Argo — a steel expedition platform built for remote diving

Argo suits divers who want more than a cabin and a tank rack. She was built as an expedition vessel: a steel platform with the deck space, tenders and technical systems to support work far from port. That matters on remote trips, where the boat has to remain useful when the weather changes, a camera system gets large, or the next dive site lies well beyond the usual day-boat radius. The layout also makes sense for photographers. Cameras have dedicated storage, charging points and separate rinse tanks instead of competing with masks and fins in one wet corner. Groups and full charters are possible, so the boat can serve a mixed group or a project with its own rhythm. Argo is the choice for divers who value range, stability and expedition capability over the boutique feel of a small yacht.

Argo presents as a working vessel rather than a pleasure boat dressed up for diving. The steel hull, large working areas and heavy-lift capability come from a life built around remote projects, submarine operations and filming expeditions. That background gives the boat a practical character: equipment has somewhere to go, tenders are serious boats in their own right, and the main deck can support more than a standard recreational setup. Inside, the atmosphere turns toward a modern yacht, with an air-conditioned saloon, indoor and open-air seating, a bar and a sun deck. The contrast is the point. Argo is not trying to hide the machinery that makes long-range work possible; it puts that capability at the centre and adds comfort around it. She is a substantial base for a week of diving, not a floating hotel with tanks attached.

Argo's atmosphere is shaped less by formal service than by the shared business of getting people safely into remote water. Crew members speak English and Spanish. Head counts are methodical, and the divemasters and skiff operators learn passengers' names and faces so they can recognise who is in the water and who is back aboard. Safety drills are practised by the ship's personnel, covering fire, man overboard and lost-diver situations. In the evening, the boat can turn toward a presentation or another group activity rather than simply closing the day after dinner. That combination suits divers who want the crew fully involved in the expedition, without confusing a serious working vessel with a resort.

Dive groups are organised at a ratio of one guide to nine divers, with each dive preceded by a short briefing using whiteboard diagrams. The divemaster explains the route, conditions and points of interest, then leads that group in the water. The buddy system is obligatory, dives are limited to 60 minutes, decompression dives are not permitted and the maximum depth is 30 metres. English and Spanish are spoken by the crew. Nitrox certification can be taken on board. Safety equipment includes oxygen on the mothership and tenders, first-aid equipment and a Nautilus GPS Lifeline issued to each passenger; when activated, it sends the diver's position by VHF and alerts the vessel. The crew also carries out drills for fire, man overboard and lost-diver recovery.

The dive operation is built around three 24-foot hard-hull tenders with twin 115 HP outboards. Their size and twin engines give them the stability and redundancy needed for longer runs from the mothership; fixed ladders make reboarding straightforward. Tanks and personal gear can remain with the tender during active dive days, so divers are not carrying a full setup back and forth after every dive. Argo carries 80-cubic-foot aluminium tanks, while 100-cubic-foot steel tanks require advance reservation. Nitrox is included and produced through a membrane system, with two Bauer HP compressors handling fills. Rental gear is available for a surcharge, but no brand is identified. The dive deck includes personal storage, warm-water showers, charging stations, a camera work area, dedicated camera storage and separate underwater-camera rinse tanks. Technical diving is not supported, although rebreather support is listed.

Between dives, people spread through the boat rather than waiting in one crowded lounge. The air-conditioned indoor saloon offers shade and a place to review photographs, while the open-air saloon and sun deck put divers back into the wind. Sun loungers suit the quiet part of the afternoon; the bar and indoor seating give the group somewhere to talk when the weather turns. Argo also supports land excursions, so a non-dive interval can lead ashore rather than ending at the camera table. The boat was designed for expeditions, and that shows in the way the spaces serve both rest and practical work.

A typical Cocos diving day starts with breakfast before the first briefing and first dive at 8 AM. A snack follows, then the second dive at 11 AM; lunch comes before the afternoon dive around 2.30 PM or 3 PM. Another snack fills the later gap, and dinner is followed by an evening activity or presentation. The schedule normally gives three dives, but it can change with conditions and opportunities. The crossing days have a different rhythm: gear and camera systems are organised, the crew introduces the operation, and divers can use the time for a nitrox course or simply recover before the island diving begins. The final day at the island includes the last three dives before the return crossing.

Meals combine Western and local food, served buffet-style, with snacks available through the day. Dietary restrictions are catered for, and the bar carries alcoholic drinks, spirits and hot and cold soft drinks. On a diving expedition, the buffet format earns its place: divers can choose a full plate after a demanding dive or take only what they need before the next briefing. Food is not treated as a fixed ceremony that everyone must attend at the same pace. The galley supports the working day, with meals and snacks filling the gaps between water time, camera work and rest.

The nine cabins are arranged as twin or double rooms, with an Owner's Cabin as the largest category. Each has air conditioning, a private bathroom, hot water, carpeted flooring, shelves, drawers, hanging space and a desk with a chair. A circular porthole gives the lower-deck rooms their connection to the sea, while the cabins also have 110-volt outlets, a satellite telephone and a flat-screen TV with DVD player. The useful detail is storage: wet clothes, camera accessories and personal kit do not have to live permanently on the bunk. Argo's cabins are private rooms for a working expedition, with enough organisation to make a longer crossing manageable. The boat carries up to 18 passengers, so the social space matters too; when the cabin door closes, it remains a proper retreat.

Cocos trips depart from Puntarenas and return there after the crossing. The itinerary uses a bus transfer from designated hotels to the port, then transfers guests back to San José after arrival. The crossing to Cocos takes about 32 to 36 hours, so arriving in Costa Rica with time before the port transfer is the sensible choice.