Islas Catalinas · Costa Rica · Drift
Clásico
A south-to-north drift along the western side of the islands
Clásico is dived along the western side of the Islas Catalinas, 11 km west of Potrero and Flamingo, drifting from the south towards the north. Depths run from 10 m to more than 30 m, and the dive can be run several ways depending on the certification level of the group.
Also known as Catalinas Island, Clásico, Clasico.
Where it is and how deep
10.4799° N, 85.8714° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
Clásico is the dive on the western side of the Catalinas, 11 km west of Potrero and Flamingo. Boats do not anchor at the islands, so the group descends from the drifting boat and travels along the west side of the chain, starting at the southern end and moving north. The route follows the line of the islands from south to north, so the dive covers the western side rather than a single rock.
The depth of the dive depends on the group. Clásico can be run several ways to match the certification level of the divers, from a shallower line at 10 m to a deeper profile that goes past 30 m. Whitetip reef sharks, schools of fish, moray eels, octopus, stingrays, eagle rays, mobulas, mantas, groupers and turtles are all reported on the drift.
Marine life and season
- Reef sharks
- Manta rays
- Mobula rays
- Eagle rays
- Stingrays
- Groupers
- Sea turtles
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Prime | Prime |
Season follows Islas Catalinas: Manta trips run November to April, with mantas reported into May; the rest of the year the islands dive for sharks, rays and fish schools.
Know before you go
- Boats do not anchor, so every dive is an open-water drift in changing conditions.
- The offshore islands are exposed to surge, stronger currents and open-ocean swells.
Dive videos
Diving with Giant Mantas - Las Catalinas - Costa Rica - 4K · WaterTrek 360 on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is Clásico at the Islas Catalinas?+
Clásico runs from 10 m to more than 30 m, and the profile is chosen to match the certification level of the group.
Sources
- Catalinas Island, Clásico — Scubago
- Dive sites Islas Catalinas-Catalina Island — Deep Blue Diving
More dive sites in Islas Catalinas
Drift
A channel that is home to whitetip reef sharks, then a coral garden
Drift
Adult whitetip reef sharks in the deeper water where the drift heads south
Pelagic & blue water
The main site for oceanic manta rays in the winter months
Similar dives elsewhere
Hammerhead schools at cleaning stations inside a volcanic crater
Juvenile whitetips tucked into small caves along a drifting slope
A brief, powerful drift where threshers and hammerheads come out of the blue
Whitetip reef sharks resting on the sand below the reef