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Customized,
Personalized
Dive Odysseys
Cocos
& Malpelo Islands |
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High-voltage, adrenaline-pumping action with the biggest, most sensational animals in the oceans.
Welcome to Cocos & Malpelo Islands . . .
the Jurassic Park of Diving
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A
Note from Dom |
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Rising
straight out of the ocean, the plunging cliffs of Isla
del Coco are covered with luscious vegetation &
towering waterfalls. Often shrouded by a misty
cloud, Cocos Island above water is nearly as
exhilarating as Cocos Island below water.
And, below water, it's
virtually impossible to
rival this destination in terms of sheer diving excitement.
A World Heritage site,
Cocos Island, some 500 miles off
the western coast of Coast Rica, is a playground for
giant Manta Rays, bottle nose dolphins, schooling
Hammerhead Sharks & . . . when the elements are
right, for whale sharks, too.
But don't think that’s all. On the list of marine life you can expect to find here, include large schools of jack fish, snapper, tuna, silky sharks, silver tips, marlins, Moray eels, . . . . the list is long & varied. Even lobsters, octopus & turtles abound.
You’ll experience shallows & deep, sheer walls – corals, channels, pinnacles –
& some wild currents. This is not novice diving! It’s truly amongst the most spine-tingling
experiences a diver can ever have.
There are 4 excellent choices of vessels to get you
there - 3 in the
Undersea Hunter fleet
and the 4th - the
Okeanos Aggressor, which hosted my first trip to Cocos back in 1988!
We rate the
Sea Hunter &
Undersea Hunter quite simply as two of the world’s top live-aboards
& now they have a fabulous new sister, the 131 foot
Argo, which will
be the home base for the high-tech Deep See submersible. For an "eye-witness" report, you can read about my trip to
Cocos & Malpelo on the
Argo & the Deep See by clicking
here . . .
The Okeanos Aggressor,
as with all Aggressor vessels, is also always
an undeniably excellent option for Cocos.
And, now, added to the
already superior mix of options,
Peter Hughes Wind Dancer
begins service to Cocos in July 2010.
In
2010 & 2011 we have several charters & you can find
our charters plus virtually all other available
dates on our Availability
listing.
Or
click here to contact us for further
information.
Cheers, Dom |
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COCOS
OVERVIEW |
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THE ISLAND
First, let us reiterate that diving at
Cocos is not for the novice diver nor
for the faint of heart.
The changeable & sometimes raging
currents, the upwellings & the
thermoclines make this a dive
destination for experienced divers. If
you’re a relatively new diver, you’ll want
to “get your feet wet”, so to speak, in some
of our other destinations before making the
long trek to Cocos.
Also, you want to be a pretty good sailor.
It’s a 36 hour boat ride from Costa Rica
to Cocos Island, but on this trip
you’ll be well entertained & prepared by the
crew for your unforgettable Cocos adventure.
The island itself, with no human residents,
is truly one of the few remaining untouched
paradise islands & it delights visitors with
dense rainforests & astounding waterfalls.
If conditions permit, you may have the
opportunity to visit this enchanted island.
Admittedly, however, your first priority is
not a visit to the unique outcropping of
land. You’re there for the exhilarating
diving.
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THE DIVING
Sheer pinnacles, towering
walls & deep channels are filled
with & surrounded by swarms of scalloped
hammerheads, white-tip sharks, grey reef
sharks, oceanic white tips & often the
magnificent whale shark.
But, sharks aren’t all you get. You’ll find
mantas, mobulas, tuna & dolphins &
occasionally, you can see pilot whales,
marlin & sailfish. What many people
don’t realize is that there are plenty of
other species inhabiting this environment:
shrimps, eels, frogfish, snappers, jacks,
turtles & a variety of colorful
tropical fish – which, of course, draw
the large predators.
The dive sites encircle the island & diving
often begins at Manuelita Island,
which, on the west, is a fantastic drift
dive that features great shark action.
The opposite side of the island is protected
from the currents & harbors an incredible
array of Pacific reef fish, including
pufferfish, parrotfish, snappers, jacks
. . . plus turtles & more.
Plus, it functions as a cleaning station.
At Dirty Rock, a favorite for many
Cocos veterans, the rock formations
themselves are other-worldly. Here you
usually find the greatest number of
scalloped hammerheads along with
snappers, marbled rays & a variety of
sharks. Many divers feel that the
Dos Amigos dive is the most
exhilarating, with great visibility most of
the time, a dramatic underwater arch &
simply scores of fish & sharks.
But, everywhere you dive, you’ll be
surrounded by throbbing throngs of marine
life & for most divers, the first trip to
Cocos is never the last! |
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COCOS / MALPELO LIVEABOARDS
Sea Hunter .
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Undersea Hunter . . .
Argo . . .
Okeanos
. . .
Wind Dancer |
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The
Undersea Hunter Group & Deep See |
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Deep
See
is a custom submarine built
to the strict specifications of the Undersea Hunter
Group.
It can take a pilot & two passengers
down to a depth of 1,500 feet (475 m).
This is the first deep submersible designed & developed
with underwater explorers & also filmmakers in
mind.
If you're lucky, the
Deep See
might be on your cruise. For details ,
follow these links:
Undersea Hunter Group
&
Deep See. |
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The Sea Hunter
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The
Sea Hunter
was built as a dive support boat for the oil
industry & has the power, strength & stability
necessary for the long crossings to Cocos & Malpelo
Islands. Redesigned specifically with
the diver’s comfort & convenience in
mind, she’s been serving these destinations since
1995. At 115 feet, her interior is
superbly spacious & luxurious but underneath she’s a
remarkable workhorse.
Details of
the Undersea Hunter Group >>
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Undersea Hunter
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The
Undersea Hunter
was built in Florida in 1968 & was
used for twenty years as a submarine
support vessel.
Working primarily in the
Bahamas & the Caribbean, she completed
hundreds of research & photographic
missions before being converted into a
dedicated & luxurious dive boat. Her
missions now are exclusively to Cocos
Island.
Details of the Undersea Hunter Group >> |
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Thanks
to our friend Steve
Rosenberg for the magnificent whale shark shots |
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Argo |
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The
Argo joined the fleet
in 2009 & offers as much luxury as her sister ships. Carrying 14 divers in incredibly spacious surroundings, the boat is bright
& warm & inviting,
while still offering that famous
Undersea Hunter Fleet safety &
stability.
The
Deep Sea
is most frequently teamed with this vessel.
Details of the Undersea Hunter Group >> |
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Okeanos Aggressor
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You can always depend on the quality of a member of the Aggressor fleet,
& the
Okeanos Aggressor
is no exception. Divers love her for her
for her spacious accommodation, her
great cuisine & the ability of both
boat & crew to cater to every diver's
desires.
Details of the Okeanos Aggressor >>
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Wind
Dancer |
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Wind Dancer
begins operation in Cocos in
July 2010. A 20-foot steel mono-hull
vessel, she accommodates 18 guests in 9 well appointed,
en-suite, air-conditioned staterooms.
She has
all the standard perks of the Dancer Fleet®.
When not diving, guests can gather at the
wet bar on the Lido Deck, sunbathe or just
relax on the covered and uncovered sun deck
or cool off in the comfortable, air
conditioned salon.
Wind Dancer dives are made from 2 dive
tenders, each capable of carrying 11 divers
plus crew.
Details of the
Wind Dancer >> |
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See Availability or
Contact us for additional info or to reserve
your spaces.
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