Much of the southern island diving is merely interesting, i.e. finding endemic fish and nudibranchs, morays poking their heads out everywhere, sea lions frolicking, and big schools of stuff (snappers, jacks, etc.). It's interesting, but not truly so "different", as many aspects of the southern island diving (unless you're lucky enough to see a diving iguana) can be found in other locales. When we travel in the southern islands, I find the land creatures more interesting than underwater, certainly more unique.
On the other hand, diving Wolf and Darwin is simply incredible. It's a thrill ride every minute, being bombarded by hammerheads and Galapagos sharks coming in for a closer look, pesky fish nibbling around your fingers as you accidentally break off barnacles for them to eat, a moray here, marble ray there, watch out for those sea urchins, and then you hear the shaker of one of the DMs who spotted Mr. Big, get your bearings and swim out into the blue/green murk until the camouflaged behemoth appears right in front of you, practically crossing your path and smacking you with a tail fin (with attached remoras that alone are bigger than some of the divers on our boat). Incredible. The kind of dives where you can't help screaming WHOO-HOO!!! through your regulator. Get ready for your mind to be blown.
Hi Mossman,
While I couldn't agree more with your description of diving Darwin (and love the thrill oozing from your words...well done), I must say, I think your description of diving the central islands could only be (in context) relative to Darwin...the best pelagic site on the planet. Relative to so many other places on the planet, ...well, are there really that many places where you see hammerheads, Galapagos sharks, white tipped reef sharks, black tips, eagle rays, mantas, marbled rays, stingrays, turtles, sea lions, large schools of fish ON THE SAME DIVE like you can in the central islands?
To fall short relative to the best site on the planet is one thing, but to fall short or even be on par with most other sites on the planet I find very hard to believe. I wrote a
comparison piece about the difference between live-aboards vs island hopping in the Galapagos. I said point blank, anyone who tries to tell (sell) you that you aren't missing anything without going to Darwin is wrong. On the other hand, I was surprised when I wrote up my personal
Top 10 Galapagos dive moments from 2009 and yes, Darwin specific experience #1, Wolf #3 and the other 7 (along with lots of 'honorable mentions') were all in the central islands. Surprised even me because Darwin is so overwhelmingly AMAZING that you would think everything else falls short, but that has not been my experience.
Granted island hopping is not being limited to the sites from one island which could make a difference in what you experience and that is not an option that existed before we developed the concept this past year. No, not a sell. I am the world's worst salesperson. I literally cannot sell anything I don't feel passionate about.
This past November...I had to decide between going to Darwin and Wolf or out to explore potential new (land accessible) dive sites. Even Mathias Espinosa (legend in Galapagos diving) told me I was nuts to choose to go up to Darwin and Wolf instead of exploring dive sites no tourist has ever been to. (Sort of reminded me of the time a friend had to choose between a lot of money for his post season Yankee tix vs going to see the Subway series...if only I had more problems like this instead of the ones I really do have...). Yes, I went to Darwin and even onboard, longed to be out exploring instead.
So as someone so lucky to dive regularly in the Galapagos, I just want to stand up for the central islands. No, you may not be assured of a whale shark, but lots of people pay $5K during the spring or late winter to go up to Darwin and don't get to see whale sharks. No, you may not get to see hundreds of hammerheads, but I happen to enjoy any hammerhead sighting and do regularly see groups of 12-35. My most memorable experiences with mantas came not from Wolf, but from the central islands. And so on and so forth.
And ps...the week of Jan. 18, I'll be out there doing that exploration from 3 islands, an exhilarating thought for me! I don't think I get christmas morning childlike anticipation for much, but I have that in anticipation of this experience. Can't wait to hit sites no one dives, sites local fishermen or local DMs tell me are even more amazing than known sites. It was, after all, a fisherman who discovered that sharks are regularly at Darwin. We (DM and me) have room for 1-2 (for a max total of 4) if anyone happens to be around then and wants to join us. And yes, it's all legal as per Park regs if you look in the right part of the fine print.
). Looks like I'll have to whip out the ol' pocket book again. My LDS has chartered the Humbolt Explorer for Aug. 29th- Sept. 6th. Looks like it will be interesting diving,... to say the least!
