip reflects your satisfaction of their service.

They provide an envelope for each guest to put the tip in. You have the option of adding the tip to your bill and pay them with credit card during settling up your bill on the return voyage back to Puntarenas.

I was happy with their service so I tipped them accordingly. Please send me a PM if you want to know more about it.

 

[peeweediver]

I like to promote this trip, not only because it's a great trip, but also they have great crew, especially the cruise director (CD), Juan Manuel, who made the trip a lot more fun. He's such a comedian. We had good laughs after dinners watching his presentations and listening to his jokes. I request Undersea Hunter Group for him to return as CD for this trip.

Dan_T, if only I could swim a mile in your fins. You take great trips. I thought Juan Manuel stopped crewing with Undersea Hunter. Glad to know he's back. He is a hoot and a very good dive leader as well. Tons of fun when we went with him in 2016. Have great trip.

Rob

 

[Dan]

Peter Löseke made this cool video of Cocos from above.

 

[Dan]

Dan_T, if only I could swim a mile in your fins. You take great trips. I thought Juan Manuel stopped crewing with Undersea Hunter. Glad to know he's back. He is a hoot and a very good dive leader as well. Tons of fun when we went with him in 2016. Have great trip.

Rob

He saved my GoPro Hero6.

When we went diving in Dirty Rock, I was on the 1st group who went into the water. He's on the 2nd group. As I descent to 50 feet, I noticed my GoPro case started to fill up with water. I thumbed the dive and ascent back to the boat. He was still up there getting ready with group 2 and calmly reached his hand to my camera rig, took the GoPro case out off my camera rig, took the GoPro out of the case, pulled the battery & the micro SD card out of the GoPro and put them in dry bag. We then continued the dive. We saw oceanic manta during that dive, I took pictures of it. I wish I had a video then.

Fortunately his quick action saved my GoPro. I was able to fix the leak and used it for the next dives.

 

[Dan]

I’m into yoga for stretching before weight training. Surprisingly Juan Manuel led yoga excercise in the morning before the first dive of the day while we were in Cocos. I’m looking forward to do that again. He inspired me to do yoga before going diving from then on

 

[scubafanatic]

Thanks for your inquiry.

The cost per person will be $5650 after the group discount ($795 off the $6445 list price). Please be aware of additional cost that will apply to all liveaboards going to Cocos, those are:
1. $490 park fee to protect the marine area from illegal fishing.
2. $100 ground & marine transportation from San José to pier & return, as shown here: 2020 September Cocos Trip

$700 deposit per person is needed to book your spot. There are few people have expressed interest, but have not committed with the $700 deposit, yet. As of to date, there are 6 spots are still available for grab.

Be nice to visit Cocos before the Chinese finally finish it off for good, but too rich ($$$$) for my blood.

 

[Dan]

It’s expensive to get there due to its remoteness, 340 miles (550 km) off Costa Rica west coast, 36 hour boat ride.

The park rangers work very hard to keep the site pristine & keeping those illegal fishing off the area, Our trip help finance their operations in a way.

 

[scubafanatic]

It’s expensive to get there due to its remoteness, 340 miles (550 km) off Costa Rica west coast, 36 hour boat ride.

The park rangers work very hard to keep the site pristine & keeping those illegal fishing off the area, Our trip help finance their operations in a way.

According to 'Sharkwater', your tourist dollars 'funding' anti-illegal fishing efforts, is just another bogus 'eco labeled' tourist tax, here's what's REALLY happening with respect to the Costa Rican government's corruption/bribery and shark extermination:

Sharkwater: The Explosive Documentary Film on the Costa Rica Shark Fin Trade

Sharkwater: The Explosive Documentary Film on the Costa Rica Shark Fin Trade

Rob Stewart tells the amazing story of the making of the documentary firm Sharkwater. Rob uncovers the connection between the illegal shark fin trade, the mafia and the Costa Rican government. Hear the story of how they were chased down by guns boats during the making of the film by the Costa Rican government. Get the inside scoop of the story behind this remarkable film directly from the Director/Producers mouth.
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Sharkwater Extinction gives Rob Stewart the epitaph he deserves

Sharkwater Extinction gives Rob Stewart the epitaph he deserves

In the course of the affable director’s posthumous documentary on the underground fishing industry that’s killing tens of millions of sharks each year, he gets shots fired at him off the coast of California; totes a hidden camera into a freezer boat loaded with blue shark carcasses in Cape Verde; and secretly flies a drone over Taiwanese-mob-owned finning warehouses in Costa Rica.

 

[Dan]

That is certainly disturbing news. It’s sad to know what happened to Rob Stewart too. I hope his efforts pay off in the end.

When I visited Cocos island, I did see a building full of the confiscated longline fishing lines, piles of floats & a bridge over a creek, made from the confiscated longline fishing materials, as you see below. So, at least there are that evidence that the park ranger do something positive about protecting the area.

 

[Dan]

From watching Cocos trip videos taken about 7 years ago, as shown below, shark population there seems to be about the same as what I saw last year. I guess that's a good sign.