The Galapagos Islands are consistently voted as one of the top dive holiday destinations in the world and are one of the Seven Underwater Wonders of the World.
In December 2001 Rodale's Scuba Diving Magazine awarded the Galapagos Islands in the following categories:
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No 1 best dive trips destination in the world [tied with Papua New Guinea] |
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No 1 best dive trips for fish life in the Pacific and Indian Ocean |
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No 1 healthiest marine environment in the Pacific and Indian Ocean |
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No 1 best place in the world to dive with big animals |
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No 1 best advanced dive trips destination in the Pacific and Indian Ocean |
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No 1 top dive trips destination in Pacific and Indian Ocean a diver would return to |
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No 2 best value dive trips destination in the Pacific and Indian Ocean |
The Galapagos Islands are bathed by the waters of no less than 6 major ocean currents which accounts for the vast range of water temperatures and indeed the vast array of marine life that can be seen whilst scuba diving, reason why the Galapagos Islands are consistently voted as one of the top dive holiday destinations in the world and are one of the Seven Underwater Wonders of the World.
A rich variety of underwater environments and unpredictable conditions are constantly fascinating and exciting. Offshore pinnacle reefs on submerged volcanoes rise, supporting rich sea life and big oceanic creatures. The
Devil's Crown, a sunken volcano near
Floreana Island, is a marine wonderland of
sea lions,
turtles,
rays,
morays,
garden eels,
white tip reef sharks,
hammerhead sharks and thousands of tropical fish. Hydrothermal vents in these submerged volcanic peaks heat the waters to temperatures as high as 30?C (86?F). Scientists are particularly interested in these places because of the creatures that have adapted to live in such conditions. The northerly islands of
Darwin and
Wolf are regarded as the best islands for serious divers, with the chance of swimming alongside huge
whale sharks.
Though diving can be straightforward, strong currents, sometimes-low visibility, large marine animals and cold water can be quite challenging. There are some good dive sites for beginners, but the Galapagos are
not the place for beginning divers. There have been several fatalities [
mainly off Darwin and Wolf] over the years, and only recently there is a decompression chamber on the islands, so for any kind of diving program you should bring your up to date health certificate, and your up to date diving certification.
Dive trips to the Galapagos Islands are recommended for experienced divers only
Most of the good diving sites have strong currents, surge and cold waters
The islands feature about 30
dive sites, a combination of which can be accessed on one to two week charters. All charters are pre-approved by the
Galapagos National Park Service. Two to three dives per day are normally offered, in addition to land excursions. All of our recommended dive operators offer professional, bilingual naturalist guides who specialize in
Galapagos flora and fauna as well as scuba diving [
all guides are certified dive masters]. They also provide state-of-the art-equipment and dive boats that meet international safety standards
You should bring your own equipment [
wet suit, buoyancy control vest, regulator, mask and fins], but you can also rent equipment in the islands. There is first quality equipment in Galapagos, and your trip will be lighter, although this option is quite expensive.
Water temperature
Even though the archipelago straddles the equatorial line, its waters are cooler than you might expect. Cold water currents and up welling can bring water temperatures as low as 10°C [
50°F], though the average is about 18°C [
65°F] throughout most of the year. The best time of the year for diving is November to April, when the seas are comparatively calm and the water temperature is warm.
We recommend a 1/4" [
5mm] wet suit with hood and booties year round.
Visibility
In general, visibility ranges from 5 to 25 meters, but most of the time it is restricted to between 12 and 18m. A large submarine current [
Equatorial Undercurrent] coming from the West Pacific hits the largest island of the archipelago [
Isabella Island] and is deflected upward reaching the surface, bringing up the cold and nutrient rich water; this can change the water temperature by as much as 6°C, and change the visibility in a matter of one or two days.
Night dives
Night dives are scheduled at the discretion of the dive master since sharks are so plentiful in the area.
What to see
The Galapagos Islands boast an impressive list of large Pelagic species that can be seen... virtually all the great
whales pass through the Western side of the Galapagos Islands,
killer whales, various species of
dolphins abound,
sunfish, masses of
hammerhead sharks and the mighty
whale shark,
white tip reef sharks and
Galapagos sharks, are also abundant, as are
manta rays,
eagle rays,
golden rays,
turtles,
sea lions,
fur seals, schools of
tuna,
jack and
snapper.
Dolphins are frequently sighted. There is also good chances to snorkel with
penguins and
marine iguanas.
When to Go
The high season in the Galapagos is mid-June to end-August, December to mid-January and around Easter Week. But these tourist periods are dictated more by vacation opportunities than by climate. In fact, the warmest months are December to April. If you like snorkelling or diving these two months are the most pleasant time of year to visit. The water is warm, the sea is calm and the air tends to be clear, even though this is theoretically wet season. In May the sea is still calm, but getting cooler. By July the weather has become almost cold, and snorkelling isnt pleasant without a wetsuit. In August the sea tends to be rough and the weather becomes misty until October. The coldest month is September, when many boats stay in dock and many Galapaguenos go on vacation. The weather in the Galapagos is just as fickle as it is in most other places in the world and you can be lucky or unlucky any time of year.
Insurance and safety
There is no insurance included in the programs, so we highly recommend all divers to have their DAN insurance before going to the Galapagos [
cost per year for Standard Insurance US$ 69* and for Master Insurance US$ 79* including the annual membership]. We also recommend to bring dive alert whistle and scuba tube.
Proteccion Submarina del Ecuador has an operating recompression chamber in Galapagos. For their direct service as well as for the handling of all the administrative part between them and DAN or PADI, they charge for each dived tank US$ 2
* on daily dive tours, and US$ 35
* for live-aboard up to 10 days.
*The prices are approximately
| |Article contributed by Dominic Hamilton||| |
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