10/6/2007 - Bat Islands Report
The best time to visit the Bats (Islas Murcielagos) is about to come to an end, as the conditions are getting rougher and unpredictable. Of course we'll continue going there, whenever possible, it's just too exciting with our brand new speed boat, the VOLTARETA.
So it's a good time to look back and see, why we just love to go to these remote Islands within the Santa Rosa National Park. And these are the facts and figures:
The Good figures:
- 1000$, and even more, were paid to create, protect and maintain Costa Rican National Parks
- 105 divers joined us for this great trip and came back safe and happy!
- 55 minutes was the fastest trip to reach the furthest away dive site: Big Scare (to give you some other references, it usually takes 100 to 140 minutes with other boats).
- 27 C was the average water temperature, with a high of 29 C and a low of 23 C
- 20 Manta Rays (estimated but at least and no joke!) excited the divers on the 8th of August, since then we've had a sighting at every single excursion to the Bats)
- 18 is the number of times we went to the Bats since March 2007 (1 in March, 1 in June, 4 in July, 6 in August, 4 in September and 2 in October)
- 15 was the average visibility in Meters (45 ft)
- 13 times we were diving with at least one Bull-Shark (our ambition is to guarantee this fabulous encounter year round, at each sighting we learn more about them (behaviour, depth, water temperature, water movements, ect.) to get as close as possible to this objective).
- 10 was the maximum divers we took there (including the guides)
- 8 times we were lucky enough to observe Humpback-Whales on the trip there or back or both!
- 6 was the maximum number of Manta-Rays we've seen simultaneously (imagine, it was one in front, one in the back, one each on the left and right, one above and one below....)
- 4 was the maximum number of Bull-Sharks we've seen in one dive (simultaneously, so no doubt! And it happened twice)
- 1 Turtle was saved from drowning, entangled in a huge fishing line
The bad figures
- 300m (approx.) of fishing lines were collected from th bottom and surface
- 23 was the highest amount of fishing boats illegally fishing in the National Park sighted on one day! Support the CRDP to make the National Park a real protected area, it takes a lot of negotiation to make established!
- 3 divers got sea sick
- 1 dive had to be canceled because of too difficult conditions (low viz and currents in all directions, in one word: washing-machine! which is hardly enjoyable even for pros. This is also to remind all the divers that there are requirements in terms of Certification Levels and experience before they can be taken to these world-class dive sites).
- 1 bandage was used to treat a cut of a diver who got too close to a coral
- 0 controls of the park rangers
But simply let these few impressions speak...(don't miss to have a look at this amazing Bull-Shark Video from our excursion on the 8th of October 2007)
And now we are of course looking for an at least as exciting Catalinas Season for more EXPLORING, DISCOVERING, LEARNING AND SHARING
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9/17/2006 - International Coastal Cleanup
This 17th of September was the International Coastal Cleanup, as everybody should know!
Anyway, it was a great event here in Playas del Coco, as all dive centers and other organisations worked together to make this a realy big intervention.
Over 100 students, but also many locals and tourists signed up - attracted by the many prices to win or by personal awareness - and participated at the beach cleanup, which was also used to introduce the new recycling system in Playas del Coco!
We took the occasion to convince a few families of our doughters school to participate with us and to inform the children about the importance of doing this, as it is hard to teach adults with bad habits...!
The afternoon was reserved for a trip with our staff, some friends and volontiers to increase the size of this event by going to some of the popular beaches, only accessible by boat! It was definately worth it: even if some places have garbage bags, it would take days to clean all the boat-, pick-nic- and other garbage...
THANKS EVERYBODY FOR HELPING TO MAKE THIS DAY A BIG SUCCESS!!!!!
Especially to the Centro Infantil Los Delphines, Playas del Coco.
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9/17/2006 - False Killer Whales (pseudorca crassidens)
Yesterday during our first dive at Virador, we could hear it
very close, the hypnotising mermaid-singing of whales or dolphins. Once back at
the surface, the captain allready pointed into the direction where they were
swimming.
As we catch up with
them we quickly identify the group of False Killer Whales. These
"small" whales usually measure 5 to 6 m / 15 to 18 ft and are
resident along Costa Ricas Pacific
Coast but rather rare to see and
shy fellows.
Not this time, they stay around the boat. With no time to waste,
we put back on our snorkeling gear and glide gently in the water.
The first thing I see is an individual Eagle Ray with a fishing hook in one of
its wings. And then the whales start turning around. Not immediately aware what
happens, I take some pictures of these apparently friendly mammals and enjoy
their posing in front of my camera. Searching the surface to find out which
direction they take, I see some tales sticking out of the water as if they try
to push into something...I guess the eagle ray does not suffer anymore!
Just before they disappear in the blue, one of them passes
by bolow me, pushing an unidentifiable noise: is it a “thank you for hunting
with us”?
All excited about this encounter, I try to find out more
about this type of whale and ralize that they are known as rather agressif! And
what they tried to tell me was probably “next time we’ll have you for desert”
which is not excluded as they can also feed on dolphins!
Costa Rica
is very aware of it’s biodiversity and makes a lot of efforts to keep this in a
harmoious balance with economic growth. Since the beginning of 2006, laws have
been established to regulate whale-watching tours to cohabit, observe and
protect the cateceans in a sustainable way, which satisfies our curiosity
without disturbing the existence of the biggest creatures ever alive on earch.
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8/19/2006 - Diving in Costa Rica
Hello everybody! Welcome to our online Blog-Book, where we keep you informed about the amazing underwater-world discovered with the Summer-Salt Dive Center. Special encounters, events and sightings will not be missing! Check us out regularly and feel free to give your own comments on your diving experiences with us.
These white-tip reef sharks, a very common species here, are just the beginning of an endless discovery of marine life when you go below the surface of the north-eastern Pacific Coast of Costa Rica! When you visit the dive sites of Playas del Coco, the most popular and yet undiscovered dive destination in Costa Rica, you'll first be impressed by the big ones: Sharks, Sting-rays, Spottet eagle-rays, Turtles are just the most commonly sighted species. Whale-Sharks are occasionaly cruising by, Manta-Rays inhabit the Catalina Islands from November to March and Bull-Sharks can been seen at the Bat-Islands from April to September. Everywhere, he huge schools of jacks, grunts and other schooling fish are sometimes so dense, you can't see your buddy anymore, even if you really stick together! And when you can't imagine anything more, you might be enchanted by the migrating and resident whales and dolphins!
As you take a closer look on the rocky reefs and coral, you will be amazed to see how packed they are with creatures like crabs and shrimps, fantastic nudibranches, colourfull reef fishes, moray-eels and even sea-horses and the incredible frogfish!
Join the fun of endless discovey and share your experiences with us!
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BIENVENIDO, WELCOME, BIENVENUE and WILLKOMMEN to our DIVE-LOG!
Diving means to explore, discover, learn and share new experiences with lots of fun! It's a life-style we've chosen to live with our Dive Center in Playas del Coco, Costa Rica.
It is our intention to transmit our amazing life here through this Dive-Blog and keep you informed about amazing encounters, funny experiences and special events!
We also invite you to participate on this information- and exchange- platform with your own comments, critics and experiences lived at the Summer-Salt Dive Center or in Costa Rica!
Friends
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