PRETOMA announces its first Cocos Island Shark Tagging Expedition, to be held from November 11 – 21, 2007.
Cocos Island National Park and World Heritage site is located 530 km southwest of Costa Rica. The site is one of the best diving spots in the world, and holds perhaps the richest biodiversity in the Eastern Tropical Pacific. Schools with up to 100 scalloped hammerheads are commonly seen around the surrounding seamounts. White tip reef sharks are common, as well as silver tip sharks, galapagos sharks, black tip sharks, and silky sharks. The special treat of any diving expeditions, whale sharks, are also occasionally observed. Giant mantas, wahoos, and endless schools of jacks can also be seen.
Since 2004, PRETOMA, the Costa Rican sister organization of Turtle Island Restoration Network TIRN (www.seaturtles.org), teamed up with the Shark Research Institute (www.sharks.org) to carry out a three year shark census in Cocos Island, and study the migratory movements of the sharks that live there. Thus far, four expeditions have visited the Island, with research focusing on the short and long range movements of schooling scalloped hammerheads. In total, 25 sharks have been tagged with acoustic telemetry and 5 with satellite telemetry.
From November 11 to 21 of 2007, you will have the opportunity to participate in one of these fascinating expeditions, and live the experience of a life time. Dive among schooling hammerheads, assist researchers, and support conservation efforts directly at the site!
Expedition members MUST be intermediate divers, with PADI or NAUI membership as well as personal DAN or DiveAssure insurance. Nitrox is also available for certified divers. The dive expedition will be supported by the experienced and well known dive company Undersea Hunter S.A (http://www.underseahunter.com), which has been running expeditions to Cocos Island since 1990. The Undersea Hunter is a live-on dive vessel that holds 14 passengers, which are divided into two groups that explore the island in separate skiffs. Each group dives under the supervision of an experienced Dive Master/Rescue Diver.
Expedition members are expected to arrange their own travel to Costa Rica. If you would like assistance to book hotels for your first and last night in San José, and arrange taxi transportation to and from the airport, contact us at PRETOMA (pretoma@racsa.co.cr: info@tortugamarina.org). The expedition begins with pick up at the hotel of your choice on November 11, and ends when we return you at the hotel of your choice on November 21.
Cost:
- $3,945.00 (includes meals and all nitrox refills).
- $254.00 (Cocos Island National Park entrance fee).
TOTAL: US$4199.00
Shark Expedition Information (PDF)
All passengers should obtain trip insurance in case they have to cancel their trip due to unforeseen reasons beyond our control, such as weather or personal illness. In case the trip has to be cancelled due to an unforeseen reason within our control, the full payment for the Cocos trip will be refunded. Neither can PRETOMA nor Undersea Hunter be held liable for other expenses related to the trip, such as airline or other travel arrangements, which should be covered by trip insurance.
The trip will be jointly led by Alexander Antoniou, Director of Field Operations for the Shark Research Institute, and Randall Arauz, President of PRETOMA. Don’t miss out! We only have 12 slots remaining! Be a direct part of this research, and support the conservation of the Eastern Tropical Pacific’s incredible biodiversity.
For more information, contact: Randall Arauz, at rarauz@racsa.co.cr , or info@tortugamarina.org
