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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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.
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