Seventh Day of Diving (next to last) at Cocos Island July 6, 2016

Wednesday, July 6 (seventh day of diving, next to last)

Wind and sea conditions keep us trapped at NW end of Cocos.  Roughest trip Tom (his eighth trip to Cocos) has ever seen.  The crossing was the roughest he ever had, too….but I didn't think it was at all bad.  Our crossing going back will probably be much easier, it's not as windy as it was and the swell direction will be better for heading east.

    Big school of Big Eye Trevally at Manuelita Outside

                                Well illuminated Creole fish with Big Eye Trevally

       10 ft Tiger Shark.  Since the Tiger Sharks started showing up at Cocos about four years ago the sea turtle population has plummeted from almost every dive to almost never.  The Silver Tip Sharks have disappeared and Eagle and Marbled Ray populations are down.

           

   The dive guides cautioned us that setting off your strobe at close range in the face of Tiger Sharks or Galapagos Sharks.  I thought about that as this Tiger Shark swung by for a close pass and quickly decided that I wanted that nice illuminated shot so I went for it.  I didn't anticipate a photo bombing Big Eye Trevally that ruined my tiger closeup but possibly saved my derriere!:

For more pictures from this dive please go to:

https://plus.google.com/photos/110159573286645489662/albums/6307216450430545201?authkey=COGeovK278HZwAE

Dirty Rock, our second dive of the day:                                                                                                  

   Scalloped Hammerhead below Creole fish.

    A pair of Scalloped Hammerhead.

      Beautiful Scalloped Hammerhead

For more pictures from this dive please go to:

https://plus.google.com/photos/110159573286645489662/albums/6307216540109714433?authkey=CNX5-ZXfoKDYhwE

Steel Pompanos

                                Coral Hawkfish