Malpelo Island Costa Rica and Undersea Hunter live-aboards

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	Choose Destination - Cocos & Malpelo Island - Malpelo Island



GENERAL INFO: Malpelo Island is located 314 miles (500 km) off the coast of Buenaventura, Colombia in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. It is 340 miles East of Cocos Island. View Malpelo Island on Google Earth - provides location, but no satellite imagery available. (Get Google Earth here). The Island of Malpelo is a more sinister and forbidding looking place than Cocos. It is recognized as a Colombian Fauna & Flora Sanctuary, with a marine protected area of six miles around the island. It is the peak of a large submarine volcanic ridge that stretches for 150 miles, from northeast to southwest. The Malpelo ridge rises from depths of 13,123 feet (4000 meters) to reveal itself as the tiny, solitary rock of Malpelo. Malpelo was once eight to ten times larger than its present size of eight 8 square kilometres. The rocky outpost, known to many as “la Roca” or the Rock, has three distinct peaks. The highest of which, “El Cerro de La Mona”, stands at 1233 feet above sea level (376 meters). The maritime weather has eroded the island forming steep cliffs and sea caves along its threatening coastline. The north and south sides of the island are decorated by 11 smaller satellite rocks, each with its own appeal. CLIMATE: The Climate is maritime and wet tropical with high humidity and abundant rainfall. Temperatures average around 28 centigrade all year long. There are no permanent fresh water reserves on the island, although frequent rains accumulate in and pass through temporary rock pools and springs throughout the island. From December until May, the northern winds bring with them calm, cold water and clear skies. From May to November the effects are the opposite, being influenced by the Equatorial countercurrent that brings warmer waters rich in plankton and an abundance of rain. BIODIVERSITY: The submarine environment surrounding Malpelo is defined not only by its isolation but also by its location, which is highly influenced by several diverse marine currents. Malpelo is home to an important coral formation as well as a large variety and quantity of marine creatures. Of special interest is the hammerhead shark with its awe-inspiring schools reaching up to 300 hundred individuals. The two most outstanding phenomena in Malpelo are the huge number of cluster and free swimming moray eels and the enormous congregations of silky sharks who often mix with hammerheads to form colossal shark schools. Other common sites are the white tip shark, Galapagos shark, giant schools of angel fish, Creole fish, jacks, tuna, and occasionally a sail fish, whale shark and even Humpback Whale. Algae, moss and lichens cover the rugged cliffs of Malpelo which host the 2nd largest Masked Booby colony in the world, approximately twenty five thousand birds. The island is often visited by some twelve species of migratory birds, including the Red-billed Tropic bird, Red-footed Booby, Black Noddy and the great and magnificent Frigate birds. Endemic to the island are one crab species, two starfish, various species of coralline fish, and two reptiles.	*Above:* Schooling hammerhead sharks.
“Hugging the rock face, I inch my way around the ledge only to be greeted by one of the most amazing sights I have ever seen in 30 years of diving: the entire ocean is filled with Hammerhead Sharks. They move in an endless column from about 100 feet all the way to the surface. The panorama of torpedo-shaped bodies stretches as far as I can see…” Brett Gilliam, CEO TDI/SDI Diving.

DIVE SITES OF MALPELO ISLAND: Malpelo Island has a wide range of amazing dive sites. Here are the descriptions of just a few of them...			*Above:* Dive sites around Malpelo Island.

	La Gringa Depth: 18-39 m (60-130 ft.) Marine life: Hammerheads, Galapagos sharks, jacks, tunas, eagle rays, scorpion fish. Description: This is the biggest rock on the South side of Malpelo. There is a cave that passes through part of this pinnacle between 130 and 80 feet. From here, with good visibility, it is possible to see three sea mounts whose shallower depths reach 80 feet. A school of innumerable bigeye jacks inhabit the exposed side of this rock where one frequently encounters groups of hammerheads as well. Sometimes Galapagos sharks also visit this area.

		*Above:* Whale Shark. *Below:* Silver-tip shark. *Above:* Manta rays. *Below:* White-tip reef sharks.
	The Twins Depth: 6-33 m (20-110 ft.) Marine life: Hammerheads, silkies, eagle rays, scorpion fish, eels. Description: Two long pinnacles that grow almost parallel up to 30 feet forming canyons that schools of hammerheads and eagle rays like to swim through. Numerous scorpion fish together with eels can be observed on the shallower parts of these pinnacles.

	The Fridge Depth: 15-30 m (50-100 ft.) Marine life: Hammerheads, silkies, mantas, eagle rays, jacks, tunas, whale shark, eels. Description: This is a small bay that hosts an important cleaning station for almaco jacks and hammerheads. A high concentration of Creole fish, together with common sightings of groups of eagle rays or other pelagics, make this place absolutely incredible when completed by the “waves” of silky sharks that can be counted in the hundreds. Enough action to make you shiver!

	Virginia's Althar Depth: 12-27 m (40-90 ft.) Marine life: Hammerheads, eagle rays, eels, barracudas, batfish, snappers, grunts, jacks. Description: Also known as “The Reef”, this is the part of the island where the walls exhibit the least amount of vertical descent. For this reason corals have been able to take advantage of this area creating terraces due to the fact that here they receive a greater amount of light which is so crucial for their growth. Numerous species of reef fish are thus called to pray at this altar. Snappers, sea bass, surgeons, king angels, damselfish, Moorish idols, eels, trumpet fish and goatfish can all be found. Schools of barracudas and jacks are also common with hammerheads seen on occasion.

	Monster Face Depth: 12-33 m (40-110 ft.) Marine life: Hammerheads, tunas, silkies, eagle rays, jacks, scorpion fish, eels. Description: This is the north side of Virginia’s Altar located right under what looks like the huge face of a monster, which can be seen looking at Malpelo from the North. It is a perfectly vertical wall from where it is often possible to see big schools of hammerhead shark that are brave enough to stare down the Monster.

	The Cathedral Depth: 15-24 m (50-80 ft.) Marine life: White tips, eels, grunts, snappers, eagle rays, tuna. Description: This pinnacle has a tunnel that passes through it from a sandy bottom at 60 feet almost reaching the surface on the opposite side. The walls of the tunnel are completely covered in corals and sponges. The interior, which is completely full of fish, creates a mystic atmosphere. Welcome to church!

*Below:* Hammerhead sharks.

The Seahunter and Undersea Hunter live-aboards also have itineraries which visit Cocos Island, located about 340 miles West of Malpelo Island. Did you want to read about Cocos Island too?
Click for information & pictures on Cocos Island and it's dive sites.

Cocos Island 1 cocos Island 2



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