Dive Review of Sea Hunter in
Costa Rica/Cocos Island

Other Costa Rica reports
Subscriber Content Preview
Active subscribers go here

Sea Hunter: "Hammerheads, Reef , Tiger , and more sharks plus whales and mantas.", Sep, 2024, by Matt Radtke, CO, US ( Sr. Reviewer 9 reports with 5 Helpful votes). Report 13241.
Photos Submitted with this Report Click on an image to see an enlarged version and captions
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving	N/A
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	The diving at Cocos Island was probably some of the very best in 20 plus years of diving. Large schools of hammerheads with multiple hammers at each cleaning station. We estimate at least 1500 hammers over 7 days of diving. In addition to hammerheads we saw Tiger sharks, Galapagos sharks, Silkies, Silver tips, and Reef sharks, We also saw many types of rays including Mantas, Marble, Cow nose, and Spotted eagle rays, The abundance of fish and other marine life was also notable. Massive schools of Jack, Trevally, Snapper, Black Durgons, Needlefish and Tuna. Other fun sightings of Octopus, Lobster, Pipefish, frogfish, and many other critters. We had a pod of Orcas come close to the boat and a mother humpback whale with her baby. We had pods of dolphins escort us to and from Cocos island. The diving was just incredible. The boat and crew were not what we are used to when it comes to liveaboards. The boat had a cockroach problem with roaches seen crawling over food and on the walls. They were in our room as well. I realize it is the tropics but I have never seen this many roaches on a boat before. When we arrived we were told our room number and the cruise director said, if you need any help getting your bags to the room just let us know. But, then every single crew member disappeared for literally a day and half. We had to take our bags up the very steep stairs ourselves. We had no communication from the crew with the 30 hour crossing and started the first day of diving with no knowledge of when the day would begin. No schedule posted. We would have appreciated more communication. Even during the week when a schedule was posted they would comment, "we don't know if that will really be the schedule or where we are going." It did work out but it was frustrating. The food was very basic. Lots of fresh fruit was offered at breakfast and as the snack. We have been on liveaboards with more limited food choices than Costa Rica and yet the chef managed to fix incredible fresh baked snacks and meals. Not this boat. The same snack every day. The same dessert everyday. Ice cream except for the occasional birthday cake which wasn't very good. We have been on over 15 liveaboards and this is the first crew that didn't speak to you unless you spoke first. No good mornings or smiles or chat in general. After 7 straight days of diving with the same 2 dive masters they had no idea what our names were. The proof was in the last day our dive master approached me and said "Are you Freddy?" I had to direct him to the correct guest since he didn't bother to learn anyone's name. It was a little shocking to me on the last day when the crew asked for a 20 percent tip. They tried to do the guilt pitch by saying they left their families to make sure we had a good trip. Unbelievable really. Honestly the worst service from crew we have ever had and the first time we have been asked for a 20 percent tip. That would have been an additional 3K. Laughable. When you pay 15k for a dive trip the expectation was higher for top notch service. They didn't deliver. The diving was fantastic and saved the trip. Everything else....not recommended.
Websites	Sea Hunter
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	Over 1000 dives
Where else diving	Eygpt, Galapagos, Carribean, Indonesia, Palau, Mexico, Bonaire, Solomon, and Tahiti
Closest Airport	San Jose	Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny, rainy, cloudy	Seas	calm
Water Temp	79-82°F / 26-28°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	70-100 Ft/ 21-30 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	no
Enforced diving restrictions	Always follow the dive guides and stay where they tell you.
Liveaboard?	yes	Nitrox Available?	yes
What I Saw
Sharks	Lots	Mantas	1 or 2
Dolphins	Schools	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	None	Whales	> 2
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	Designated charging area and rinse buckets for camera gear.

Leave a comment (Subscribers only -- 200 words max)
Subscribers can comment here

Subscribers can post comments, ask the reviewer questions, as well as getting immediate and complete access to ALL 171 dive reviews of Costa Rica and all other dive destinations. Complete access to all issues and Chapbooks is also included.

Other dive reports on Undersea Hunter

All Costa Rica Dive Reviews and Reports
Diving Guide to Costa Rica
Diving Reviews for All Dive Destinations

Want to assemble your own collection of Costa Rica reports in one place?
Use the Mini Chapbook Facility to create your personalized collection.

Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

Undercurrent Home

Page computed and displayed in 0.2 seconds

Get more dive info like these and other important scuba updates sent monthly to your email. And a FREE Recent Issue of Undercurrent
Get a free monthly email and a sample issue!

Dive Review of Sea Hunter in Costa Rica/Cocos Island

Sea Hunter: "Hammerheads, Reef , Tiger , and more sharks plus whales and mantas.", Sep, 2024,

Photos Submitted with this Report

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Dive Review of Sea Hunter in
Costa Rica/Cocos Island