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Ship Name: Sky Dancer -
Dive boat - 16 passengers
Activities: Hiking, Photography, Scuba Diving, Snorkelling, Wildlife
Viewing
Package - 11 days
Cruise Only - 8 days starts on Day 3 and ends Day 10
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Deluxe |
Master |
| 2009
Cruise Only |
$3,795 |
$3,995 |
| 2009
Package |
$4,245 |
$4,445 |
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Above rates are
per person.
The Park tax may double in the near future
(pending government approval), thereby resulting in an additional
$100 charge per adult and $50 per child under 12 years for both
package and cruise only passengers.
Note: Children under 10 yrs are not allowed on vessel;
Children 10 yrs and older are allowed if they are certified divers.
Senior Divers: 65 years and older are eligible for a 10%
discount with proof of age
Fuel Surcharge: $160 per person |
 Experience
one of the best dive destinations in the world! In the Galapagos Islands,
you will experience a scuba diving adventure you will never forget with
penguins, sea lions, marine iguanas, sea turtles, angelfish, giant manta
rays, whale sharks and schools of hammerhead sharks by your side. Enjoy
up to four dives a day in the world-renowned northern islands of Wolf and
Darwin. (Note: All dives are for intermediate/expert divers only, due to
the strong currents)
Introduction
The marine community of Galapagos is one
of the most unique and exotic in the world. You will see penguins swimming
with tropical fish and iguanas that feed underwater. The creatures of the
sea exhibit the same bold curiosity and lack of fear characteristic of the
terrestrial wildlife. Almost one quarter of the marine life in Galapagos
is endemic to this archipielago-17% of its fish and 35% of its marine invertebrates
are native and found nowhere else in the world. The underwater scene is
rich in nutrients and teems with colorful life. Great schools of fish cruise
the open water, at times so thick they nearly block out the sun. The reefs
are an amazing profusion of invertebrate life. Swept by both cold-water
currents from Antarctica and warm currents from the tropical Pacific, the
marine life is a bizarre mixture of cold and warm water species.
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive Quito
Arrive in Quito, Ecuador and transfer to your hotel. The rest of the
day is at your leisure. Overnight in Quito at the Hotel Patio Andaluz, or
similar hotel.
Day 2: Quito
Today is at your leisure. A variety of day tours are available for purchase.
Overnight at the Hotel Patio Andaluz, or similar hotel.
Day 3: San Cristobal Island / Embark - Cruise Only
Starts
Upon arrival to Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, San Cristobal, the crew of
the Sky Dancer meets you at the airport to escort you to your ship. After
the initial briefing, there is a mandatory check-out dive at Isla Lobos
where you encounter sea lions. At sunset, circumnavigate Kicker Rock (Leon
Dormido), a vertical tuff cone formation that abruptly juts up almost 500
feet out of the ocean. Here you see blue-footed boobies, masked boobies
and magnificent frigate birds on the cliffs.
Day 4: Seymour Island / Cousins / Bartolome Island
In the south side of Seymour Island and no deeper than 50 feet deep, the
northern channel is superb. It features an enormous "field" of garden eels,
stingrays, a school of spotted eagle rays, white tipped reef sharks, and
thick schools of grunts, snappers & goatfish. When Dr. Silvia Earle described
Galapagos as "the fishiest place in the world", she had probably dived this
dive site.
To the North of Bartolome, Cousins is an interesting wall dive. Although
visibility is just fair most of the year, you can find white tipped reef
sharks, hammerhead sharks, sea lions hunting, fur seals, and many sleeping
sea turtles. A highlight is a resident school of up to 30 spotted eagle
rays. If you are interested in macro photography, look for sea horses, frogfish,
lobster, arrow crabs, cup coral, long nose hawk fish, and nudibranchs, etc.
A night dive here is possible.
On Bartolome, which seems like the moon, is inhospitable to most plants
and animals. After a dry landing, climb 30 minutes up a steep slope to the
summit of a once active volcano. Pause along the way to marvel at lava bombs,
spatter cones and cinder cones. From the top, gaze out across a panoramic
view which includes the famous "Pinnacle Rock," an eroded tuff cone.
Day 5: Wolf Island
One of those magical islands, with several dive sites to choose from, Wolf
will astound dive visitors. If you want to see sharks, you are at the right
spot. This is a place for schooling hammerhead sharks, large aggregations
of Galapagos sharks, and occasionally whale sharks. Seeing dolphins, large
schools of tuna, spotted eagle rays, barracudas, sea lions and sea turtles
is common. The ocean floor here is peppered with hundreds of moray eels,
many of them free swimming. Being several degrees warmer than the central
islands, you can look for many representatives of the Indo-Pacific underwater
fauna.
Day 6: Darwin Island
Considered by many experienced divers as the very best dive site in the
world, The Arch at Darwin Island honors its reputation. It is warmer by
a few degrees than the central islands. In one single dive you can find
schooling hammerhead sharks, Galapagos sharks, large pods of dolphins, thick
schools of skipjack and yellow fin tuna, big eye jacks, Mobula rays, and
silky sharks. From June to November, whale sharks can almost be guaranteed
in numbers of up to 8 different individuals in one single dive. The presence
of occasional tiger sharks, black and blue marlin and killer whales adds
on to this amazing diving experience. If you still have time to look for
smaller stuff, you’ll find octopus, flounders, and an enormous variety and
abundance of tropical fish. Darwin Island is the biggest jewel on the Galapagos
Crown.
Day 7: Wolf / Darwin
Experienced divers agree Wolf & Darwin offer some of the world's best diving.
No land visits here, just some serious diving. At Darwin`s Northern Arch,
the northern most point of the two Islands, schools of hammerhead sharks
and groups of bottle nose dolphins often swim in clear view of divers. Divers
often see whale sharks and giant manta rays. At Wolf, the pinnacle, the
reef and the south islet channel offer three different dive sites. The reef,
the most consistent place to see hammerhead sharks, contains many warm water
fish species found nowhere else in the islands.
Day 8: Cape Marshall/ Puerto Egas, Santiago
At Cape Marshall, on the eastern side of Isabela island, you encounter rocky
volcanic cliffs, that drops down to the ocean floor as an almost vertical
wall. You might see large animals like manta rays, marbled rays, hammerhead
sharks mola mola (sun fish) and marine turtles, but also Chevron barracuda,
snappers, yellow fin tuna, rainbow runners, wahoo and groupers. There are
also a lot of smaller fishes like creole fishes, parrot fishes, scrawled
filefishes, pacific box fishes and tiger snake eels.
This afternoon, disembark for a land visit along the shore at Puerto Egas,
Santiago (James) looking for octopus, starfish and other sea life caught
in the tide pools. At low tide, catch a glimpse of marine iguanas as they
feed on exposed green algae. Watch for great blue herons, lava herons, American
oystercatchers and yellow-crowned night herons. Your walk ends at the grottos,
deep pools of clear water where you encounter fur sea lions once on the
verge of extinction. During the night dive at a depth of no more than 30
feet you may find the red-lipped bat fish.
Day 9: Gordon’s Rocks/ Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz
Gordon Rocks, off South Plaza Island, an advanced dive, is famous for white-tipped,
hammerhead and the Galapagos shark, large moray eels, spotted eagle rays,
golden rays, sting rays, fur sea lions, sea turtles, Amberjacks, reef fish,
sponges and black coral. Dive with Wahoo, tuna, sailfish and other big pelagic
fish. Divers consider the wall at Gordon Rocks one of the best dive sites
in the Central Islands. The current is strong and the maximum depth is 100
feet.
Visit the Charles Darwin Research Station on the Island of Santa Cruz. Scientists
from all over the globe work at the station and conduct biological research
from anatomy to zoology. Observe year-old tortoises and learn about the
captive-breeding program. Stroll through the town of Puerto Ayora (population:
15,000), the largest town in the Galapagos. Buy souvenirs, mail postcards
and absorb local charm in the social heart of the Islands.
Day 10: Interpretation Center / San Cristobal Island -
Cruise Only Ends
Hotel Patio Andaluz
This morning, visit the Interpretation Center to learn more about the natural
and human history of the Islands. After your visit, transfer to the airport
for your return flight to Quito. This afternoon is at your leisure. Overnight
at the Hotel Patio Andaluz, or similar hotel.
Day 11: Quito / Home
This morning, transfer to the airport for your return flight home.
Notes:
This itinerary is subject to change. ExpeditionTrips.com is not responsible
for itinerary changes.
Included (Cruise Only):
Accommodations aboard ship; all meals aboard ship; beverages, including
national brands of alcohol; snacks; all shore activities and excursions;
service of naturalist guides/dive masters; transfers and baggage handling
between island airport and ship; use of snorkeling gear, wet suits, and
kayaks, first come first serve basis (one double, one single); up to four
dives per day on 5.5 days for 7-night cruise; diving equipment (filled tanks,
weights, weight belt, dive alerts and safety sausages); dive deck assistance
and fresh water rinses; all Peter Hughes amenities including terrycloth
bathrobes, fresh hot towels after every dive and morning beverage service;
Not Included (Cruise Only):
Hotel nights before/after cruise; transfers in Quito or Guayaquil; Galapagos
National Park entrance fee, USD$100 (children under 12 subtract $50), subject
to change without notice*; international airfare; airfare to/from Galapagos
Islands; international airport departure tax, must be paid in cash; Galapagos
Transit Card ($10 per person), paid in cash upon arrival to airport; gratuities
are left to the discretion of the passenger; traveler’s insurance; hyperbaric
chamber fee ($35 per person); Nitrox course or fills; dive gear equipment
rentals; underwater photo course or camera equipment; fuel surcharge ($160
per person / trip).
Included (Package):
Three hotel nights in Quito in either a Deluxe Hotel, or Premium Upgrade
hotel for an additional $150 per person (hotel based on availability); four
transfers in Quito; adult Galapagos National Park tax, USD$100 (Children
under 12 subtract $50), subject to change*; Accommodations aboard ship;
all meals aboard ship; beverages, including national brands of alcohol;
snacks; all shore activities and excursions; service of naturalist guides/dive
masters; transfers and baggage handling between island airport and ship;
use of snorkeling gear, wet suits, and kayaks, first come first serve basis
(one double, one single); up to four dives per day on 5.5 days for 7-night
cruise; diving equipment (filled tanks, weights, weight belt, dive alerts
and safety sausages); dive deck assistance and fresh water rinses; all Peter
Hughes amenities including terrycloth bathrobes, fresh hot towels after
every dive and morning beverage service; Galapagos Transit Card.
Not Included (Package):
International airfare; airfare to/from Galapagos Islands; international
airport departure tax, must be paid in cash; gratuities are left to the
discretion of the passenger; traveler’s insurance; hyperbaric chamber fee
($35 per person); Nitrox course or fills; dive gear equipment rentals; underwater
photo course or camera equipment; fuel surcharge ($160 per person / trip).
The Park tax may double in the near future (pending government approval),
thereby resulting in an additional $100 charge per adult and $50 per child
under 12 years for both package and cruise only passengers.
If you are booking a cruise only program, we are happy to add hotels, air
and land arrangements as requested, and you will be quoted for services.
We recommend that you plan your trip between mid
October and mid July due to the climatic conditions. From November to June,
the water temperature averages 75 degrees Fahrenheit with February to April
the warmest time. Water temperature from July to October averages 70 degrees
Fahrenheit and can fall below 70 degrees in August and September.
The ship will supply a Galapagos naturalist guide who is also a certified
dive master an instructor to lead dive groups. The guide is a qualified
diver with essential knowledge of specific diving locations and their respective
interest and dangers.
Divers must bring all their own dive equipment,
including the following:
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Mask, fins and snorkel
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Regulator and gauges (depth and pressure)
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Buoyancy compensator vest
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Wet suit (1/4") thick neoprene is
recommended, hood and gloves
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Flashlight (for night dives)
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Open water diving certification
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Medical certificate showing one is
fit for diving
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Misc. equipment of choice such as,
underwater camera or video camera, dive computer
Divers are required to sign an indemnity
from stating that the operator of the dive boat is not responsible for any
failure in the equipment, which the divers use.
To dive Galapagos, one must be an experienced diver with adequate skills.
Galapagos is not suitable for novice or infrequent divers due to strong
current, sea (well), surges, cool waters, upwelling, poor visibility (at
times), and large animals including the harmless Galapagos shark. Divers
must have excellent buoyancy control and be totally self-sufficient to handle
all gear.
We recommend Advance Certification + 40 dives. Due to the remoteness
of the islands, there are no facilities for hyper panic treatment of diving
injuries. Therefore, there will be no decompression dives.
Airfare between Quito/Guayaquil and the Galapagos Islands:
The flights between mainland Ecuador (Quito or Guayaquil) and the Galapagos
Islands are an additional cost. For your cruise security, ExpeditionTrips
must reserve these flights for you at the time of cruise booking. Approximate
cost (including service fee): $400 – $450 per adult; $225-$275 per child
under 12 (copy of passport required).
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Tell me more
about a trip to the Galapagos!
|
Galapagos
Cruises
Trips leave year
round |
Santa Cruz
Expedition ship -
families
90 passengers
4/7 days from $1500 |
Santa Cruz
Expedition ship -
families
90 passengers
5/8 days from $2000 |
Explorer II
family vacations, snorkelling,
Natural history "lite"
100 passengers
5/8 days from $1925 |
Cachalote 1
small sailboat, ideal for charter
16 passengers
8/11 days from $2438 |
Sagitta
Classic sailing vessel
16 passengers
8/11 days from $3470 |
Santa Cruz
Expedition ship -
families
90 passengers
8/11 days from $3051 |
Celebrity
Xpeditions
5 star vessel, natural
history "lite"
92 passengers
11 days from $3499 |
Samba
 small motor yacht, snorkelling, diving
options
14 passengers
8/11 days from $2200 |
Eric
small ship vessel, good
guides, diving, kayaking options
20 passengers
8/11
days from $2925 |
Sky Dancer
Dive boat
16 passengers
8/11 days from $3795 |
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Recommended reading |
Galápagos: A Natural History Guide, Michael Jackson.
Galápagos Wildlife: A Visitor’s Guide, David Horwell, Pete
Oxford.
The Beak of the Finch: A story of Evolution in Our Time, Jonathan
Weiner.
Voyage of the Beagle, Charles Darwin.
A Guide to the Birds of the Galápagos Islands, Isabel Castro and
Antonia Phillips |
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