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We
are fortunate to have so many great dive sites only a short boat
ride away. Most of the local sites accommodate all levels of
experience. The dives are multi-level starting out at 30ft/10m and
sloping down to a maximum depth of 90ft/22m
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We
typically see schooling grunts, spade fish, horse-eye jacks,
surgeons, angelfish, and butterfly-barber fish, just to name a few
species. We also see white-tip reef sharks, an occasional nurse
shark, eagle rays, devil rays, southern sting rays, and cow-nose
rays, as well as several species of puffer fish, eels, octopus
and turtles. On the tinier side, harlequin-clown shrimp, seahorses,
nudibranches, and frog fish are found hiding in the corals and rock
formations. Whale sharks occasionally visit this area and can be
seen any time of year. Humpback whales, pilot whales, dolphin, and
turtles frequently keep us entertained during the boat rides. Some
of our favorite sites are Virador, Monkey Head, Los Meros, Argentina
Point, Tortuga and Surpresa. |
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Trip
information:
We go out locally every morning,
we have no minimum. Our local dive trips consist of two dives, each
at a different dive site (three tank trips can be arranged). The
dives are generally 45 minutes long, with a one hour surface
interval in-between the two dives. The boat leaves at 8:30 am and is
usually back at around 1:30pm.
We offer fresh pineapple,
mantequilla (butter) cookies and cold water. If you wish to bring
other snacks, we have a cooler on board for you to store it in.
Please be aware that we do not allow alcoholic beverages aboard the
boats, unless previously agreed too by the captain and dive shop
owners.
All our trips are guided. We put
one PADI Divemaster for every five-six people, depending on the groups
experience.
We also offer local one tank
afternoon dives. This trip leaves at 1:30 and we need a minimum of
two people to make the trip.
NITROX is available. 24/hour
notice is required.
For both morning and afternoon
dive trips, its best if you let us know at least one day in advance
to reserve a spot on one of the boats. |
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The diving in the Papagayo Gulf
is amazing, because not only are we situated right in front of many
amazing
local dive sites, but we are also fairly close to the Catalina
Islands and Isla Murcielagos (Bat Islands).
Catalina Islands is south of Playa Hermosa, near Flamingo Beach. Its
usually a 45-60 minute boat ride, depending on the weather. On the
way, the boat is usually joined by pods of dolphins, which race the
boat. The Cats is known for the huge manta rays seen during the dry
season (December to late April). While the manta rays are seasonal
to this area, you always have a chance to see them any time of
year. When you have an encounter with one of these giants, you will
never forget.
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The
main dive sites at the Catalina Islands are The Point and The Wall.
There you will have the chance to see white-tip reef sharks, huge
schools of cow-nose rays, devil rays, eagle rays, schooling
barracuda, and horse-eye jacks, plus our usual marine life.
When
divers come to this area, they usually want to book a trip to The
Bat Islands (Isla Murcielagos), primarily for the chance to see the
bull sharks at Big Scare. But they soon find out that bull sharks
are not the only giants in the area. This site is also known for
other pelagic marine life, including manta rays, huge schools of
fish and zebra eels. This area is part of the Santa Rosa National
Park, so it is a protected area. We have all the necessary papers
needed to dive there.
The Bat Islands is a hour and a
half boat ride from Playa Hermosa.
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Trip
information:
The best time of year to visit the Bat Islands is
during the rainy season (April-November).
Catalina Islands and Bat Islands are advanced dive
sites due to surge, stronger currents and rougher surface
conditions. Boats do not use an anchor at these sites, so divers
need to be able to make a quick descent and make the safety stop
without a line. Depth goes from 30-120ft / 10 to 35m. We require a
local day of diving before planning these trips to get divers
acclimated to the water.
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Night diving is
one of the most spectacular experiences a diver can have. We depart
just before sunset and enjoy the boat ride over to one of our
favorite dive sites, while watching the sunset. Just as the last
rays of light leave the sky, we jump into the water. During the
night, the creatures that sleep during the day come out to play,
such as sea hares, apricot sea slugs and all types of tube worms.
Eels and octopus are more active and sometimes we come across a
sleeping turtle. The favorite among most divers is when you block
out the light on your flashlight and move your arms to watch the water light up with
bio-luminescent —you truly feel like you are in outer space. Join us
on a night dive; so that you can enjoy a night on the water,
watching the stars and looking into the water watching the fish glow
like shooting stars.
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Along with diving, we also offer
snorkel trips. The diving here is so amazing that even snorkelers
can enjoy our local dive sites. Most of ours sites are pinnacles or
islands, so they descend very gradually and with most of our marine
life living in shallow water, they are perfect for non-divers.
We cater from one snorkeler up to
large groups. We also offer private charters for large groups.
Please
contact us if you wish to charter
one of our boats. |
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To make a reservation, please
contact us via e-mail with your
name, when you will be arriving, level of certification, number of
people in your group, how many days of diving (two dives per trip,
but third tanks are available) you wish to reserve and which days.
Let us know if you will be bringing your own equipment or need to
rent, where you will be staying and if you will need anything
special such as NITROX, a private guide, or larger tanks.
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