Escape to Cocos Island on a liveaboard scuba diving trip in Costa Rica! Cocos is a lush, green uninhabited island resting 342 miles off Costa Rica's Pacific coast. Rocky pinnacles surrounding Cocos are beacons for big animals and big action. Schooling hammerheads, countless white-tip sharks, mantas, tuna and even whale sharks call Cocos home.
Cocos Island National Park was designated a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1997. Weather permitting, OKEANOS AGGRESSOR I® guests are shuttled ashore to hike through the jungles of Cocos and swim in her many waterfalls. All ten-day trips offer seven days of Costa Rica liveaboard scuba diving. Boats depart off from the port town of Puntarenas.
The driest time of the year is January to March and the seas are generally calmer from December to May, with better visibility. The rainier time from June to November has a greater amount of plankton in the water, attracting more pelagic species though predictably the visibility is not as good.
There are only two bays with safe anchorages and sandy beaches: Chatham is located on the northeast side and Wafer Bay is on the northwest. Nearby there are a series of smaller basalt rocks and islets. The water temperature varies between 22 - 28°C with cooler thermoclines, and on land the island is humid and tropical with an average annual temperature of 26. 6°C.
SEASONS
Cocos diving is divided into two major seasons: the dry season (November/December to April/May) and the rainy season (May/June to November). It is impossible to predict what you will see on any given trip, or indeed any given dive. That is part of what makes Cocos Island so special. As it is such a nutrient-rich environment, and since it is the only island out there, Cocos acts as a magnet for the large pelagics that are always to be found there. Divers are likely to be impressed by the marine life in this area, no matter what time of year they visit.
It is important to remember that Cocos weather is classically unpredictable, and so it is hard to predict exactly what mixture of marine life you will get on any one trip at any time of year.
The dry season is normally blessed with calm, sunny weather, with water temperatures in the 26-28°C range, and with visibility ranging from 18-30 metres, and active reproduction behaviour can be observed. Large schools of fish are frequently seen at various distances from the rocks. Hammerhead sharks, individuals and in schools, are commonly spotted in the open water. New born marble rays and whitetip sharks are abundant during this time. During this period divers can usually dive at most dive sites around the island.
During the rainy season, the prevailing south wind limits the number of days for comfortable diving at the east and southwest sides of the island. The calm water of the northeast lee side of the island provides a safe haven for boats and the necessary protection for the marine life. Water temperature is around 24-26°C, and the visibility averages 12-24 metres. During the months of July through October, hammerhead activity is at its peak; hundreds can usually be seen in very shallow waters, and at very close proximity to the rocks. Cleaning-stations are extremely active for long periods of time. Humpback whales, mothers and calves, usually visit the island every year between July and September.
Schooling whitetips in great numbers can be seen year-round, and there is a chance of seeing dolphins, marble rays, mantas, sailfish, whale sharks and other marine mammals throughout the year as well. The tiger shark is a year round resident at Cocos. Also visit our various Coco's sites here: Cocos Dive Sites, Okeanos Aggressor I, Okeanos Aggressor II, Sea Hunter, Argo...
Cocos Island National Park was designated a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1997. Weather permitting, OKEANOS AGGRESSOR I® guests are shuttled ashore to hike through the jungles of Cocos and swim in her many waterfalls. All ten-day trips offer seven days of Costa Rica liveaboard scuba diving. Boats depart off from the port town of Puntarenas.
The driest time of the year is January to March and the seas are generally calmer from December to May, with better visibility. The rainier time from June to November has a greater amount of plankton in the water, attracting more pelagic species though predictably the visibility is not as good.
There are only two bays with safe anchorages and sandy beaches: Chatham is located on the northeast side and Wafer Bay is on the northwest. Nearby there are a series of smaller basalt rocks and islets. The water temperature varies between 22 - 28°C with cooler thermoclines, and on land the island is humid and tropical with an average annual temperature of 26. 6°C.
SEASONS
Cocos diving is divided into two major seasons: the dry season (November/December to April/May) and the rainy season (May/June to November). It is impossible to predict what you will see on any given trip, or indeed any given dive. That is part of what makes Cocos Island so special. As it is such a nutrient-rich environment, and since it is the only island out there, Cocos acts as a magnet for the large pelagics that are always to be found there. Divers are likely to be impressed by the marine life in this area, no matter what time of year they visit.
It is important to remember that Cocos weather is classically unpredictable, and so it is hard to predict exactly what mixture of marine life you will get on any one trip at any time of year.
The dry season is normally blessed with calm, sunny weather, with water temperatures in the 26-28°C range, and with visibility ranging from 18-30 metres, and active reproduction behaviour can be observed. Large schools of fish are frequently seen at various distances from the rocks. Hammerhead sharks, individuals and in schools, are commonly spotted in the open water. New born marble rays and whitetip sharks are abundant during this time. During this period divers can usually dive at most dive sites around the island.
During the rainy season, the prevailing south wind limits the number of days for comfortable diving at the east and southwest sides of the island. The calm water of the northeast lee side of the island provides a safe haven for boats and the necessary protection for the marine life. Water temperature is around 24-26°C, and the visibility averages 12-24 metres. During the months of July through October, hammerhead activity is at its peak; hundreds can usually be seen in very shallow waters, and at very close proximity to the rocks. Cleaning-stations are extremely active for long periods of time. Humpback whales, mothers and calves, usually visit the island every year between July and September.
Schooling whitetips in great numbers can be seen year-round, and there is a chance of seeing dolphins, marble rays, mantas, sailfish, whale sharks and other marine mammals throughout the year as well. The tiger shark is a year round resident at Cocos. Also visit our various Coco's sites here: Cocos Dive Sites, Okeanos Aggressor I, Okeanos Aggressor II, Sea Hunter, Argo...