and have you all say "who the heck is SHE?" But I've been watching this thread and wanted to comment that there's a second issue going on in the Galapagos as well. It might not directly affect whether peoples' trips are cancelled, but I think it just gives some insight to the whole situation.
There are two issues: permits for the boats, and training for the guides. Originally, the only boats that were exclusively dive boats down there were the 2 Aggressors, then later Peter Hughes (Sky Dancer). So when you were at Wolf and Darwin, those were absolutely the only other boats you would see. Gradually other boats started offering "some" diving, then more and more. Apparently they were supposed to be licensed either for land tours or dive tours, but the authorities just let that slide.
As to the guides: There are, officially, two kinds of trining programs. One to become a Naturalist Guide for the Galapagos National Park, and another to be a Divde Guide for the Galapagos Marine Reserve. But again, the lines blurred, not really enforced, so what happened was that, even the original 3 dive boats didn't require their staff to have both kinds of training. I think they've been scrupulous (all of the boats offering diving, I think) to ensure that their divemasters were not only certified to DM, but were always also Scuba Instructors, and maintained their Instructor certificates. Then, they made sure that their divemasters had the Naturalist Guide training, so that they could lead the land tours. But they did not require them to get the Dive Guide training for the Marine Reserve.
So what's happening now, as alluded in a post above, many guides are leaving the Galapagos. Why? If you don't already have the dive guide training for the Marine Reserve, you have to take that course before you can be a DM there again. I assume that the dive guide training is similar to the Naturalist Guide training - it's an intensive, several month course. I would guess that while you take the course, you are not working, no salary, no tips, etc, and most of them can't aford to do that. In addition, apparently the National Park hasn't announced when (if?) they will next offer the Dive Guide training for the Marine Reserve. So many of them are making a choice: quit diving and just be a land guide, or even leave the Galapagos altogether. (As a further shock, did you know that the pay is better as a land guide than as a dive guide? unbelievable.)
You'd think this might hamper the boats' ability to offer as much diving as they have in the past, if they actually have a shortage of trained (permitted) guides, not just the issue of whether the boat itself is permitted.
But additionally, for those of us that have dove there before, and know some of these guides, it's just a ****ty way to treat them. They are all going through a personal crisis in their working lives right now, not knowing what they will do next.
Lest you ask, how do I know this?? My husband is a DM/Naturalist guide there. (you've heard of bi-coastal marriages? Well, there are bi-continental ones as well....) Currently works on the Sky Dancer, worked on the Aggressors for 9+ years, on the Lammer Law for a year or so, and on various others doing pickup work whenever possible. When he first started working there, (Aggressor) then wanted to know (1) are you a diver, and (2) can you speak English? They sent him for the Naturalis Guide training, but I don't know if they ever offered to send him for the other, or if he just opted not to take it becasue it wasn't reauired for employment. Anyway, right now, the company that operates the Sky Dancer also operates several others offering land tours only, and he has had to switch.
What a mess!
There are two issues: permits for the boats, and training for the guides. Originally, the only boats that were exclusively dive boats down there were the 2 Aggressors, then later Peter Hughes (Sky Dancer). So when you were at Wolf and Darwin, those were absolutely the only other boats you would see. Gradually other boats started offering "some" diving, then more and more. Apparently they were supposed to be licensed either for land tours or dive tours, but the authorities just let that slide.
As to the guides: There are, officially, two kinds of trining programs. One to become a Naturalist Guide for the Galapagos National Park, and another to be a Divde Guide for the Galapagos Marine Reserve. But again, the lines blurred, not really enforced, so what happened was that, even the original 3 dive boats didn't require their staff to have both kinds of training. I think they've been scrupulous (all of the boats offering diving, I think) to ensure that their divemasters were not only certified to DM, but were always also Scuba Instructors, and maintained their Instructor certificates. Then, they made sure that their divemasters had the Naturalist Guide training, so that they could lead the land tours. But they did not require them to get the Dive Guide training for the Marine Reserve.
So what's happening now, as alluded in a post above, many guides are leaving the Galapagos. Why? If you don't already have the dive guide training for the Marine Reserve, you have to take that course before you can be a DM there again. I assume that the dive guide training is similar to the Naturalist Guide training - it's an intensive, several month course. I would guess that while you take the course, you are not working, no salary, no tips, etc, and most of them can't aford to do that. In addition, apparently the National Park hasn't announced when (if?) they will next offer the Dive Guide training for the Marine Reserve. So many of them are making a choice: quit diving and just be a land guide, or even leave the Galapagos altogether. (As a further shock, did you know that the pay is better as a land guide than as a dive guide? unbelievable.)
You'd think this might hamper the boats' ability to offer as much diving as they have in the past, if they actually have a shortage of trained (permitted) guides, not just the issue of whether the boat itself is permitted.
But additionally, for those of us that have dove there before, and know some of these guides, it's just a ****ty way to treat them. They are all going through a personal crisis in their working lives right now, not knowing what they will do next.
Lest you ask, how do I know this?? My husband is a DM/Naturalist guide there. (you've heard of bi-coastal marriages? Well, there are bi-continental ones as well....) Currently works on the Sky Dancer, worked on the Aggressors for 9+ years, on the Lammer Law for a year or so, and on various others doing pickup work whenever possible. When he first started working there, (Aggressor) then wanted to know (1) are you a diver, and (2) can you speak English? They sent him for the Naturalis Guide training, but I don't know if they ever offered to send him for the other, or if he just opted not to take it becasue it wasn't reauired for employment. Anyway, right now, the company that operates the Sky Dancer also operates several others offering land tours only, and he has had to switch.
What a mess!
and also, apologies for being so long
