Cruising Cocos

They appeared like an alien attack force descending from space. The creatures with flattened bodies, sharply pointed wing tips and conical snouts glided effortlessly a foot or two above the bottom. Farther above, heavy cruisers deployed rapidly across the upper horizon. Soon their numbers multiplied as I hunkered down between two rocks at a depth of 100 feet in the pass between Isla Manuelita Rock and Cocos Island. What began with a couple of eagle rays and seven or eight hammerhead sharks quickly became eight rays and 50 to 60 sharks. Cocos Rules Among the diving destinations with both high-voltage adventure diving and outstanding marine life, the tropical Eastern Pacific rules. This distinction is owed largely to the region's impressive biosphere, which includes vast schools of jacks, tunas, grunts and snappers. Of course there are also visits by several of the ocean's more prodigious, nomadic denizens. Cocos is part of a region known as the Hammerhead Triangle that also includes the Galapagos Archipelago and Malpelo. It is not uncommon here to see mass aggregations of hundreds of scalloped hammerheads. In addition, there is also the Holy Grail of diving encounters, the chance to swim with a whale shark the size of a large truck. Giant manta rays with wingspans of 15 to 20 feet also waltz with divers. Experiencing this renowned level of diving excitement comes at a price. Namely, the patience required to reach this destination. Separated by 375 miles of open Pacific waters from its Central American territorial custodian, Costa Rica, Cocos Island remains undeveloped and virtually uninhabited. Without so much as a dirt airstrip, the only way to reach the island is by boat. Depending on sea conditions, crossings between the port in Puntarenas, Costa Rica and the island typically take 32 to 38 hours to complete. A History of Success The dive vessel with the longest history in these waters is the Okeanos Aggressor. The 110-foot vessel, which began its career in the late 1970s running charters in the Caribbean, is the oldest in the worldwide Aggressor fleet of live-aboards. The Okeanos Aggressor has one quad and nine large, double-occupancy cabins with shower/head facilities. The main salon has an entertainment center equipped with a TV, VCR and CD players. And the bar is free and always open, unless you are diving later that day. As with every vessel in the Aggressor fleet, Nitrox is available to divers who are Nitrox certified. There is also a pair of Dräger Dolphin rebreathers on board for which the crew can provide full instruction, certification and rental services. The Okeanos Aggressor recently added two new 23-foot fiberglass tenders that carry groups of seven to 11 divers and a divemaster to dive sites around Cocos Island. Runs from the mother ship to these dive sites vary from three to 15 minutes. The crew handles all of the equipment loading and unloading. Beneath the Waves The island's underwater topographical terrain is comprised of steep, sloping rock faces and huge rock pinnacles. While some of the pinnacles protrude high above the waves, other summits, like Alcyone, rise up from a depth of several hundred feet to within 80 feet of the surface. In addition to manta rays and vast numbers of hammerhead sharks, there are plenty of silky sharks, wahoo, yellowfin tuna and even the odd sailfish. For more information... For Tourist Board information...