Dive Site: Silverado

About Silverado

Silverado is a renowned dive site located within the extraordinary marine ecosystem of Cocos Island, approximately 500 kilometers southwest of mainland Costa Rica. Formed from volcanic activity over two million years ago, Cocos Island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, celebrated for its pristine waters and an abundance of pelagic life. Silverado itself is a dynamic seamount that acts as a vital cleaning station, drawing in massive schools of hammerhead sharks and other large marine animals. The site's topography features diverse underwater structures, including rocky formations and ledges, creating a complex habitat that supports a wide array of species. Depths at Silverado typically range from 18 to 35 meters, catering primarily to experienced divers due to the strong currents often present. These currents, while challenging, are precisely what contribute to the site's rich nutrient flow, attracting the large pelagic predators and schooling fish that define the Cocos Island diving experience. Divers at Silverado can expect thrilling encounters with hundreds of scalloped hammerhead sharks, especially during the wet season from May to December. Beyond hammerheads, the site is frequented by various other shark species, including whitetip reef sharks, silky sharks, and occasionally even tiger sharks and whale sharks. Large schools of jacks, tuna, and marble rays also contribute to the site's vibrant pelagic spectacles, making every dive an action-packed adventure. Access to Silverado, like all Cocos Island dive sites, is exclusively via liveaboard, requiring a 36-hour journey from the mainland. Dives are typically conducted multiple times a day, with strict depth and time limits to ensure safety in this remote and current-rich environment. The combination of its remote location, dramatic underwater landscape, and prolific marine life solidifies Silverado's reputation as a world-class destination for advanced divers seeking intense pelagic action.

Dive site facts: Silverado

Depth

18–35 m

Typical dive

18–30 m, 50–60 min

Current

Strong

Visibility

10–25 m

Water temperature

26–29°C, with thermoclines

Entry

Liveaboard tender / negative entry

Level

Advanced, current experience essential

Dive type

Pelagic, seamount, drift

Region / port

Cocos Island, Costa Rica

Coordinates

5.542, -87.028

Conditions & Currents

Silverado is characterized by strong and unpredictable currents, which are a defining feature of Cocos Island diving. Divers must be proficient in managing drift dives and maintaining stability, often needing to hold onto rocks to observe marine life at cleaning stations. Thermoclines are common, indicating abrupt temperature changes that can vary the water temperature significantly, even within a single dive. Visibility generally ranges from 10 to 25 meters, but can fluctuate based on plankton concentrations, which are higher during months of increased pelagic activity. Entry into the water often involves negative entries to quickly descend and avoid being swept away by surface currents, while exits require careful timing with the dive tender. These challenging conditions necessitate advanced diving skills and diligent gas planning, but they are also responsible for attracting the abund

Marine life & sighting chances

Scalloped hammerhead shark

May-Dec (peak) · common

Whitetip reef shark

common

Marble ray

common

Whale shark

May-Dec · occasional

Galapagos shark

occasional

Silky shark

occasional

Tiger shark

rare

Manta ray

occasional

Dolphin

occasional

Bigeye jack

common

Green sea turtle

occasional

Moray eel

common

Rosy-lipped batfish

rare

Dive profile & how the dive runs

A typical dive at Silverado begins with a negative entry from the liveaboard's tender to quickly descend below strong surface currents and avoid being swept away. Divers immediately head towards the main seamount, navigating along its rocky contours, often gripping onto stable formations to maintain position against the current. The dive progresses along the deep walls and ledges, scanning the blue water for passing pelagics and observing cleaning station activity. Depths usually range between 18 and 30 meters, where the majority of shark encounters occur. The dive master will lead the group along a designated route, often circling the seamount or traversing a ridge. Turn-around points are typically determined by air consumption or bottom time, with vigilance for decompression limits given the depth. The safety stop is conducted as a controlled drift in the blue, or tethered to a safety line from the tender, before surfacing and being picked up by the boat.

Underwater photography

Capturing the pelagic action at Silverado demands specialized equipment and technique. A wide-angle lens is essential for photographing large schools of hammerheads and other big animals in their natural, vast environment. Due to the deep dives and often lower visibility caused by plankton, external strobes are highly recommended to bring out colors and add contrast to subjects. Maintaining excellent buoyancy is crucial, especially when bracing against strong currents or hovering for shots. Be mindful of marine life, particularly sharks at cleaning stations, and avoid disruptive movements or excessive flash. For smaller, endemic species like the rosy-lipped batfish, a macro lens would be necessary, though pelagic encounters are the main photographic draw. Respect marine life by keeping a safe distance and never chasing or cornering animals for a shot.

Combine with nearby dive sites

• Bajo Alcyone

  Bajo Alcyone, a submerged seamount near Cocos Island, stands as a world-renowned dive site.

• Dirty Rock

  Dirty Rock, an iconic dive site at Cocos Island, is primarily known as an exceptional location to encounter schooling hammerheads.

• Viking Rock

  Viking Rock, situated off Cocos Island, provides a serene and captivating dive experience, often serving as a peaceful counterpoint to the…

• Punta Maria

  Punta Maria is a renowned dive site situated off Cocos Island, approximately 500 kilometers southwest of Costa Rica's mainland.

• Manuelita

  Manuelita is a renowned dive site located off Cocos Island, a UNESCO World Heritage site situated approximately 500 km off Costa Rica's…

Getting there & logistics

Accessing Silverado requires a liveaboard trip to Cocos Island, which commences with a transfer from San José, Costa Rica's capital. Divers typically fly into Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) and spend a night in San José before being transported by bus to Puntarenas. From Puntarenas, a 32- to 36-hour boat journey takes you to Cocos Island. Trip durations are usually around 10 days, with 7 full days of diving. A mandatory Cocos Island National Park fee of approximately $490 and a chamber fee of $30 per person are not included in most trip prices. Liveaboards provide all meals, snacks, drinks, dive guides, tanks, and weights. Nitrox is often an optional extra. Due to the remote location, combining Cocos Island diving with other mainland Costa Rica dive sites is not practical; it is a dedicated liveaboard destination.

Safety & environment

Diving at Silverado, like all Cocos Island sites, demands stringent safety protocols due to its extreme remoteness and challenging conditions. The nearest recompression chamber is in San José, a 36-hour boat journey away, highlighting the critical importance of avoiding decompression illness. Mandatory dive and travel insurance are essential, covering emergency evacuation. Divers must possess advanced certification and extensive experience in strong currents. Key hazards include strong, unpredictable currents that can lead to rapid drift or separation from the group, as well as thermoclines that require appropriate thermal protection. Always follow your dive guide's instructions, maintain conservative dive profiles, and conduct safety stops diligently. Never touch marine life, especially sharks, and maintain neutral buoyancy to protect the delicate ecosystem.

Who it suits — and who it doesn't

FAQ

Silverado FAQ

Liveaboards diving Silverado

These liveaboards may visit Silverado on selected itineraries — the exact dive sites depend on departure, weather and conditions.

Cocos Aggressor

Costa Rica

22 guests37.8 m

$636/day

Sea Hunter

Costa Rica

20 guests

$690/day

Okeanos Aggressor II

Costa Rica

24 guests36.6 m

$504/day