Galapagos Scuba Diving

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Introduction

Galapagos 8

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The Galapagos Islands are a unique, world-class diving location yet it remains relatively unknown among the wider diving communty. For experienced divers, it is precisely because the Galapagos Islands underwater world remains relatively still private, pristine and unexplored, that it is such a unique diving experience.

Unlike many other extraordinary dive sites, it is not the coral reefs that are the main attraction in the Galapagos but rather the unique mixture of marine animals (one in four species are endemic to the islands) and their fearlessness of intruders into their watery world. In the Galapagos it is possible to dive in the company of sea turtles, manta rays, penguins, sea lions, dolphins, and numerous species of shark, including hammerheads and whale sharks. There are also hundreds of species of tropical reef fish, many of which are particular to this fantastic underwater sanctuary.

Dive Sites & Accessability

Galapagos 7

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The Galapagos Islands feature about 30 dive sites which can be accessed via daily dive charters or one to two week live aboard trips. Shore diving is virtually impossible as most dives are drift dives along the cliff faces of offshore rocks and pinnacles. Dive Site Map

Daily Dive Charters

There's only two locations within the Galapagos Islands that operate Daily Dive Charters: San Cristobal and Santa Cruz.

Most daily dive shops work on a schedule (Site A on Monday, Site B on Tuesday, etc) and will only depart with a minimum number of divers. Dive Operators will oftent cancel the schedulled daily dive trip if they don't have the minimum number. The due to distance, majority of dive sites visited on a day tour are accessible from only one of these two islands.

Dive Sites Accessible from San Cristobal

• Kicker Rock
• 'Jessica' - Carrier Wreck

Dive Sites Accessible from Santa Cruz

• Gordon Rocks
• North Seymour/Mosqueras
• Cousins' Rock
• Floreana
• Daphne
• Guy Fawkes
• Acadamey Bay

Live Aboard Dive Charters

All live-aboard charters must be pre-approved by the Ecuadorian National Park Service. Two to three dives per day are normally offered, in addition to land excursions.

Visability & Weather

Galapagos - Green sea turtle

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The best time of the year for diving the Galapagos is strongly debatable. There are two generally accepted seasons in the Galapagos Islands:

• Hot Season (December to April) - water surface temperature averages 22° C - 26° C
• Dry Season (May to November) - water surface temperature averages 18° C - 22° C

From October to April the seas are comparatively calm, visability good and the water temperature is warm. During the warm season there is more "ray" activity (Manta, mobula, spotted eagles, and golden eagle rays) and winds are not as strong.

However from May to September the strong Arctic currents bring vast amounts of plankton into the Galapagos waters, attracting many more fish, sharks and sea mammals. During this period, visability may not be as good and the water somewhat colder, but the chance of seeing large schools of sharks and rare marine life increase. Whale Shark Season, from April to November, is when the chance to see whale sharks is highest, but also when the water in the central islands happens to be the coolest.

Irrespective of season, visability is generally best early in the morning. Rain is most common in the early mornings in January, and the hottest month is March.^[1]

Choosing a Dive Operator

Galapagos - King angel fish

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Be careful of who you dive with!! Just because someone has a divemaster's license does not necessarily mean they were trained for it - many in Ecuador were literally purchased. Divers should also be particularly careful about Dive Shops and Operators claiming to be PADI or SSI Certified; many of the stores are simply displaying the PADI/SSI logo and are not actually certified or associated with either of these bodies. Always ask to see the original certification and thoroughly question the level of experience your Divemaster has. If in doubt, check the PADI/SSI website for certified Dive Centers in Ecuador.

Certified Dive Operators include:

On Santa Cruz:

• Macarron
• Scuba Iguana

On San Cristobel:

• Franklin Dive Center

For the best experience, choose a bilingual naturalist guide who specialize in Galapagos flora and fauna as well as scuba diving. (Ecuadorian Certified Naturalist Level II or III Guide). A good Dive Tour Operator will usually provide all equipment, dive boat, transfers from the Dive Shop to the dive boat, qualified Dive Master/Guide, onboard snacks & lunch, first aid & emergency equipment (including emergency oxygen) and possibly a clean towel.

Cost

Galapagos - Sea star

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Most of the 'pre-book' dive trips are USD$180 - $200 for a day trip that includes 2-3 immersions.

It is more expensive to arrange and book dives in advance due credit card/paypal fees, and overheads to cover online transactions etc. However, failure to book in advance may mean you are not able to dive if you simply show up. On the other hand, dives do cost about US$40-$50 pp less if booked upon arrival.

Equipment

Due to tight weight restrictions on most flights, pretty much all dive shops provide all equipment as part of the price...no additional rentals are necessary (unless you wish to hire a dive computers). Almost all operators on Santa Cruz provide 7mm wetsuits, however operators on San Cristobel tend to only carry 3mm - 5mm wetsuits.

Equipment condition can vary significantly between operators so be sure to check it out carefully before you dive. There have been recent cases of some Dive Operators providing regulators with faulty air gauges, torn BCDs and non-functional Octopus'.

Tips for Diving Galapagos

Galapagos Islands

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• There is a very high level of salinity in the water around the Galapagos (often 4-6% saltier than many other popular diving locations around the world). This means you will be much more buoyant than other places you may have been diving - carry extra weights.
• Whilst some Dive Operators offer land-based Day Dive Charters for begginer divers, diving in the Galapagos is really only recommended for experienced divers. Whilst beginners can start at the easier dive sites and proceed to the more difficult ones, many of the best diving sites have cold water, with strong currents along vertical walls.
• As the nearest decompression chamber is a significant distance from most dive sites (nearest Hyperbaric is in Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island), it is highly recommend that all divers have current DAN insurance before going to Galapagos Islands.