Diving in Costa Rica

The last few days we have been diving from Coco in Costa Rica.

It is over 20 years since we dived in the pacific (Hawaii in 2001). The conditions here are challenging for diving. The visibility can be quite low sometimes about 5m. There are strong currents with a high surge factor which can mean you are moving forward and back in relation to the bottom. Lastly the water temperature is also a bit cooler with powerful thermoclines. A thermocline is where the water can change temperature by as much as 10 degrees when you cross an invisible barrier. It is like going from the hot to the cold bath.

We mainly came here to see Manta Rays but alas this was not to be this time. When we went to the Catalinas Islands where they gather (over an hour by boat) the visibility was awful. But we did see lots of cool marine life Moray Eels, White-Tip Reef Sharks, many large Rays, many Octopus including a huge one, and so many fish some in schools of thousands bait balling.

But we have enjoyed the diving including taking a speciality course towards our Master Diver qualification. I think we are now better divers than we were 20 years ago. And coping with the challenging conditions here is part of that development.

We have also done some cool birding from the house. This included getting our 400th bird of the trip - Hoffman Woodpecker

Finally we have received permission from the Nicaraguan government to visit the country after two rounds of questioning (by email) so tomorrow we move on towards the border crossing the next day for a week in Nicaragua,Les mer