Ocotal Costa Rica trip

[TJ O'Dwyer]

Arrived in Costa Rica on Dec. 1, 2007. First dive on Sunday and we went toTurning Point. As I found out later the vis was bad all week. 5 -10 feet was the norm. Water temp was between 70-75. Besides Turning Point we also dove Argentina(2x),Tiburanoes, Bat Island, Tor Tuga, Catalina Island, The best vis we got was about 20 - 25 feet at Bat Island. Red tide and loads of plankton. Hard to see any large critters but did manage to see 1 white tip shark and 3 (8-10 ft,) black manta rays. lots of eels young & old.

Food in the twon of El Coco was great. The only downside to being above water was the "no see ums" By Monday after returning I looked like I had measels on my legs.. (thank goodness I used off) On friday we went up to the volcano. Very interesting with the sulpher pools gurgling and watching the spider monkeys.

We stayed at El Ocotal and the room was good. The rooms do need updating. No need for an alarm clock as the resident Howler monkeys woke us every morn between 5:30 and six.

 

[Sorrows]

I've been told here that viz is the best in the winter months in Costa Rica. Did you catch it at a bad week? 5 - 10 feet--that sounds almost dangerous to me. How do you keep from losing each other?

 

[TJ O'Dwyer]

There was 5- 6 divers and 2 DM's. I also had a strobe on my tank which people said they coud see. The usual dive plan was if separate look for 1 minute and go up make a safety stop and surface. We never had a problem