August 18-28, 2025 | Cocos Island Trip Report | Sea Hunter

This trip to Cocos Island brought us face to face with a whale shark swimming right through our group, massive schools of hammerheads as well as jacks, playful dolphin encounters, and so many unforgettable dives!

We set sail from Puntarenas on August 18 with a full boat of excited divers, and the flat seas made for a very comfortable journey. Spirits were high as we reached the island on the morning of August 20, ready to dive!

Our first day of diving was all about getting everyone settled in. We started with a check-out dive at Manuelita, but due to some equipment and buoyancy challenges, we repeated the check dive to make sure all guests felt confident and comfortable. The improvement between the two dives was amazing, and by the end of the second one, all our divers were calm and relaxed in the water. Although hammerheads were scarce that first day, we were lucky to spot an oceanic manta — always a good omen for the week ahead!

On the second day, things really started to pick up. Our morning dive was packed with action: schooling hammerheads, swirling big-eyed jacks, and a curious dolphin that swam right up to us. All three cleaning stations at Manuelita Outside were just flooded with jacks — it was incredible!

On day three, there was little shark activity at the cleaning station at Dirty Rock, but we enjoyed playing with a huge school of jacks. At the end of the dive, a whale shark surprised us by swimming right through our group! Right after that, a school of hammerheads appeared out in the blue.

On day four, we stuck to the sheltered side of Cocos Island due to poor swell conditions and weren’t able to reach Dos Amigos. We made the most of the rough conditions with a walk to Chatham Bay in the afternoon — always a nice way to stretch the legs and soak in the lush island surroundings. At Porites, we saw three silvertip sharks.

Day five brought a welcome surprise: an improvement in sea conditions allowed us to visit Small Dos Amigos. We followed that up with a classic dive at Dirty Rock — both dives full of life and energy, with happy guests and great sightings.

On our sixth day, the first dive was a workout with strong current, but the second dive made up for it with great visibility and plenty of shark activity. Later that afternoon, we did a second island walk, this time in Wafer Bay, enjoying the view and the tropical breeze.

Our seventh and final day of diving brought us full circle. We had a fantastic dive back at Dirty Rock, followed by Porites, where we saw a couple of manta rays. Our final dive of the trip was challenging, with heavy current and reduced visibility, but our divers emerged from the water smiling, grateful for a week of adventure, marine life, and the magic that only Cocos can deliver.