Galapagos questions

[lee3]

My wife and I are definitely going to the Galapagos islands this year and need to get our trip booked in the next 2 weeks. We are going for 2 weeks and will be on a liveaboard to head up to darwin and wolf. I've done some reading and spoken with others who have gone and am getting a lot of conflicting reports as to what time of the year is best to go. We would most like to see schooling hammerheads and whale sharks if possible in addition to all of the other wonders of those islands. We dive Monterey CA frequently so the we are not concerned about water temps, rather what we will see.

Some people have told me July is the best time for Whale Sharks and others say October. That's a pretty wide range there and would like to pin down with some accuracy from those who have been. Hopefully we can choose a month that would have decent success with a bunch of hammerheads and whales. I've also seen mention that rebreathers are necessary for getting close to the hammerheads. Neither one of us own a rebreather, but if people think it would be a wise investment to go through the training necessary, please speak up. We are felxible with time schedules and can go anywhere between May and November. Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[jlyle]

Whatever you do, don't go during an el nino event. The first time we went to the Galapagos the water was 84 degrees, the sealions and seabirds were dying of starvation. While we did see hammerheads, they were deep. Our second trip was during a normal year and the water was much colder, with lots of schooling hammers and healthy sealions/seabirds. Both of our trips were in January and no whalesharks were seen.

 

[Doc]

My wife and I are definitely going to the Galapagos islands this year and need to get our trip booked in the next 2 weeks. We are going for 2 weeks and will be on a liveaboard to head up to darwin and wolf. .

If you are doing a liveaboard for two weeks... wow!

If not (and just 1 week), take a look at my land based dive report from the Galloping Pogos:

http://www.geocities.com/johnofrancis/galapagos.htm

It was an elegant way to spend time with a nice bunch of people.

 

[cyklon_300]

in June 97 were 82-84F, vis 75', and there were virtually no currents. Hammerheads were fairly plentiful at Wolf and Darwin and we were treated to a 45' whale shark at Darwin's Arch.

However, our boat crew reported that the group immediately preceding our trip saw no hammers or whale sharks. Luck helps.

 

[Gaz]

However, our boat crew reported that the group immediately preceding our trip saw no hammers or whale sharks. Luck helps.[/QUOTE]


I have dove the Galapagos the past 2 years in a row 9th thru the 16th sept each time on the agressor and first time were 28 Whale Sharks and this year we saw 19 whale sharks (almost every dive and sometimes 2-3 on a dive) tons of Hammers and Galapagos sharks plus the usual stuff sealions etc

I suggest the aggressor and to book it through Ultimate Dive Travel whom I consider to be one of the very best Specialists on the Galapagos being the largest provider of business for the Agressor fleet especially the Galapagos

website is www.UltimateDiveTravel.com

With such an expensive trip you want to ensure you have the best opportunitys available and these guys will ensure you are advised accordingly

all the best

Gaz Cooper
www.DiveBelize.com

 

[peterbj7]

"I have dove the Galapagos the past 2 years in a row 9th thru the 16th sept each time on the Aggressor"

Gaz - what is the most economical and sensible way to do the trip starting from Belize?