Trip Report Cocos Diving Trip Report, 17 -27 September, 2018

[Dan]

I was in maldives the last week of December and the current was RIPPING. I’d like your impressions on the difficulty you faced there. We missed 2 dive sites because of washer machine conditions (well 1 definitely washer machine; the other was just a mix of current and jelly fish heaven with shorties).

I will do a write up myself!

There were some fast current in Medhu Faru in South Male Atoll and Miyaru Kandu (Shark Point) in Vaavu Atoll on 11 December, 2018. No washing machine type of currents fortunately. We just anchored our reef hook on a rock and enjoyed the show. Those places remind me of Pelleliu Corner and Blue Corner in Palau.

Looking forward to see your report!

 

[Dan]

Waiting for those reports.

Next week, hopefully.

 

[Dan]

One new experience when I was there hanging around a rock while watching the hammerhead parade, there were lots of barnacles around. Some of the life ones that happened to be next to my hand would tickle / nibble on my hand. Some of dead barnacles became homes for these tiny endemic Cocos Barnacle Blenny.

 

[ReadyTo Dive]

Another great trip (and report) Dan! Always look forward to reading these from you.

The wife and I are still looking to possibly join you on one of your Cocos/Socorro or Indo trips within the next 2 years or so (or at the very least dive with you and H. again on another Flower Gardens trip this season or next?) but her main question tonight that she asked me to ask you was between Cocos and Socorro (or even Galapagos) which area do feel most consistently has the “calmest” currents? We have fought a few monster rips this past year and she has decided that she is looking to do “milder vs. wilder” ha! Thanks again for all the effort these write ups take, they are appreciated.

 

[Dan]

Another great trip (and report) Dan! Always look forward to reading these from you.

The wife and I are still looking to possibly join you on one of your Cocos/Socorro or Indo trips within the 2 years or so (or at the very least dive with you and H. again on another Flower Gardens trip this season or next?) but her main question tonight that she asked me to ask you was between Cocos and Socorro (or even Galapagos) which do feel would most consistently have the “calmer” currents? We have fought a few monster rips this past year and she has decided that she is looking to do “milder vs. wilder” ha! Thanks again for all the effort these write ups take

Cocos in September would be the calmest one for me.

Socorro had calmer dive sites amongst the other Rivellagigedo Archipelago dive sites when I was there 2 weeks ago. Roca Partida could be bad, but we were blessed with little to no current, hence, not much pelagic other than the mantas. It’s a bit cold too (75F). I wore 5mm.

Galápagos in December was the most challenging dives among the 3 dive destinations. I did a few of quick negative entry to the bottom in Darwin & Wolf. The cold water also add complications (7mm wetsuit & more dive weights).

I just signed up for February 16 trip to Flower Garden earlier today with Scuba Diving Lesson Houston Texas (TX) | Dive Gear Rental & Scuba Equipment Repair - Gigglin Marlin Dive and Swim There are still a few spots (4?) available if you would like to join me. February is hammerhead season

 

[ReadyTo Dive]

Cocos in September would be the calmest one for me.

Socorro had calmer dive sites amongst the other Rivellagigedo Archipelago dive sites when I was there 2 weeks ago. Roca Partida could be bad, but we were blessed with little to no current, hence, not much pelagic other than the mantas. It’s a bit cold too (75F). I wore 5mm.

Galápagos in December was the most challenging dives among the 3 dive destinations. I did a few of quick negative entry to the bottom in Darwin & Wolf. The cold water also add complications (7mm wetsuit & more dive weights).

I just signed up for February 16 trip to Flower Garden earlier today with Scuba Diving Lesson Houston Texas (TX) | Dive Gear Rental & Scuba Equipment Repair - Gigglin Marlin Dive and Swim There are still a few spots (4?) available if you would like to join me. February is hammerhead season

Thank you so much! We hope to make it to the region in 2020, that gives us plenty of time to work out the financials that way.

Unfortunately my work won’t let us join you on 2/16 this year but I do wish you the very best of luck on going out! Seems like quite a bit of it is needed to make the FGs trip a “go” before mid-May/first of June.

 

[Dan]

Waiting for those reports.

Still putting together the videos for the Maldives trip report. Here is one that I just published, a unique night dive. I haven’t seen schooling nursesharks until that night.

 

[CWK]

Still putting together the videos for the Maldives trip report. Here is one that I just published, a unique night dive. I haven’t seen schooling nursesharks until that night.

Alimatha Jetty is nice. Looks like you had a great trip.

 

[Dan]

The last 2 dives, Dive 20 in Manuelita Outside and Dive 21 in Manuelita Channel turned out to be our best closed encounter of the hammerhead kind, as shown in Figure 19 and 20, below.

View attachment 497551 Figure 19: Scalloped hammerhead shark of Cocos

View attachment 497552
Figure 20: Scalloped hammerhead shark of Cocos

Conclusions
The diving trip to Cocos has been one of my best diving experience, especially when it comes to seeing many kinds of sharks up close. My dive buddy and I have already planned to come back there again in September 2020. If we can gather enough people to charter the whole boat, we can split equally the free of charge as a group discount for everyone. This trip is usually booked up early, more than a year in advance. So, if anyone is interested to join us, please PM me. Early birds will get all the worms.

I got the next trip date set: September 10-20, 2020.

 

[Joneill]

Still putting together the videos for the Maldives trip report. Here is one that I just published, a unique night dive. I haven’t seen schooling nursesharks until that night.

Amazing - some large nurse sharks too. Any explanation for the schooling behaviour exhibited there?