In October/November 2008 the club is running a trip to the world famous Cocos Island in the Pacific Ocean off Costa Rica. See the maps & text below:

The dates of the actual boat charter are October 22nd to November 1st 2008. That's departing the mainland on a Wednesday and returning on a Saturday.

However, we are planning to fly out the previous Saturday (18th) and have a few days to get used to the time zone, to explore San Jose and visit a few of the many attractions in the area.

Following the charter, it will be possible to fly home on the following Monday (3rd) but it is recommended (time allowing) to stay for an extra week returning on the following Saturday (8th) making it a three week trip altogether.

There's loads to do out there and the extra week will give the opportunity to see some of the remarkable natural wonders the country has to offer.

Flights will be from London Heathrow via Madrid into San Jose (Juan Santamaria Airport).

The flight schedule looks like this:- (full schedule)

OUTBOUND
HEATHROW TO MADRID 0620/0940 IB3169
MADRID TO SAN JOSE 1205/1505 IB6313

INBOUND
SAN JOSE TO MADRID 1710/1125 IB6314 (next day arrival)
MADRID TO HEATHROW 1315/1435 IB3164

The hotel we will be staying in is the Colonial Hotel in down town San Jose, a traditional colonial style hotel with bar facilities and a swimming pool.

This type of hotel would is the best value for money because some of the out-of-town country club type hotels can be quite expensive.

How Much?

I am now in a position to confirm the final price of the trip.

Unfortunately, the flights were more expensive than I had expected and this is mainly due to the additional tax and climate charge which is over £200 per head. I also had to pay a further £20 surcharge on the flight tickets to hold on to them rather than let them go and face a further increase of £175 per head.

Please note: This balance is due on August 1st 2008

The above cost excludes the cost of hotel rooms because different people will be staying for different times. However, the hotel will be around £20 per person per night. So you can work out your own costs depending on how long you are staying. Do not include the 10 nights aboard the Sea Hunter.

Unfortunately there were no group discounts on the flights (group bookings are actually more expensive!) and with the new so called "green tax" that the government have slapped on the cost of flying, the flights came out a little more expensive than I'd hoped for. Also, by far the cheapest flights were out of Heathrow and were nearly £200 cheaper than the flights out of Cardiff.

The charter price quoted above is for a "full boat" compliment and we are receiving the maximum discount which is approx. £285. Transfers between San Jose and Puntareinas are included in the charter price.

The above quote does NOT include travel insurance which you MUST sort out yourself. Please ensure that you get Scuba Diving cover with your insurance.

Below is a calendar of events as expected. We will be flying out from Heathrow connecting in Madrid to San Jose the capital of Costa Rica.

Please note: Travelling out to Costa Rica means arriving the same day because they are seven hours behind us in time whereas returning home means that you will arrive the following day. Not everybody will be returning on November 8th as shown.

We will need to arrange some sort of transport to and from Heathrow. The flight out is scheduled for 06:20 so we will need to be there around 04:00.

We are flying with Iberia Air and the baggage allowance is; Two pieces of hold luggage each not exceeding 23kg in weight plus hand luggage.

Since Costa Rica is an amazing place I recommend that everybody stays for the extra week to explore this incredible country. The boat charter has already been determined so this part of the itinerary is fixed. The big costs are the flights and the boat charter so the extra week will hardly affect the overall price of the whole trip.

When we go aboard the Sea Hunter, we will be divided into two groups of nine divers. Each group will be assigned to a "Panga". The pangas are the boats we use to shuttle to and from the dive sites. Each panga has a dive guide who will be present on all dives.

The two groups will also be berthed in cabins at different ends of the boat i.e. fore and aft.

Obviously, you should be on the same panga as your buddy since the pangas do not visit the same dive sites at the same time. However, for many of the "hammerhead dives" we will be diving as groups rather than buddy pairs but it is always useful to be close to your normal buddy during the dive.

Because there are nine divers in each group there can either be a group of three in the group or one diver can if he or she prefers, dive with the guide. Most people have already indicated who their preferred buddy will be so I have divided the group into the following pangas:

Cabin Layout

The diagram (below-right) shows the cabin layout of the Sea Hunter. The cabins have been allocated amongst the group as follows:

Cabin 1
Paul Morgan
David Rees

Cabin 2
Mark Jones
Peter Swarfield
Andrew Pipien

Cabin 3
Paul Markwell
David Hughes

Cabin 4
Gareth Jones
Gillian Berntsen

Cabin 5
Lyn Eade
Phil Dewhurst
Phil Marshall

Cabin 6
Andrei Rodionov
Dave Walker

Cabin 7
Peter Rees
Huw Jones

Cabin 8
Ceri Jones
Kevin Morris

Health Issues

Vaccines

The recommended vaccinations for UK travellers to Costa Rica are as follows:

Typhoid
Tetanus
Polio
Hepatitis A

The rabies jab is optional and only required if you go off backpacking around the country.

Malaria

Malaria is a serious and sometimes fatal disease which is transmitted by mosquitoes.

You cannot be vaccinated against malaria.

In Costa Rica There is a variable malaria risk in Limon Province. Anti-malarials are recommended. Chloroquine tablets or Proguanil tablets are usually recommended for those visiting risk areas in Costa Rica.

The risk is low in the northern canton of Pococci and the city of Limon (Puerto Limon). There is a very low to no risk in all other parts of the country. See the malaria map (right).

Avoidance of mosquito bites is recommended at all times. Avoid mosquito bites by covering up with clothing such as long sleeves and long trousers especially after sunset, using insect repellents on exposed skin and, when necessary, sleeping under a mosquito net.

Note: There is no risk at Cocos Island.

If you have been travelling in a malarious country and develop a fever during your stay or after your return home, seek medical attention promptly. Inform your doctor that you have been to a country where malaria is present. Remember malaria can develop even up to one year after exposure.

Food & Drink

Travellers' diarrhoea (TD) is a condition characterised by a marked increase in the frequency of unformed bowel movements and is commonly accompanied by abdominal cramps, urgency, nausea, bloating, vomiting, fever, and malaise.

It occurs in up to a half of European travellers who spend two or more weeks in developing parts of the world and should therefore be taken seriously.

Some useful precautions include:-

• Unless you are sure of the purity of the water supply, don't drink it. This also applies to water used for ice-cubes and for cleaning teeth.
• Water from sealed lid bottles is usually safe, as are hot tea and coffee, fizzy drinks, beer and wine.
• Take care with local cheeses and ice cream. Boil unpasteurised milk before use.
  
• Cook meat thoroughly and eat while still hot. Avoid leftovers.
• Fish and shellfish may be hazardous even if well cooked. Take local advice, but avoid seafood if in doubt.
• Eat only cooked vegetables and avoid salads.
• Peel all fruit, including tomatoes. Avoid food exposed to flies.
• Wash all dishes and cutlery in clean, hot water.
• Wash your hands thoroughly before eating or handling food, and always after using the toilet.
  

The Gallery

Below are a series of photographs of Cocos Island, the boat Sea Hunter, the undersea life that exists around Cocos, some photos of the Costa Rican mainland showing some of the remarkable forests, volcanoes, waterfalls and other attractions the country has to offer.

Looking for one of the ultimate thrills in scuba diving? That would have to include the opportunity to swim with the big guys at Cocos Island. On a good day at Cocos, the pelagic action is second to none. Over the course of a week of diving you will begin to ignore the ever present white tip sharks as they move around you, for your eyes will be on the lookout for the unmistakable shape of the unique and impressive hammerhead sharks. Adding to the excitement are encounters with majestic eagle rays, mantas, schooling mobula rays, silky sharks, Galapago sharks, and if you're having a really good day, a massive whale shark, largest fish in the sea.