Countdown to CocoView!!

[Daebado]

Leaving the last day of this month for a week at CocoView! I know it's a bit early but now that we've hit August, the excitement is starting to mount!

My wife and I honeymooned there 5 yrs ago so we thought this would be a proper way to spend our 5 yr anniversary. Should be interesting to see what has changed and what hasn't. Also, we were fairly new divers back then (most of you here would probably say we still are!) and didn't have much to compare it to. Now that we've got a bit more experience, I'm anxious to see if it still seems as great as it did then.
If things go right, I should hit my 100 dive milestone, so that will be cool! I know, I know... 100 dives, big deal. Well, for a Midwestern boy who lives about as far away from any ocean as you can get in this country, 100 dives is a lot!

Not for sure, yet but I believe we will be staying in the same over-the-water bungalow that we stayed in for our honeymoon so that will be cool, too. I think I'm going to take some time and snorkel the shallows this time. I didn't do that before and I think there should be a lot to see there. Also, night dives on the Prince Albert... Can't wait! I think I can hear it calling me...
I flooded my GoPro on the first night dive last time so I didn't get any pics of those dives. I have some making up to do, there!

 

[tridacna]

Nothing’s changed...thank goodness. It’ll be just the same as 5 years ago. Enjoy.

 

[Trailboss123]

Enjoy your time-- Sounds like a perfect 5 year anniversary trip to me.
Since you have a few weeks yet, you can pass some time reading my trip review from last year: Coco View Trip Report: July/August 2018

 

[KevinG58]

Night dives on the PA are great, last year there was a turtle hanging out in the area and it occasionally slept on the wheelhouse. After you re-familiarize with the channel, one night you should consider swimming to the corner and checking out the gold cup coral on CCV wall, its beautiful under the lights at night.

 

[Doc]

.... you should consider swimming to the corner and checking out the gold cup coral on CCV wall, its beautiful under the lights at night.

Go out along the placed anchor chain to 20fsw at the strobe marker, then left (East) staying very shallow, no deeper than 35’. This is the no-fail way of not getting lost and two other things- conserving air for a fairly long trip- and being at a good maximum depth for best critter interaction. This path is prime octopus hunting grounds!

If you follow that bottom terrain depth profile, it will curve you to what Kevin refers to as “the corner”. It’s easy to locate from the surface, note the first and Easternmost Red navigation buoy, out in front of C12. It’s the first big promontory of the vertical CCV Wall that starts in 5’ and straight down to a 90’ ledge (and then to 3,000 feet)

That’s where and why you want to be at 35’ depth.

That, and this is precisely where you’ll find the 5’ underhang ledge where the Yellow Cup Coral seem to thrive. (Orange? Gold? You’ll know them when you see them!)

There are indeed navigational shortcuts, the big one involves an IFR (instrument flight rules) traverse in the darkness maintaining 40’ depth (over a 200’ bottom) and a moderately accurate heading. By staying shallow you’ll pretty much guaranteed to hit CCV’s fringing reef structure, if not that, you’ll bang your head into the Prince Albert Wreck. Stay shallow. You can note this shortcut and shoot the heading during any one of the CCV Wall “drop off” dives. You’ll see this shortcut in quick order.

If you don’t have good nav skills or have dive buddies that might have issues performing what is a standard real world challenge? (Flying on instruments, maintaining depth and direction using the two standard gadgets ALL divers have ALWAYS carried), Then just follow the longer 35’ hard bottom curved route. No big deal.

There is no need to go deep at CCV, certainly not on a night dive. All the action is in 25fsw and shallower. There have been many night dives that we’ve never gotten past 15’ and logged 2 hour BTs.

A number of divers go deep at night along the walls to do Lionfish. They return with a 58 minute BT all very happy. I’ve seen them 70’ below me as I’m leading a group having a lifetime experience gawking at these coral feeder polyps. Everybody’s happy.


An amazing micro niche of an environment, i know of nothing similar as accessible. Enjoy- shallow and slowly!

@Daebado You’re going to be there for the Dark of the New Moon. This is the start of a very interesting activity cycle that will evolve over the next 30 days following. Perfect night diving moments!

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

April of this year.


Have fun!

 

[Doc]

Another CCV night time rarity, go find it!

 

[Daebado]

Enjoy your time-- Sounds like a perfect 5 year anniversary trip to me.
Since you have a few weeks yet, you can pass some time reading my trip review from last year: Coco View Trip Report: July/August 2018

Already did... twice!!

 

[Daebado]

Night dives on the PA are great, last year there was a turtle hanging out in the area and it occasionally slept on the wheelhouse. After you re-familiarize with the channel, one night you should consider swimming to the corner and checking out the gold cup coral on CCV wall, its beautiful under the lights at night.

Thanks, Kevin. You know, of course that you're just making it worse! (the waiting, that is)

 

[Daebado]

Go out along the placed anchor chain to 20fsw at the strobe marker, then left (East) staying very shallow, no deeper than 35’. This is the no-fail way of not getting lost and two other things- conserving air for a fairly long trip- and being at a good maximum depth for best critter interaction. This path is prime octopus hunting grounds!

If you follow that bottom terrain depth profile, it will curve you to what Kevin refers to as “the corner”. It’s easy to locate from the surface, note the first and Easternmost Red navigation buoy, out in front of C12. It’s the first big promontory of the vertical CCV Wall that starts in 5’ and straight down to a 90’ ledge (and then to 3,000 feet)

That’s where and why you want to be at 35’ depth.

That, and this is precisely where you’ll find the 5’ underhang ledge where the Yellow Cup Coral seem to thrive. (Orange? Gold? You’ll know them when you see them!)

There are indeed navigational shortcuts, the big one involves an IFR (instrument flight rules) traverse in the darkness maintaining 40’ depth (over a 200’ bottom) and a moderately accurate heading. By staying shallow you’ll pretty much guaranteed to hit CCV’s fringing reef structure, if not that, you’ll bang your head into the Prince Albert Wreck. Stay shallow. You can note this shortcut and shoot the heading during any one of the CCV Wall “drop off” dives. You’ll see this shortcut in quick order.

If you don’t have good nav skills or have dive buddies that might have issues performing what is a standard real world challenge? (Flying on instruments, maintaining depth and direction using the two standard gadgets ALL divers have ALWAYS carried), Then just follow the longer 35’ hard bottom curved route. No big deal.

There is no need to go deep at CCV, certainly not on a night dive. All the action is in 25fsw and shallower. There have been many night dives that we’ve never gotten past 15’ and logged 2 hour BTs.

A number of divers go deep at night along the walls to do Lionfish. They return with a 58 minute BT all very happy. I’ve seen them 70’ below me as I’m leading a group having a lifetime experience gawking at these coral feeder polyps. Everybody’s happy.


An amazing micro niche of an environment, i know of nothing similar as accessible. Enjoy- shallow and slowly!

@Daebado You’re going to be there for the Dark of the New Moon. This is the start of a very interesting activity cycle that will evolve over the next 30 days following. Perfect night diving moments!

Thanks, Doc! That a lot to try to remember! I may have to write some of that down on my dive slate (I've got the one with the scrolling velum so I can get a lot of info on there!). We plan to do a little of both... probably a deep dive one night and at least a couple of shallow night dives.

So I'm curious, now. What kind of "interesting activity cycle" are you referring to? Would hate to miss something special just because I didn't know to be looking for it.

And just to make sure I remember correctly, CocoView wall is on your right as you enter the channel from the resort and Newman's wall would be to your left. Again... it's been 5 years!