Update on diving at Cocos Island post-accident

[scubadada]

It’s hard for me to call any one particular site at Cocos the “best”. However, if I had to choose a site to dive on any given day, I’d have a tough time choosing between Dirty Rock and Alcyone.

Punta Maria, Dos Amigos Grande and Dos Amigos Pequeno are not too shabby either

 

[Dom@DiveAdvice]

I’m not certain that closing a particular site will have a real effect on providing substantial or even moderate protection from a single specific shark, especially in a location that is relatively compact as is Cocos. Here’s the thing about Tiger Sharks, Galeocerdo cuvier: they swim around.

Unless there is a specific reason for a shark or sharks to dwell in a specific location, (for example, near a sea lion rookery where large sharks come to prey on the pinnipeds, or as in St. Lucia where there is a small bay adjacent to a poultry processing plant where blood is consistently being dumped into the sea along with the rest of the industrial waste), then it may be a bit optimistic to presume that by avoiding that single site you will be able to prevent divers from encountering one particular animal.

Conversely, there was one particular cove very close to shore at Cocos that bore the monicker “Silverado”, where you could reasonably expect to see Silvertip Sharks, Carcharhinus albimarginatus, on any given day.

The Silverado site for many years boasted a resident population of 4-6 large silvertips which swam around a large rock while divers sat around it some 10 meters from it. Unfortunately they have not been seen for some years and we suspect that the arrival of the tiger sharks may have spooked them to change their territory. Pity as it was such a great dive.

 

[Snoweman]

or as in St. Lucia where there is a small bay adjacent to a poultry processing plant where blood is consistently being dumped into the sea along with the rest of the industrial waste),

So..., where is this bay in St Lucia, and what dive operators frequent it for dives??