Sea Hunter August 10-20, 2023 | Cocos Island Trip Report

We had a delightful group from Mexico aboard the Sea Hunter this expedition, many of whom have been exploring Cocos Island with us for decades! As we journeyed to Cocos, the seas treated us kindly.

Our check-out dive in Chatham Bay was teeming with life – whitetip reef sharks buzzed the reef, alongside a spectrum of reef fish like snappers and bluefin trevally. The visibility was crysta clear, extending an impressive 80+ feet, and warm water at 86F made the experience even more spectacular.

Our dives around Manuelita Island were amazing. In the channel, we sighted some hammerheads partaking in a cleaning station routine, alongside a graceful silvertip. We also saw yellowfin tuna and blacktips, and there were always whitetip reef sharks elegantly swimming around or peacefully resting.

The following day at Dirty Rock we had an astounding dive. With visibility improving in the first few meters and a cool thermocline under 80ft at 78F, it was a joy to see schools of jacks circling the pinnacle, as well as four eagle rays, many marble rays, hammerheads, and even Dolphins during the safety stop! The next  dive at Punta Maria was quiet in comparison, with a strong current, but the lack of bigger sharks didn’t dampen our spirits.

Day 3 presented strong currents at Alcyone, alongside a cold thermocline and a small group of hammerheads in mid-water. A pair of eagle rays and a school of jacks also graced us with their presence. Our dive at Dirty Rock was more laid back with fewer hammerheads, with the afternoon dive at Pajara enlivened by countless black durgons.

The next day, we dove Big Dos Amigos – which was full of snappers, black jacks, barberfish and a majestic black giant manta ray leisurely passing in front of the group. 

Small Dos Amigos was quiet in comparison, with a few whitetips, a couple of hammerheads and a solitary Galapagos shark.

On Day 5, our dives at Dirty Rock and Punta Maria were calm, with less than ideal visibility, a few hammerheads, plenty of whitetips, and a frog fish at Punta Maria.

The next day, we returned to Manuelita Out and Alcyone. Unfortunately, the conditions weren’t as good, with somewhat poor visibility and a cold thermocline at 79F. However, Alcyone presented an opportunity to observe quite a few hammerheads, and Manuelita Coral Garden positively teemed with life.

Our last day at Cocos Island we had some challenging conditions at Alcyone, including a strong current. Despite this, we spotted a school of jacks and some splendid eagle rays. Our last dive in the Coral Garden was absolutely full of life – truly a perfect way to conclude the trip.