GALAPAGOS SCUBA DIVING HOLIDAYS

Ecuador is one of the most diverse countries on Earth and boasts tropical beaches, snow-capped volcanoes, the Amazon rainforest, and the incredible Galapagos Islands.

It offers major cities and World Heritage Sites, quaint pueblos, colourful indigenous and village markets, hidden mountain haciendas, healing volcanic waters, and lush forested valleys.

Straddling the equator in western South America, Ecuador has territories in both the Northern and the Southern hemispheres. Covering an area of 256,370 sq kilometres, it is geographically divided into four regions: the Amazon, the Highlands, the Coast, and the Galapagos Islands

The Archipelago of Colón (commonly known as the Galapagos Islands) consists of 13 main islands, 17 islets, and dozens of ancient rock formations. This volcanic archipelago lies roughly 1,000 kilometres off the coast of the Ecuadorian mainland. Apart from its beautiful beaches and unique and varied ecosystems, the Galapagos Islands are home to towering active volcanoes that reach altitudes up to 1,600 meters. In fact t hey are in one of the most active volcanic regions on earth: the Nazca Plate. This plate moves eastward towards South America because of the spreading of the sea floor, at a rate of 2.75 inches per year. It moves over a stationary area of intense heat or "hot spot" which "builds" the islands. Thus, the oldest part of the archipelago is found at the east of the cluster. It is thought that the very first island has formed between 5 and 10 million years ago as a result of tectonic activity, whereas the youngest islands, Isabela and Fernandina, are still being formed, with the most recent volcanic eruption in 2005.

The Galapagos Islands are home to the constantly evolving ecosystem that has made them so famous.

On the island of Floreana, for example, you can visit Post Office Bay, The Black Beach, Flamingos Lagoon, Cormorant Point, or The Pirates’Caves. There are also areas to scuba dive, such as La Corona del Diablo. On Genovesa, the frigate birds, furry seals, marine iguanas, tropical birds, red-footed boobies, and masked boobies all stand out. On Fernandina, there are sea lions, iguanas, pelicans, penguins, and cormorants. On Española, you can appreciate the dance of the Blue-footed Booby or the courting of the Albatross.

Other points of interest in the Galapagos Islands are El Géiser, El Soplador, and Cucubes, all of which are home to a variety of exotic and rare birdlife. Santiago is well known for having some of the best and most accessible scuba diving in the Galapagos Islands and also because it offers the chance to walk between lava flow formations all the way to the volcanic conic peak of Bartolomé, where furry seals and sea lions dwell. On North Seymour, there are colonies of frigate birds, sea lions, and blue-footed boobies. The Plazas Islands are an important habitat of sea lions, iguanas, cactus, and seagulls. Santa Fe is a bay surrounded by forests of giant cactus, sea lions, sparrow hawks, and iguanas. Isabela is home to a nursery of turtles and constant volcanic activity.

UNESCO declared the Galápagos Islands a World Heritage Site in 1979 and, six years later, a Biosphere Reserve.

The marine reserve became part of the UNESCO National Heritage site in 2001.

GALAPAGOS MARINE RESERVE

The Galapagos Marine Reserve encompasses an area of over 133,000 square km, and diving in the Archipelago is one of the greatest adventures possible. The area is considered one of the seven most important regions in the world for divers; Islands such as Santiago, Bartolomé, and Floreana (La Corona del Diablo) all offer excellent diving. One of the most interesting tours passes through the lava formations of the island of Santiago, and on Santa Cruz, trails wind through the island’s vegetation of cactus, scrub and mangroves.

In certain areas of the Galapagos Marine Reserve, it is possible to take part in both deep and shallow diving and to have close-up contact with the impressive aquatic species of the sea: coral reefs, whales, whale sharks, hammer head sharks, sting rays, manta rays, sword fish, turtles, and many others. In the depths of the sea, there are strong ocean currents and the impressive extrusions of lava that shouldn’t be missed by divers while they are enjoying the exotic marine wildlife. Other marine habitats are formed of rocky bottoms, vertical walls, and mangroves. The area is sometimes affected by natural phenomena, such as cold water currents and the effects of El Niño.

For avid, open-water-certified divers, the Galapagos offers some of the most exhilarating diving in the world. Its unique mix of cold Humboldt currents and warm tropical waters support an exotic marine community teeming with great schools of fish and many species found nowhere else on Earth.

North across the equator, Wolf and Darwin Islands offer some of the best diving in the world, famous for their thick schools of hammerhead sharks, slowly-cruising whale sharks, giant manta rays, bottlenose dolphins, and warm water fish species found nowhere else.

Cousins Islet offers intermediate dives along an outstanding vertical wall abounding with black coral, sponges, reef fish and invertebrates. Here we also can view huge manta and eagle rays, and occasional schools of white-tipped and hammerhead sharks.

In the remote western Galapagos, wall dives at Punta Vicente Roca showcase a vivid array of sponges and corals, and we swim in an out of a shallow, undersea cave to encounter the Port Jackson (or horned) bottom shark.

For advanced divers, Roca Redonda is favoured by grouper, hammerhead sharks, amberjacks, triggerfish, whales, dolphins and reef fish in turbulent waters with rolling swells, and depths of 60-80 feet.

In the central isles, North Seymour reveals sea lions, reef fish, hammerheads, giant manta rays, white-tipped reef sharks, invertebrates, and occasionally whale sharks, humback whales and dolphins. Nearby Mosquera and Punta Carrion offer the rare possibility of diving among endemic fur seals, while intermediate dives at Daphne Minor feature white-tipped and hammerhead sharks, sea turtles, eagle rays, morays, black coral, tuna, reef fish, lobsters, sponges and a volcanic cave.

Because Galapagos wildlife are truly wild, their movement cannot be predicted and sightings cannot be guaranteed.

Note: With its challenging currents, swells and thermo clines, the Galapagos is strictly for skilled, experienced divers.

LIVEABOARDS IN THE GALAPAGOS

Our supplier (ship owner) in the Galapagos have a vast fleet of vessels in addition to those we have published. This allows us to offer a wider choice and higher availability, given that the destination is extremely popular (we recommend booking well in advance).

We offer tailor-made cruises for pre-formed groups (at least 14 people), cruises dedicated solely to divers and cruises for those who want the chance to meet and see the wonderful flora and fauna the island has to offer, together with some diving. This means we can satisfy everyone, from the more expert divers looking for a full-diving holiday, to those divers who would like to combine diving with excursions where they can spend some time with any non-diving companions.

DEEP BLUE

GALAPAGOS ITINERARIES

Itinerary - Monday to Monday
Monday - arrive San Cristobal - Check dive Isla Lobos, Land visit Interpretation Center
Tuesday Dive N. Seymore, Land visit N. Seymore
Wednesday Diving at Wolf Island
Thursday Diving at Darwin Island
Friday Diving at Darwin Island
Saturday Diving at Cape Marshall
Sunday Dive at Cousins Rock, land visit Sullivan Bay, panga ride and snorkel Bartolome
Monday Land visit Galapaguera (Giant tortoises) - depart for the mainland.

All itineraries of all yachts in Galapagos are controlled by the Galapagos National Park and as a result the itinerary of ANY yacht in Galapagos is always subject to change at any time for any reason without prior notice.

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