DIVING IN GALAPAGOS

 

The Galapagos marine life is so abundant, varied, and amazing that the islands are considered one of the Seven Underwater Wonders and one of the best diving destinations of the World. The islands are the only place in the world where people can dive with a marine iguana or watch sea lions teasing white tip sharks by biting their tails Galapagos divers encounter thousands of fish (both big and small), sea lions, rays, turtles, morays and garden eels. It is almost a guarantee that divers will meet harmless white tip and hammerhead sharks. In some places, divers can see dozens of hammerheads, snorkel with dolphins and during the right season probably have the opportunity to see a whale shark.

 

The richness of Galapagos sea life is mainly due to cold water that comes up from the deep and brings nutrients to the light zone, producing large amounts of phytoplankton that start the food chain.

The diversity of species is mainly due to the position of the Galapagos at the crossroads of the main East Pacific equatorial currents. Here, tropical and semi-tempered waters meet, bringing animals from all over the Pacific and some parts of the Indo-Pacific. The variety of marine habitats (sandy, rocky, coralline, muddy) and the large area of the archipelago's waters also contribute to biodiversity.

 

THE DIVES

Each dive requires one tank. We use aluminum tanks with 3000psi / 207bar. All tanks have the international connection system. If passengers want to use their own regulator with DIN system, they have to bring their own adapter. The bottom time depends on each passenger's air consumption. Recompression: There is a recompression chamber that started operations in July 2001 at Puerto Ayora, our port of call.

DIVING CONDITIONS IN GALAPAGOS ISLANDS

 

Water Temperature

Although the islands are very close to the Equator, water temperatures range from 18° to 30° Celsius in normal years; we use full 5 to 7 mm (¼ inch) wetsuits all year and hoods in the cold season. Thermo clines are present, between 10 to 30 meters depth (30 to 100 feet) and the temperature can drop from one to five degrees Celsius.

 

A large submarine current (the Equatorial Undercurrent) from the West Pacific hits the largest island of the archipelago (Isabella Island) and is deflected upward until it reaches the surface, bringing up cold and nutrient-rich water; this movement can change the water temperature by as much as 6° Celsius and change the visibility in a matter of one or two days.

 

Weather and Seasons

We have 2 seasons: the warm and sunny season from December to May and the cool and cloudy one from July to September. June and October are transitional months. During the warm season, there is almost no wind, so the sea is usually very calm and the visibility tends to be better. In the cool season, there is more wind, the sea can be choppy and the visibility is lower.

 

Depth

All dives are between 15 and 25 meters because this is where you encounter most of the marine life in the Galapagos. Maximum depth for our dives is 30 meters (100 feet)

 

Visibility

100 feet or 30 meters of visibility is very normal in the Galápagos waters. You shall expect a visibility from 50 to 80 feet or 15 to 25 meters in most of the places. In some areas and in some seasons due to the richness of phytoplankton, visibility can be a little less. This plank tonic alga is the first step in the tropic chain and is necessary to sustain all marine life at the islands

 

Current

You will probably dive in the Galápagos in medium to strong currents. We understand medium currents to be between one and three knots (between 1 and 4 miles/hour or between 2 and 6 Km. /hour), and strong currents are more than three knots (more than 4 miles/hour or 6 Km. /hour). 
Galapagos diving can be tricky if you are caught in an unexpected current on the surface. Just relax, get positive buoyancy and call the pangas (small zodiac). If you are in a group, get close together. In the garúa season (from July to December) the Humboldt Current coming from the southeast is present. In the warm season (from January to June) the Panamá current from the northeast arrives in the Galápagos.

 

Drift Dives

Many of the Galapagos Islands dives are drift dives. The group will enter and will be drifted down current. With medium currents, you should not wait more than a few seconds at the surface before descending, so you don´t drift from the group. During your dive the boat will follow the bubbles and will pick you up in the place you appear at the surface. 
Safety stops are often made in blue waters, swim away from a wall, so the pangas (small zodiac) can come right to you.

 

Deep Dives

More than 20 meters or 60 feet is considered a deep dive. We make the deep dive first in the morning. Consider the possible thermocline and expect temperatures to be cold, use sufficient thermal protection and wear gloves to protect your hands from sharp Barnacles, attached to large rocks, we often grab to watch passing marine life. Often dives in the Galápagos are deep and wall dives, making Galapagos diving more complicated.

Night Dives

Night diving is not allowed by the Galapagos National Park.

 

Dive Skills

Please note that that safety is a key. If you have doubts please ask your local instructor that is aware of the conditions in the Galapagos Islands and is able to judge your diving skills. All divers should be able to handle rapid descents, diving in stronger currents and able to dive from a panga (small zodiac). Each group of 8 divers will dive together with a dive guide that is certified by the National Park Marine Reserve of Galapagos. Again safety is a key and the dive guides have the final discretion about your ability to dive in the Galapagos waters. This is not a destination for brand new divers.

 

Dive equipment

Due to the numbers of dive it's mandatory to dive with a dive computer. If you don't have one please contact our reservations department to reserve one. Of course our live aboards offer a wide range of rental equipment and we highly recommend our revolutionary semi dry wetsuits that will make your experience in Galapagos even more enjoyable. The Waterproof Taurus wetsuit bridges the gap between a Dry suit and a Wetsuit. Dry enough to keep the Diver warm in cold water, yet still with the snug fit and nice feeling of a high-class wetsuit. Facilitates longer dives in warmer environment and lower air consumption due to less heat loss. We strongly recommend using this wet-suit during your dives in Galapagos.

 

If your personal equipment fails during your trip our crew will make sure you won't miss a dive and will complementary provide you with our rental equipment. We do have tools on board but in case of special equipment please make sure you bring your own spare parts such as batteries, o-rings etc.

 

Dive safety equipment

All our BCD's are equipped with dive emergency horns and foldable stick with a dive flag (better known as SMB/DSMB). Aside from that our BCD's are also equipped with a Nautilus Life Line, personal locator that has a radio to communicate with the yacht and the panga (small zodiac)as well as an international distress signal. The Life Line has a display with the coordinates of your location. Please note if you dive with your own equipment we will provide you with these safety devices and that in case of damaging or losing the safety devices we do have to charge these to your bill upon check-out.

 

Dive Tanks air / nitrox

On board we provide air and nitro. If you are not nitrox certified please be aware that if requested upon your reservation we can arrange the nitrox certification on board. Our standard tanks are 80 cubic feet (12 liter). In case you prefer diving with smaller tanks 63 cubic feet (9 liter) or bigger tanks 100 cubic feet (15 liter). Please request this to our reservation office so we can make sure we have sufficient tanks on board.

 

Dive Valves

All our valves are international (yoke valves). If you dive with DIN we do have those on board to accommodate this. Weight belts and weights are available on board

DIVING EXPERIENCE AND CERTIFICATIONS

Our Diving: We offer great dive sites for beginner, intermediate and experienced divers, although the best dive sites are usually the most difficult ones and have significant to strong currents near vertical walls. Most of our diving is drift diving, so the dive masters' skills play an important role. Beginners can start in the easier places and proceed to the more difficult ones under the guidance of our dive masters or instructors. During all our dives, our dive masters dive with the customers in the water.

 

EXPERIENCE:

Beginners: Newly certified divers or divers with few dives logged (3 to 15 dives)
Intermediate: 15 to 50 dives with experience in cold water, with drift and wall diving
Advanced: 50 + dives logged, with experience in cold water, with drift and wall diving

 

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DIVE EXPERIENCE

Each diver is always required to confirm a diving tour considering that safety comes first and in order to customize a program that will fit the customer's skills and interests (for daily diving tours specially)

 

1. Type of diving license (level and training agency)
2. Current number of dives made
3. Date of last dive
4. Experience with drift and wall diving
5. Experience diving in cold water and with thick wetsuits
6. What would the customer like to see in the Galapagos?

GENERAL CONDITIONS AND OBLIGATIONS:

-Required and mandatory Diving Certifications and logbooks of any registered agency recognized worldwide: PADI, SAC, SSI, CMAS, NAUI, ACUC, BSAC, DIVA, CMAS, FEDAS, YMCA, DEWA.)
-Travel and health Insurance
-Diving Insurance is mandatory
-Dive alerts and SMB's are mandatory
-Dive computers are mandatory
-Document of liability release and own risk assumption signed by the diver
-Nitrox certification available on board with advance notification
-63 and 100 cubic feet tanks available on board with advance notification
-Passengers must be in good health
-Not to be under any alcohol or drug influence
-Not dive on the first day in Galapagos and on the last day of flight departure

Prices for 2012

 

From January 6th to May 26th 2012 $4500 for passenger

From May 26th to December 8th 2012 $4950 for passenger

From December 8th to May 26th 2013 $4500 for passenger

 

 

For up to date information, availability in 2012, travel details and our different programs please CONTACT US.