Advice for dive ops in Galapagos?

[SharonY]

Hi everyone!
Thanks for all your advice and comments.

I contacted Dom from Dive Advice, he is WONDERFUL! I told him about my dive experience (I checked my logbook - 20 dives total) and even if I could get an LOB to accept me, he said I would enjoy a LOB so much more once I have more experience under my belt. It’s not my personality to try something like this without knowing I have what it takes to have an enjoyable experience.

I recently did four cavern dives in cenotes in Tulum, Mexico, and although I did great with my buoyancy, I had zero current to contend with.

So I’m going to do a naturalist tour and do some day dives.

I was thinking of being based on Santa Cruz, but now I’m going to have to look into what you said RMorgan about the day dives being better on San Cristobal…

Which dive op are you diving with RMorgan?

 

[Scared Silly]

We did a trip with Blue Evolution on San Cristobal. I would recommend them.

 

[SharonY]

Thanks Scared Silly - I will look into their dive op.

 

[Scared Silly]

If you want a nice place to stay Hospedaje Romy is good. Quiet, friendly family run place. The owner did the driving for us one day when we did a self serve tour and walkabout. Also there are several other self serve walkabouts that can be done on the island. Go out to Playa Loberia then continue on to Acantilado La Loberia.

 

[rmorgan]

SharonY, our trip is not until April, so I will await your trip report! I've been loosely planning to use Wreck Bay, but will follow up on Scared Silly's recommendation of Blue Evolution. By the way--we're opting for our land days on San Cristobal because that's where we board the vessel for our cruise. If your cruise leaves from Santa Cruz, getting from San Cristobal to there, you're facing either tight weight limits on a very small (and, I think, not so cheap) plane or a ride on a "ferry" for 2-3 hours. The accounts I've read of the ferries is that they are not big, the seas can be rough, the ride can be long, and they are often pukey even for people who don't get seasick. It might make sense to book your cruise before you pick an island. It looks to me like there's 2-3 days of decent dive sites on either island; a lot of the Santa Cruz sites have 2+ hour travel times.

Scared Silly, thanks for the reference to Hospedaje Romy--it looks cool!

--RIck

 

[SharonY]

Thanks Scared Silly for the recommendation for accommodation. I will look them up!

I've never done a trip report, but maybe I should!

Rmorgan, you are right, as soon as I have the cruise booked, then I can decide which island to dive from.

I have decided to skip my six days of Quito (it's raining a lot, and I heard it might be a little dangerous for a female solo traveler right now), and head right to the Galapagos the morning after my international flight.

This way I can make more out of my national park fee, and have six days free to explore and do day dives before my boyfriend arrives and we head out on the naturalist cruise.

If I want to brave the potentially pukey boat ride.... I could do Santa Cruz first, then head to San Cristobal (if the cruise leaves from there) and then I will get to do two day dives in San Cristobal after the cruise too.

Either way if both islands have 2-3 days of good diving sites, and I'm still a newbie diver, I think I can't go too wrong, it will be great for me either way! I'm excited to get more dives under my belt and my confidence up in currents.


Rmorgan, do you think the San Cristobal dive sites also have 2 + hours travel time?

 

[Scared Silly]

We did the ferry to and from Santa Cruz to San Cristobal. It was not too bad of a ride. Take some sea sick meds, sit most of the way back. You get more fresh air and less bouncy and less chance of getting wet. They hold around 16-24 people depending on the boat.

Good decision to skip Quito, we did the same (I have spent time there, though 30 years ago, and wanted to see it again). But right now the Galapagos are quiet which is a treat. Also we booked a flight straight through, though overnighted at the airport on the way down. There is an airport shuttle every 30 minutes. By booking all on one ticket if there is hiccup you are covered. If a split ticket and there is an irop you could have a hassle.

Figure around 90 minutes to Kicker Rock. For an itinerary my suggestion would be fly to San Chrisobal. Dive and see things there. Take the afternoon ferry to Santa Cruz. Hop on a LOB for land tours. The tours around Isabella are better. Check the itinerary so not to visit places on Santa Cruz that you will see on the tour (Darwin Research Station and Turtle Reserve). When the tour is over, head to airport.

Oh on Santa Cruz - we stayed with Captain Max great place. Again quiet, easy going, and flexible.

 

[rmorgan]

Rmorgan, do you think the San Cristobal dive sites also have 2 + hours travel time?

Sharon, I saw mention of a 90-minute drive to Kicker, but haven't dug deeper than that yet. If the ferry doesn't faze you, I think Santa Cruz before and San Cristobal after sounds great--that's what I'd originally planned, although in the reverse order.

 

[DiveTheGalapagos]

Wreck Bay is the shop I would recommend on San Cristobal. There is better diving from Puerto Ayora (Santa Cruz) if you can get over there by ferry. It will depend on where you're flying into and where your naturalist cruise departs from. On Santa Cruz, I would recommend either Scuba Iguana or Academy Bay.

Your experience would not preclude you from any site. Gordon Rocks is the most challenging and used to be on liveaboard itineraries before the rules changed and only day tour operators are allowed to dive there. Most require a minimum of 30 dives for Gordon Rocks.

Avoid the only operator in Isabela.

And please note that as of Dec 1, you need both a complete COVID vaccination certificate (completed at least 14 days prior to arriving into the country) and a PCR test (not the fast antigen test) to enter Ecuador. I just posted that this AM as the new restrictions were just announced last night.

 

[Must_dash]

We were on Santa Cruz for a few days diving and chose Acadamy Bay as it was recomended by some contacts in Ecuador.
Fantastic operation! We had 2 nervous divers and they were fantastic with their reassurance and their help. They help everybody get ready even helping with getting fins on
etc.

AB if you're here, thaks so much much.

Tom