Features, Equipment and Sightings

Services Offered: Scuba excursions around Caño Island and dive education. With a full time PADI Instructor on staff, we offer a variety of educational services from beginning open water to dive master.

Night Dives: Available on a limited basis

Visibility: Excellent!! Varies from site to site but is usually no lower than 40ft and ranges to 100ft plus making it the best in mainland Costa Rica. Averages 60ft plus.

Temperature Range: High 80's to low 70's with thermoclines at varying depths.

Exposure Protection Needed: For most people, a 2mm spring suit (shorty) will suffice. If you tend to get cold a full 2mm or 3mm suit will almost always do the job. Our rental department stocks quality Henderson full 3mm suits.

Marine Life Encountered Around Caño Island: In one word, abundant!. Humpback Whales, Dolphins, Reef Sharks, Giant Manta Rays, Mobula Rays, Sting Rays, Sea Turtles, Groupers, Snappers, Angels, Moorish Idols, Trumpetfish, various types of Eels, Crustaceans, huge schools of Barracuda, Jacks, Grunts, and much more.
Coral Formations: Soft and hard coral formations are common but not as colorful or abundant as the Caribbean.

Currents: Usually mild but on some days can be strong.

Dive Staff: All boat dives are guided by a certified PADI Instructor or Dive master. All dive staff are Medic 1st Aid and Oxygen Provider Certified.Boats: Our boats are small and fast. So you can have a better experience, we limit the number of divers on a boat to no more than 8. Usually we try to keep numbers on any particular boat from 4-6 divers.

Equipment Rental: Our rental department uses only top quality Sherwood regulators, gauges, BCDs, masks, fins, and snorkels. All wetsuits are Henderson 3mm neoprene.
Tanks: 80cu ft (12liter) aluminum. All tanks are less than 1yr old and have current visual and hydrostatic tests. Tanks use regular K-valve (the main type used in the U.S. and throughout N. America). DIN compatible valves are not available at this time.

Safety: Oxygen kit and 1st aid kit on board.

Compressor: Top quality Bauer K-14.
Departure Time for Caño Island Dives: 7:30am
Return Time: Around 2-3 pm
Average Time to Reach Dive Sights: 45min - 1hr
Average Dive Depths: 60ft - 80ft

Dive Sights

El Bajo Del Diablo (The Depth of the Devil): The best site by far in the area and one of the best in the entire country. A huge area with many sub sites. Towering rock pinnacles rise from over 150ft to just under 20 ft. the best visibility, overall fish life and the best place to encounter Giant Mantas. An incredible maze of peaks and valleys. Groupers, snappers and amberjack reaching 70lb, swim along side great schools of tuna, barracuda, reef sharks and a large number of different tropical fishes. More than 4 species of eels can be found as well.

Cueva Del Tiburon (Shark Cave): A small cave that is home to you guessed it, sharks! Other inhabitants include angels, butterfly, damsels and parrotfish. Moorish idols, puffers, sturgeonfish, and occasional mantas and stingrays.

A very exciting dive. Los Arcos (The Arches): Unique rock formations formed in the shape of arches. Swim through these towering underwater arches and see fish life similar to the Shark Cave due to its close proximity. El Barco (The Wreck): No wreck here, only a variety of rock formations with the areas most plentiful hard corals. Fish life profuse and a great dive to encounter white tip reef sharks, stingrays, and an occasional sea turtle.

Paraiso (Paradise): Prolific fish life. Excellent site to view white tip reef sharks. Large schools of big groupers, snappers, tuna, and rooter fish can be found here as well as a number of smaller species mentioned earlier.

Other Information: The purchase of DAN (Divers Alert Network) Insurance is highly recommended prior to arriving in Costa Rica. Cost for basic coverage is inexpensive (around $35us) and is well worth the price if an unforeseen accident should occur.

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