Galapagos 2008

[Janine]

I'm going in 2008 as well and it's both land and sea. A rep from my dive shop just did a "check out" tour on the Aggressor and said it ROCKED.

 

[cowjazz]

Just got back from a week on the yacht Deep Blue.

Galapagos does indeed rock.

Currently, the itineraries for the boats are fluid. Our trip only allowed us one day a Darwin, and two days days at Wolf. The trip after us got two days at Darwin, one at Wolf. The yacht received our itinerary while we in our welcome/orientation meeting. The way it was explained to us is the yachts request an itinerary, and the Galapagos National Park service attempts to honor the requested itinerary. The park is trying to only have two boats at Wolf and Darwin at a time.

Our itinerary seemed like a bummer at the time, but in our three official dives at Darwin we tallied 20 whale shark sightings. Wolf produced schools of hammerheads, Galapagos sharks and eagle rays on every dive. Cabo Marshall put on a spectacular manta ray show.

As far as 2008 goes, it depends on who you talk to. Dive masters/naturalists say yachts will only be able to conduct dive trips or land trips, but not both. The yacht owners think they will be allowed to operate as they did in the past: they make their own itinerary. Other tour guides seem to think there is an attempt to ban all diving in Galapagos.

That's my readers digest version.

I'm tired, and need to rinse gear.

 

[EnronX]

Great to hear your trip went so well!

How was the viz during your time in the islands?

Did you get to see many whale sharks?!? What else were you able to see up in the North Islands?
Welcome back and I'm curious to see your pics if you post them online.

 

[Fionab]

Thanks for the update Jeff, we can only hope the whalesharks are still around for us next week.

There are 16 very excited brits leaving the UK on Friday afternoon.

Glad you mentioned the issues around Wolf and Darwin, I think we would have been upset as well if we only found out about the changes on the boat. Now I am prepared for it - time to relax. We really are going aren't we

 

[twinkles]

I am thinking about booking a trip to Galapagos in 2008. Operators and dive shop say "get trip insurance." Trouble is that every policy I have reviewed says that Governmental action is an exclussion. Meaning that if the Government prohibits the operator from conducting the trip you don't get you insurance paid.

So, is it worth the risk?

 

[baitballer]

You will certainly not be covered by trip insurance, I know I lost my airfare and transfer cost in August this year when my trip was cancelled two days before departure. The other question is, do you want to go to a country that encourages shark finning and does not care what happens to dive tourists? They cancelled many trips this year for purely political reasons, not caring about us the tourists and at the same time allowed the shark finning boats to go and rape and pillage. Use your money to support a country that is at least trying to support its fragile eco system and knows that dive tourism is one way to do it.

 

[Rick2]

Members from our club, U.D.C.M., had a trip to the Galapagos for July 2008 booked and recently cancelled by the gov't.. I don't know the particulars but it involved the "fishing industry" vs. tour operators. I tend to agree with Baitballer; with all the diving spots to explore, why gamble hard earned wages supporting a govt. who endorses Shark Finning?

 

[girellator]

You will certainly not be covered by trip insurance, I know I lost my airfare and transfer cost in August this year when my trip was cancelled two days before departure. The other question is, do you want to go to a country that encourages shark finning and does not care what happens to dive tourists? They cancelled many trips this year for purely political reasons, not caring about us the tourists and at the same time allowed the shark finning boats to go and rape and pillage. Use your money to support a country that is at least trying to support its fragile eco system and knows that dive tourism is one way to do it.

I was scheduled on a ten nights trip on deep blue , from the 6 July to the 16 and it was also cancelled three days before deperture from France.
I did get a complete refund from Galapagos adventure .
I agree completely with baitballer and don't think anymore to go to Galapagos !!
Instead we will certainly make a second trip to Coco's island .
And I wonder why on this board it seems not to be such a popular destination than Galapagos

 

[ChrisM]

I was scheduled on a ten nights trip on deep blue , from the 6 July to the 16 and it was also cancelled three days before deperture from France.
I did get a complete refund from Galapagos adventure .
I agree completely with baitballer and don't think anymore to go to Galapagos !!
Instead we will certainly make a second trip to Coco's island .
And I wonder why on this board it seems not to be such a popular destination than Galapagos

Cocos is good, but not as good as the Galapagos

 

[baehler]

Hi Chickpics,
If you still need to book your trip to the Galapagos I can offer 3 slots on the Sky Dancer with group reductions for the week 12-19 Oct. 2008. Need to confirm by the end of March 2008. Till now only the Agressors and Sky Dancer have the permit renewed. Concerning land tours I found on the web that it is still possible in 2008 (also confirmed by the operator) but maybe not for 2009.