Galapagos conditions

[DiveTheGalapagos]

you might wanna read this:

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ac...ng-fatality-february-12-2010-eloise-gale.html

And Florida has more fatalities each year than Galapagos. Does that mean no one should ever dive in Florida? In studying the two non-heart attack fatalities in the Galapagos for the last couple of years, they had one thing in common - they were on their own behind the group. First time I went to Darwin/Wolf, a friend of mine told me to stick close to the dive guide. Not for safety, but because they can spot things we'll otherwise miss and those in the back might not get the chance to see. But I think it's a good safety tip, too.

So, if I'm not sufficiently scared off by the list of experience I don't have, should I be? I've got about 90 dives, though most are pier dives or directly off a liveaboard.

And finally, is the diving so good that it's worth it? It's not cheap, I'm a little seasick prone and you're freaking me out a bit here!

thanks

The diving is SO worth it. Where else on the planet can you swim through a few hundred hammerhead to chase a whale shark? And that's just 2 species. All told, last time I went (Nov 09), we probably saw around 1000 hammerheads, maybe 50 Galapagos Sharks, Silkys, Dolphins, countless Morays, squadrons of Eagle Rays and 17 Whale Sharks...in 2 days. The next day was Mantas, Galapagos Sharks, Sea Lions and a school of over a million black-striped Salemas that would completely hide a diver as he/she entered. Inside that school was like being in a dark cave. So now, we're up to 3 days of diving. And everywhere are huge schools of Barracuda, Steel Pompanos, Trevallys, Gringos, etc. And the beautiful tropicals: King Angelfish, Moorish Idols, Parrotfish, Wrasse, etc.

And ps...it looks like the Park is writing the rules yet again. Next year, diving Darwin and Wolf may be limited to only one day at each site and probably only 3 dives per day. If you can go this year, go. Hardly any space left before Jan. 2011 after Alta/Lammer Law cancelled all departures for 2010.

And ps again...lots of the pangas now have ladders so you don't have to seal flop your way back up.

 

[tstormdiver]

It was June 2007. The boat was Queen of the Galapagos - an Explorer Ventures live aboard. I chose them because they go to Darwin and Wolf. Many of the live aboards don't (as it's a haul up and back) and all the boats have to stick to whatever itinerary the park assigns them.

I flew to Quito direct from Miami so can't say anything re: MIA layovers. But Quito was a breeze. Explorer arranged for airport-hotel transfers, so no worries there. Once you land on Baltra they meet you and take you to the boat.

If I could do it again I'd plan an extra day in Quito. It's a beautiful city with lots to see. I was sorry I was in and out so quick.

OK. I'll be going Aug./ Sept. On Explorer Ventures Humboldt Explorer. I think our group will be flying into Quito from Atlanta. We fly from Quito into San Cristbal to meet up with the boat. Part of our group (including myself) is staying 3 days in Quito to party & tour a bit. I have traveled with Explorer Ventures before in the Southern Bahamas & was impressed. I don't think this time will be much different.

What was the general weather like?

 

[Dom@DiveAdvice]

What a great thread to prepare anyone to go to Galapagos. Thanks everyone for their contributions. A couple of comments I might make regarding equipment. Although water temps in the southern islands appear to be cooler than normal this year, many people feel that 7mm is excessive - especially if you have to buy it just for this one trip. In most cases 5mm if fine, with a thin polartec or neoprene vest with attached hood, and a 2nd thin hood to put over that. The layers really help a lot in insulating from the cool water. You should also have Dive Alert, mini-strobe, mini flashlight that fits in BC pocket, signal mirror- old CD works great, old leather or tough gardening gloves that you throw away afterwards - as they will probably be torn to shreds on the rocky bottom. Knee pads are not a bad idea to protect your nice wetsuit. No coral here so no worries about clinging to the bottom. And a Reef Hook !

I noted one comment above that in 2007, all dive boats did not go to Darwin + Wolf. Today there are 6 boats with permits for Darwin + Wolf - Deep Blue, Galapagos Sky (ex-SkyDancer), Aggressor I+II, and Humboldt Explorer. We are awaiting news on a new boat that is due to start in December but no details as yet. There is one boat that operates programs in the Southern Islands - the 85ft sailing schooner Nautilus, that includes hotel nights at first class ocean front hotesl on various islands, and 3 dives per day plus some land visits. Good option at $2479 for 7 nights, 20 dives and 2 land visits. Galapagos is still amongst the best of adventure big animal diving.

 

[jet126]

OK. I'll be going Aug./ Sept. On Explorer Ventures Humboldt Explorer. I think our group will be flying into Quito from Atlanta. We fly from Quito into San Cristbal to meet up with the boat. Part of our group (including myself) is staying 3 days in Quito to party & tour a bit. I have traveled with Explorer Ventures before in the Southern Bahamas & was impressed. I don't think this time will be much different.

What was the general weather like?

The sun was warm during the day but the air was cool. I generally wore a long-sleeve t-shirt with knee-length shorts or sweatpants. I also had a polar fleece. That was enough. I don't remember spending too much time on deck at night as that was when we were usually moving from point A to B and it was very windy. Bring layers to take on/off as needed.

Quito is at 9000 ft. so plan on the evenings being cool. You may or may not have trouble with the altitude. I was fine - but if you get a headache just take an aspirin and you should be fine.

As far as water temp, my group had everything from drysuits to 3mm. I wore a skin, 7mm full and a 3mm vest on top of that, beanie & gloves and was comfortable. But I am a warm water wimp. I live south of Fort Lauderdale and refuse to dive Nov-Mar because it's too cold.

You absolutely need gloves! Besides my dive gloves I had brought a couple extra pairs of fishing gloves. I gave them to my glove-less fellow divers after the first dive.

I have only good things to say about the Explorer Ventures boat. The dive master guides were excellent: super-passionate about the islands and also extremely conscious of our safety.

 

[tstormdiver]

And a Reef Hook !

The lead instructor for our trip called the guide of our boat to get some details & they actually said that a reef hook would/ could be dangerous (entanglement hazard) & discouraged their use, unless the diver has experience dealing with lines/ ropes underwater.

 

[jet126]

Tammy -
You'll be doing approx 4 dives a day. I lived in my bathing suit all week. I would take my skin off between dives and it usually dried enough so it wasn't too icky getting back into a wet wetsuit. I also have a hooded chamois zip-up coat I bought at a dive show years ago. They have a website: chammyz.com. It was perfect for throwing on over a wet bathing suit and takes up no room in your luggage.
Joanie

 

[TwoBitTxn]

4 1/2 weeks to Aggressor II. July 21-29.

 

[tstormdiver]

Tammy -
You'll be doing approx 4 dives a day. I lived in my bathing suit all week. I would take my skin off between dives and it usually dried enough so it wasn't too icky getting back into a wet wetsuit. I also have a hooded chamois zip-up coat I bought at a dive show years ago. They have a website: chammyz.com. It was perfect for throwing on over a wet bathing suit and takes up no room in your luggage.
Joanie

I will be wearing one of my 2 drysuits (lets hope they stay dry), I'm taking whilst down there with varying thickness of undergarments. I have a pull over hooded chamios sweatshirt I was going to take.

 

[Big fish63]

i have just been to komodo and experienced some pretty daunting moments... i wasn't really aware it was going to be such a rough ride (on some of the dives).. my question is how can you learn about downcurrents etc and become this 'advanced' diver without putting yourself in the situations mentioned here and what i experienced in komodo?

i am more aware now but at the time some of it actually scared the life out of me and gave me nightmares...

 

[Doc]

.. my question is how can you learn about downcurrents etc and become this 'advanced' diver without putting yourself in the situations mentioned here....

Plan your dive education in stages.

It may seem hard to detour from immediately jumping on the once-in-a-lifetime dive destination that your local dive group has planned, but learning to walk before you run is a good plan.

My wife wanted to dive the Galapogos from "day 1", so I started her out with the correct instructor and had her become an Ace Swimming Pool Diver.

We then went to a place that had simple and easy access perfect boats, warm water and pretty fish, simple shore dive, no current. It was CoCoView in Roatan. There are other places that will do.

We learned proper entries, including backrolls on command from 3' gunnels~ nbot just mastery of the giant stride. We did very quick descents. We practiced exits by always using the tag line, as well as drilling on rough water ladder work, even when it was flat calm. We practiced moving back to our seats as if the boat was rocking.

We practiced SMB shoots from 15', hanging on the line, then proper ways to approach the boat as if it were in 4' seas... even though it was flat calm.

Establishing buoyancy immediately and adjusting it throughout the dive became second nature to her.

From there, we went to a place where she could learn currents, both lateral and vertical. Many folks go to Cozumel, but the real location for this exercise is Tobago. It makes Coz look like a walk in the park. We also could opt to dive from less than state-of-the art dive boats, more like long rowboats (pangas) and inflatable RIBs (like Zodiacs).

It was there, with proper coaching and pre-dive briefings involving charts of the planned dive site, explanations of hand signals to warn what was coming, she learned how to deal with lateral currents first. Soon we started playing with underwater waterfalls, the downwellings.

Taking it step-by-step, with proper coaching from an instructor, from site interpretation through an experienced local dive guide, she felt comfortable after mastering each step in a progression.

If something new is just thrown at you without advanced warning and instruction as to how to deal with it, now... imagine if five new things are presented to you on one dive.

As my wife once asked our buddies after a particularly E-Ticket dive, "Was I supposed to be scared?" No one laughed at her.

This is what nightmares are made of. I understand what you went through.

Now she's at dive 300+ or so, been around the world, and she does solo night dives. She does what she is comfortable with, however. She looks back at her training, and when asked about it, she calls it "Dive Boot Camp". We crammed a lot of education into one year.

As I said in the initial response, the character and abilities of vacationing divers that are presenting themselves at heretofore exotic "advanced" dive locations has been dramatically altered when compared to visitors from prior years. It is easier to "get there", and as such, a lot of divers with very little experience in the multitude of advanced skills show up and want to go see the sights.

This runs the gamut from the guy that just got certified in Ohio that won a prize of a 10 day Galapogos liveaboard trip that he had to claim within the next three months.... to the Certified Advanced OW Diver who had done 250 dives in the midwest and had drysuit experience... and a VISA Card.

Take your time, set a course that makes sense in your training, understand the needed skills, make it lead towards the goal you have set.