DeepSee Submersible Diving under Cocos Island

Photo courtesy from Undersea Hunter

Dive Profile

Type of Diving: Deep-Sea Submersible Diving
Maximum Depth:  80 – 300 meters (260 – 1,000 feet)
Visibility: 20 – 35 meters, dependent on artificial light
Temperature: 68 – 82°F (20 – 28°C)

If you have been reading scuba diving articles about Cocos Island, you may think what environment lies beyond the maximum depth set for recreational diving. Is it totally dark? Are there strange looking creatures? Can you possibly see the Kingdom of Poseidon? Well, there is only one way to find out: let’s go DeepSee Submersible diving. But wait, please do not expect to use any of your scuba gear and get wet since this is the only dive in Cocos island that doesn’t get you wet. All you need to do is just sit down inside the craft and allow the submersible to take its course.

What is a DeepSee Submersible?

Considered as a custom-built submarine, a deepsee submersible is both a flexible underwater vehicle and a masterpiece where agility, comfort and safety are just some of its general descriptions. This sub is capable of carrying two passengers and a pilot and can dive up to 450 meters (1,500 feet) deep.

Unlike your typical military submarine where your vision is limited to the aide of a periscope, your view in the deepsee submersible is unparalleled and has no obstruction. This is courtesy of the acrylic plexiglass spherical dome that separates you from the inside to the surrounding water. Many of those who have done the deepsee submersible said that the transparent spherical dome will start to disappear and blends in the water as the sub starts its descent.

It is loaded on its mothership – the MV Argo, and is holstered down on water using hydraulics. But this does not mean that only the guest from MV Argo can have exclusive access to the sub as guests from MV Sea Hunter can also go deepsee diving when these 2 vessels meet at Cocos Island. Once on the water, you will get onboard the sub and it will be towed out going to a particular dive site, such as:

(a) Everest

Depth: 100 meters (300 feet)
Duration: 2 hours
Price: $1,450

On the day of your deepsee submersible diving, your liveaboard vessel will position itself near Manuelita. Once the correct position is attained, you will enter the deepsee submersible and will be towed in an area where a direct descent can be attained.

Photo courtesy from Dive the World

Once the “All Systems Go” is given by the Captain, you will then hear the command: “Dive, Dive, Dive“. From this moment, you will make a direct descent. On a normal dive, you need to equalize your ear as you descend but this trip needs none as the deepsee submersible is totally cabin pressurized. On your way down, you will realize that natural light will slowly fade away and the artificial light of the submersible will start to glow. When you arrive at 80 meters (240 feet), the submersible will pump air to attain neutral buoyancy while avoiding hitting the ground. This process will jet-out bubbles which will signal deep sea creatures to come near the sub.

In most cases, mobula rays are the first to flood the view of your dome-shaped cabin. After the rays lose interest and goes away, you have the option either to focus you attention on the sandy bottom where you can see strange looking creatures not found in shallow waters or perhaps focus your attention by looking upwards where the great school of hammerhead sharks is perfectly silhouetted with the immense population of jacks with the mild back-draft of the surface. Anyways, regardless of what direction of sight you choose, you will surely be amazed of this once in a lifetime experience. Just imagine: you went deepsee diving without getting wet.

Photo courtesy from Dive the World

After a few minutes, you will traverse to the sandy sea bed where the so-called underwater Mt. Everest will gradually come in to view. If the shallow waters of Cocos Island is buzzing with marine life activity, then this deep sea environment is filled with tranquility and peace where deep-sea animals tends to be moving in a slow-motion. Among the marine life that you will see in Everest are Deep-sea octopus, Scythe Butterflyfish, Cabrilla Groupers and the rather odd looking Brotula fish. Black corals are also abundant in this part of Cocos Island .

(b) The Wall

Depth: 305 meters (1,000 feet)
Duration: 3 hours
Price: $1,850

Photo courtesy from Undersea Hunter Group

Most of us have already heard about continental shelf. But have you ever been diving down there? With the ultimate deepsee submersible package, you will have this rare opportunity to the reach the farthest depths of Cocos Island. Also called as “The Edge”, the wall is a crack of the Cocos continental plate that drops down in to the abyss.

After making a direct descent and arrive at the top layer of the wall, you will be greeted by Mobula rays where scientist have been amazed by their presence in this depth. You will also notice that light and darkness competes for dominance and can be considered the start of the twilight zone. As you descend further down the wall, you will observe that light slowly vanishes and the artificial light of your sub will start to glow. With this, the glow of light will attract all sorts of marine creature where many have seen jellynose fish and rosy lipped batfish. Now, here’s the thing: when your pilot announces that you just reached the deepest part of the wall, be ready to interact with one of the strange-looking Prickly Sharks where many have seen its presence at this particular depth.

Before we end this article, here’s a realization that you will never forget: that this amazing deep sea experience is limited by time and that you need to surface up to where you belong. As you slowly ascend from total darkness back to daylight, you can say that this trip was truly one of its kind and you will surely remember. Correct us if we are wrong, but this particular dive will be the deepest dive of your life.

Now, are you excited to go deep sea diving in a submersible? Please take note that not all liveaboard companies offers this one of a kind experience. It is only with our main partner – the Undersea Hunter Group.

Reference

Undersea Hunter Group: www.underseahunter.com

Dive the World: www.dive-the-world.com

Scuba Travel: www.scubatravel.se

Video courtesy from beffue

About Tristan Paylado
Tristan is a marine biologist and a CMAS 2-Star Dive Instructor
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