red-lipped batfish
Guest
- Messages
- 19
- Reaction score
- 0
I want to see whalesharks and hammerheads!!! When and where will I have more of a chance? Also, which is easier/more efficient to get to from LA???
Cocos Island v Galapagos
- Thread starter red-lipped batfish
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
Hammerheads???
Cocos or Malpelo (Colombia).
As a side note, any of those is warmer than Galapagos.
Whalesharks?
I'd say Cocos (or Malpelo), but I'm not sure about that.
Anyway, nice diving in any of the three!
Happy bubbles,
Gio.
Cocos or Malpelo (Colombia).
As a side note, any of those is warmer than Galapagos.
Whalesharks?
I'd say Cocos (or Malpelo), but I'm not sure about that.
Anyway, nice diving in any of the three!
Happy bubbles,
Gio.
- Messages
- 10,954
- Reaction score
- 4,130
- # of dives
- None - Not Certified
red-lipped batfish:
Triple A has excellent maps. What was your mode of transport?
The Galapagos might be easier to get to as you pretty much so just have to sit in an airplane seat for maybe 10 total hours, something like that. The Cocos might entail getting the snot beat out of you on some dinky boat as it makes the crossing from the mainlad to the rocks out there.
Unless you were choppering in.
.
scubadog40
Registered
- Messages
- 18
- Reaction score
- 0
red-lipped batfish:
Well if you want to know what i think here is my slide show . Best time to go is sept.
http://www.photodex.com/sharing/viewalbum.html?bm=80550
I just did that research. But I haven't been yet. Hafta wait till April.
First, keep in mind that all the 2006 Cocos/Malpelo charters are full (with the Sea Hunter anyway. Underseahunter doesn't go to Malpelo, only Cocos. And the Okeanos Aggressor gets consistently much lower reviews than those other two boats - check out the trip reports on Diver2Diver and Undercurrents.).
Best season for Hammerheads is July-Oct or something, in Cocos, but they report seeing them all times of year, although not as consistently or in as great of numbers.
Easier to get to? Depends how you define it.
Cocos is this: Nonstop flight (I paid $250) to Costa Rica from Los Angeles. They pick you up in a bus and drive you 3 hours to teh coast, wehre you board your liveaboard. Then you suffer through a 36 hour trip to the dive site, but, remember, you're already installed in your liveaboard.
As I recall, and somebody who is recently back from Galapagos please chime in, you have to first fly to Quito, then you have to overnight and catch another plane out to the Galapagos, where you have to catch a bus and then a ferry (?) to the boat. More airlines, puddle jumpers, and baggage restrictions. Bigger PITA factor.
Doorstep to stateroom, I'd say Cocos is easier. Maybe not if you get very seasick though. But that's why they made the patch!
As far as big animals, and assuming you go in the right season, they both have tons. I've read so many reports they tend to blend together, but they both have lots of whalesharks (maybe Galapagos more?), Hammers, Galapagos sharks, silkies, white tips, rays, and the occasional humpback.
If you go to the Sea Hunter website, www.underseahunter.com, they have "trip reports", where they give an extremely brief blurb on what each charter saw.
Most of the Galapagos charters have at least a few land excursions, so if you have an interest in land stuff like boobys and penguins and iguanas and sally lightfoot crabs etc., then go there. I chose Cocos because I didn't want that stuff to cut into my dive time! ;-)
You have to book waaaay in advance though. Although I do know that Hollywoodivers has a trip going next year that apparently has space still.
Have Fun!
Taxgeek
First, keep in mind that all the 2006 Cocos/Malpelo charters are full (with the Sea Hunter anyway. Underseahunter doesn't go to Malpelo, only Cocos. And the Okeanos Aggressor gets consistently much lower reviews than those other two boats - check out the trip reports on Diver2Diver and Undercurrents.).
Best season for Hammerheads is July-Oct or something, in Cocos, but they report seeing them all times of year, although not as consistently or in as great of numbers.
Easier to get to? Depends how you define it.
Cocos is this: Nonstop flight (I paid $250) to Costa Rica from Los Angeles. They pick you up in a bus and drive you 3 hours to teh coast, wehre you board your liveaboard. Then you suffer through a 36 hour trip to the dive site, but, remember, you're already installed in your liveaboard.
As I recall, and somebody who is recently back from Galapagos please chime in, you have to first fly to Quito, then you have to overnight and catch another plane out to the Galapagos, where you have to catch a bus and then a ferry (?) to the boat. More airlines, puddle jumpers, and baggage restrictions. Bigger PITA factor.
Doorstep to stateroom, I'd say Cocos is easier. Maybe not if you get very seasick though. But that's why they made the patch!
As far as big animals, and assuming you go in the right season, they both have tons. I've read so many reports they tend to blend together, but they both have lots of whalesharks (maybe Galapagos more?), Hammers, Galapagos sharks, silkies, white tips, rays, and the occasional humpback.
If you go to the Sea Hunter website, www.underseahunter.com, they have "trip reports", where they give an extremely brief blurb on what each charter saw.
Most of the Galapagos charters have at least a few land excursions, so if you have an interest in land stuff like boobys and penguins and iguanas and sally lightfoot crabs etc., then go there. I chose Cocos because I didn't want that stuff to cut into my dive time! ;-)
You have to book waaaay in advance though. Although I do know that Hollywoodivers has a trip going next year that apparently has space still.
Have Fun!
Taxgeek
OP
red-lipped batfish
Guest
- Messages
- 19
- Reaction score
- 0
Thanks everyone. The info has been really useful. Just one more question. Is it necessary to be on nitrox when diving cocos?
You don't HAVE to, but most folks do, according to the Sea Hunter folks. I'm getting certified before I go. Apparently alot of the dives are deepish (70-90) square profile dives where nitrox can significantly extend bottomtimes. That's my impression, anyway.
The Sea Hunter boats usually offer the course (TDI cert) on the way out if it's not too rough, and rent nitrox computers.
The Sea Hunter boats usually offer the course (TDI cert) on the way out if it's not too rough, and rent nitrox computers.
cyklon_300
Contributor
are worthwhile destinations, regardless of the travel requirements. A major part of the allure of these places is their remoteness, enjoy the experience of getting away from your regular rut, it's not something to just endure or suffer through...don't understand that mentality at all. Being able to travel instantly from one's living room to the dive site would not enhance the enjoyment of the adventure...
Traveling to Cocos from AUS required 2 connecting flights to San Jose, overnite stay, 4.5 hr bus ride, and 37 hour boat ride.
Travel to Galapagos from AUS required 2 connecting flights to Quito, overnite stay, flight to Guayaquil, 737 (it is not a puddle jumper) connection to the archipelago, bus ride to docks, and tender ride to boat. We didn't arrive at Darwin for 2 more days.
Wildlife was spectacular at both locations. 500+ hammerheads at Wolf/Darwin, 45' whale shark, etc etc. Cocos had fewer HHs, but thousands of white tips and marlbed rays...and a gigantic baitball.
Avoiding Galapagos because of the land excursions offered is a mistake also. They were an integral part of the trip and thoroughly enjoyable and educational.
Nitrox on multi-day, multi-dive trips is always a good gas plan.
Traveling to Cocos from AUS required 2 connecting flights to San Jose, overnite stay, 4.5 hr bus ride, and 37 hour boat ride.
Travel to Galapagos from AUS required 2 connecting flights to Quito, overnite stay, flight to Guayaquil, 737 (it is not a puddle jumper) connection to the archipelago, bus ride to docks, and tender ride to boat. We didn't arrive at Darwin for 2 more days.
Wildlife was spectacular at both locations. 500+ hammerheads at Wolf/Darwin, 45' whale shark, etc etc. Cocos had fewer HHs, but thousands of white tips and marlbed rays...and a gigantic baitball.
Avoiding Galapagos because of the land excursions offered is a mistake also. They were an integral part of the trip and thoroughly enjoyable and educational.
Nitrox on multi-day, multi-dive trips is always a good gas plan.
OP
red-lipped batfish
Guest
- Messages
- 19
- Reaction score
- 0
Thanks guys, I have written to Seahunter to check the schedule for 2006 Aug to Sept. I have not heard from them.
I know the aggressor does not have good reviews for Cocos. If i go galapagos, which liveaboard should I go with?
I know the aggressor does not have good reviews for Cocos. If i go galapagos, which liveaboard should I go with?
We have booked on the Seahunter for Sept of 06, so far away. But durring our research the best time to see Hammerheads in Cocos is the rainy season late June to November. The best time to see Whalesharks is the dry season November to May.
Similar threads
