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Panama Live Aboards

MV Yemaya

MV Yemaya

A New Dive Destination in the Tropical Eastern Pacific
Coiba - Cocos – Malpelo - Island Marine Corridor

Live – aboard  to three of the most dynamic and protected marine environments in the world, the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of the Coiba National Park, Panama, Isla del Coco, Costa Rica and Isla Malpelo, Colombia”.

Our destinations are renowned for their biological importance to mankind and spectacular, dramatic natural beauty and protected and abundant eco-systems!

Encounter an abundance and variation of marine life.  Whales, Dolphins, schools of giant fish, many species of Shark, Giant Mantas and healthy Coral Reefs, decorated with a cornucopia of reef fish and bottom dwellers.

Our 7 night expeditions take us on a tour around the spectacular islands and marine eco-systems of the Coiba National Park. Our 10 or 12 night expeditions combine   Coiba and one other spectacular diving destination, the oceanic islands of Isla Del Coco or Malpelo Island.

We have capacity for a maximum of 16 guests aboard our modern, well equipped and robust 115 ft Custom Dive Expedition Vessel, MV YEMAYA.

While aboard, our enthusiastic professional crew of 8, are dedicated to ensure the best in safety, personal service, comfort and adventure during your stay.

Forget about crowded dive boats and dive sites!

We invite you to escape with us on one of our adventure dive expeditions.

Journeying far from the hustle and bustle, to the peace, beauty and adventure of the wild, remote and spectacular un-inhabited islands of the Tropical Eastern Pacific!

MV Yemaya Vessel Details

Accommodations:

MV Yemaya sleeps 16 people in two Master Cabins on the forward upper deck, each furnished with double beds. Along with a further six cabins, located on the main deck, each with three quarter and/or single beds.

All accommodations aboard have plenty of natural lighting and views of the ocean provided by large picture windows. All are well laid out and very clean and comfortable.

Master Cabin 1.

The first Double Master Cabin is amidships with head, shower, and king-size bed and includes entertainment centre, with TV and DVD player. The dressing room has marble & tile fixtures, with a vanity unit & glass shower enclosure. This Master is very spacious with plenty of natural light from several large picture windows with views over the port and starboard sides of MV Yemaya.

Master Cabin 2.

Aft of the pilothouse on the starboard side is the second Double Master Cabin. There is a Queen sized bed and large hanging closet and ample storage, along with a small desk. Entertainment centre with TV and DVD player.  The bath is marble with a ceramic tile stall shower and vanity unit.
A round picture window looks over the Starboard side of Yemaya with a small picture window looking to port.  If required, this Master room can also be equipped with an additional three quarter bed above the queen in order for two individuals to share the room.

Cabins.

Standard Cabin with Private Bathroom
There are two Standard Cabins with private bathroom, head and shower.
Both cabins are bunk style, with two separated single beds.
Both have large picture windows which provide natural lighting and a view of the ocean.

Standard Cabin with Shared Bathroom
There are four cabins with two separated single beds in form of an L.
As all our standard cabins, they have large picture windows for natural lighting and ocean viewing.
Two cabins share one bathroom with shower and head.

All standard cabins have ample hanging and storage areas, vanity sinks and large mirrors. All cabins are equipped with hot and cold water showers, vanity units, reading lights and several 110v sockets.  Two Laundry bags can be found in each cabin. Safety equipment includes; 2 Life Jackets and 1 small Fire Extinguisher per cabin.

Our Expedition prices are based on two people sharing a room. If a single occupation is requested for any of our Master Cabin or Cabin, a surcharge will apply. All rooms and bathrooms are cleaned and beds made up every day.

Diving Program Aboard MV.Yemaya
 
!!Safety is our biggest concern and an absolute priority at all times!!

Because of the characteristics of the diving in the Tropical Eastern Pacific Islands of Coiba, Coco and Malpelo, we recommend that you have at least 25 logged dives and an Advanced Open Water certification. New divers might find this diving environment challenging.

*Mooring lines with surface buoys have been installed on 30 of the principal dive sites around the park.
These avoid the use of anchors, which damage the marine environment, and allow tie up points for dive boats and also provide descent and ascent lines for divers.
Further buoys will be installed on other sites in the park in the next few years.
*(Coiba Island only)
At Isla Malpelo and Isla Del Coco, anchoring is not permitted. Access to and from the dive sites is by means of free descents and ascents.

Our Dive masters are experienced Recreational Diving Instructors and trained Technical Divers.  Both are career divers, enthusiastic naturalist guides and have over 18 years of experience diving this region. They are not the Scuba Police, however will lead you on tours to the best spots on each site and add to your safety, comfort and enjoyment on every dive.

On certain expeditions we will be joined by local scientists aboard, using MV Yemaya as a platform to continue their investigations. Presentations will be held in the evenings on the intriguing natural, geological and anthropological history of the region.

Our dive schedule consists of two dives in the morning 8 AM and 11 AM, and one in the afternoon departing at 2.30 PM.
3 night dives are available throughout the trip; skiffs depart at 6.30 PM from Yemaya.

Dive masters will give a full dive briefing aboard the mothership, dive skiff captains will also be present at all briefings. Following the briefing our guests board the two skiffs that each accommodates up to nine divers plus Divemaster.

Because of the characteristics of the diving, our Divemasters always dive with the group. After a short ride, each of the skiffs will reach a different dive site that is switched on the following dive allowing the two groups to dive the same areas but at different times of the day.

Our Captains hold internationally recognized seafaring licenses. In addition, most of our crew is Medic First Aid trained and also qualified DAN O2 providers.
All our crew maintains a level of skills and training to handle emergencies aboard, i.e. Man Overboard, Diver Searches and Fire at Sea and more.

DAN O2 Emergency kits are standard equipment on our skiffs and on the mother ship.
Our skiff operators stay in contact with the mother ship via VHF radio.
Rain squalls and surface conditions and currents can be unpredictable at times. For this reason we have hired highly skilled skiff operators who have in depth knowledge of the area and extensive experience of diving operations.

Aboard MV Yemaya, we adhere to recommended safe diving practices and always dive within the recreational diving limits. A 3 to 5 minute safety stop at 3/6 meters/ 10/20 feet is required after all dives.
Decompression dives are not permitted and a maximum depth of 130 ft. / 40 mts is imposed.  To increase safety and bottom time while maintaining safe no-decompression dives the use of Nitrox becomes essential.

We conduct full dive briefings before every dive and assign dedicated dive-masters on all dives, the buddy dive system is highly recommended and a 60-minute maximum dive time is enforced.

We very strongly advise all divers to carry at least 3 Surface Signaling Devices, in form of a Safety Sausage/Surface Marker Buoy, Power or manual whistle and a Cilium stick.

Dives on the most exposed sites will be carried out during the morning dive schedule, for safety reasons.

We will conduct a full introduction to our Diving and Safety Program aboard, prior to commencing dive operations.

For more information
Contact:
Dive Discovery
@
1 800 886-7321
ph- 415-444-5100
or
Request Info