Blue Green Expeditions has announced its once-in-a-lifetime expedition to explore the stunning Malpelo Island.
This UNESCO World Heritage site, located 500 kilometers/311 miles off the Pacific coast of Colombia, is one of the most unique and interesting scuba diving destinations.
Due to its isolated and remote nature, the island of Malpelo is home to a stunning level of biodiversity and amazing underwater landscapes. One of the features Malpelo shares with other world-class dive destinations like Galapagos, Cocos, and Socorro is that Malpelo has several currents meeting. These currents bring nutrients and ensure that the island is home to a wide range of marine life.
One of the biggest attractions to exploring Malpelo is sharks. The island is home to a wide range of shark species, and the conditions are ideal; this makes shark encounters virtually guaranteed. Several species of shark can be found in the water off Malpelo, including silkies, white tip reef, hammerhead and Galápagos sharks. For the lucky few, you may have the chance to encounter the very rare Ferox sharks.
Aside from the shark action, Malpelo is also home to many other species. Diving the island, you can encounter large schools of snappers and jackfish, not to mention moray eels, which are found in abundance.
With its stunning caves, walls, drop-offs, amazing backdrops and strong currents, diving Malpelo can be a challenge and is not for inexperienced divers. In fact, even experienced divers can often find the conditions challenging. However, for those who are brave enough to face its conditions, the rewards are astonishing!
This year’s expedition will be led by renowned photographer, author, educator and conservationist Annie Crawley who has recently completed a documentary on Malpelo, its marine protected area and the woman who helped create it, Erika Lopez.
For more info, go to bluegreenexpeditions.com.
(Featured image courtesy Annie Crawley via Blue Green Expeditions)
