SHARK DIVING HOTSPOTS: COCOS ISLAND

Encounter: Scalloped hammerheads, Silky sharks, Galapagos sharks, Blacktips, Silvertips, Whitetips, Marbled rays, Eagle rays, Mobulas, and Mantas.

Schooling Scalloped hammerhead sharks congregate at various sites around the island. The sharks arrive to take advantage of cleaning stations. Divers at sites such as Halcion cling to the edge of the seamount trying to avoid being noticed. The hammerheads are generally shy but occasionally come close enough to be seen clearly. Even when they are less cooperative the spectacle of hundreds of Hammerheads swimming by high above the divers is extremely memorable.

Whitetip reef sharks are present on every dive you will probably do at Cocos Island. They are easily approached especially on closed circuit, and at night they come alive and swarm over the reef in search of concealed fish like a marauding pack of wolves. Its an amazing experience to follow the pack which will use your dive light to hunt by.

Silky sharks are also present on most dives although in lesser numbers. But, if a bait ball occurs they materialize out of the blue and fire themselves like torpedoes at the writhing balls of fish. Silkies are also attracted to the Undersea Hunter's new submersible 'DeepSee'. which cruises deeper sites around the island.

Silvertip sharks come in to the shallows at a place named Silverado. Up to 7 or 8 sharks are often present at this cleaning station and they are very tolerant of divers, allowing them to approach within a few meters.

Blacktips and Galapagos sharks are usually seen out in the blue but will join in when bait balls are formed.

Marbled rays are also seen on just about every dive and can be easily approached and photographed, while Mobulas, Mantas, and Eagle rays tend to be more difficult to get close to.

Operators: The Sea Hunter and Undersea Hunter run out of Punta Arenas on one to two week trips. Avi Kapler and his partner Yosi Neeman have perfected the art of 'off shore live aboard diving' and they are tremendously experienced in catering to the needs and wants of shark divers from around the world. In the past they have provided support for all manner of international film crews from Howard Halls IMAX team to BBC film makers and a host of others. Recently they went one step further by installing a Seamagine Hydrospace Triumph class submersible called DeepSee. With this they are now able to visit as deep as 1500ft where they hope to discover many amazing new creatures perhaps including some poorly known sharks and rays.

The Okeanos Aggressor holds the third license to operate in Cocos Island's waters. Keeping the dive ships limited has allowed the forward thinking government of Costa Rica to keep Cocos in pristine condition.

Accommodation: Ship based.

Directions: The Undersea Hunter and Sea Hunter leave Punta Arenas on Costa Rica's Pacific coast for the 300 mile crossing to Cocos, every week during the year. Trips aboard their ships need to be booked well in advance although cancellations often allow one or two divers to join at the last minute.

Useful Links:

Elasmodiver Scalloped hammerhead page

Elasmodiver Whitetip reef shark page

Elasmodiver Marbled ribbontail ray page

The Undersea Hunter home page

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