Cocos and Malpelo Gallery

Hi Folks,

I've just added up a new gallery on my website with images from Cocos and Malpelo Islands. www.nigelmotyer.com

It was a good trip. I'd have to say that Malpelo was a bit of a let down in that the water was like home diving in Ireland. Warmer sure, but green and murky. Deeper down, 25 to 30 meters we hit very cold but very very clear water, but it was dark down there.

So Cocos Island was the better of the two destinations during our visit and we had good weather there. One bait ball and a few hammerheads around but I was amazed at how much evidence we saw of the illegal fishing. Last time I was there it was 1998 and the place was hopping with Hammers on every dive, even the places where they aren't supposed to be. Not this time though.-

You'll see in the gallery a couple of images of a huge ghost net we found on a reef at Malpelo. You'll see an image of us recovering it and it nearly filled the Panga. The Colombian navy paid us a visit while there and they took the net into the rangers on the island. Elsewhere we saw long lines on the reefs too. Sad really, I understand the poverty of the folks trying to feed families but it won't take long to empty the place and then everybody looses

The day we left Cocos we sailed around the Island and on the back side as dusk approached we counted 7 fishing boats within a mile of the island, I'm sure even more came in after dark.

On the plus side though its still a magical place to visit and an amazing place to dive. As usual, the Undersea Hunter crew, top notch. Enjoy the gallery, Nigel.

Very nice. Really enjoyed the rest of your website as well.

Freakin' fantastic images, Nigel!!!

Sad to hear about the 7 fishing boats that you spotted...

Superb series.

I really enjoyed it. It reminds me of my last trip to Coco last Nov.

beautifull gallery. i especially enjoyed your shark and sailfish gallerys

Really nice shots Nigel.

But really sad to hear your report of illegal fishing (which I presume it is). I thought there was a six mile exclusion zone around the islands?

I run a dive school and I'm in the middle of organising a trip for 2011. In view of the cost of a trip from the UK, I think I'll have to have another look at this.

Again, great shots.

Hi Andy - you know despite the fishing boats, and you're right the fishing is illegal, this is an amazing place to dive. It really is a place where you never know what will turn up, so you have to do every dive.

The key thing here is the time of year you go. April isn't the best time to go for the Hammerheads but its a great time to see a bail ball. We saw three and snorkeled with one. Which for me was a freaky experience cause back in 1995 I did the same thing and got a nasty bite on my hand from a silkey shark and was medivac'ed back to Cost Rica.....so this time I really had to have a strong chat with myself before jumping in for a look.

I'd have to say, its horses for courses but Cocos does it for me over a coral reef dive trip....unless its a Jim Abernethy coral Reef then I'm with Jim every time - his trips are off the scale !