Galapagos Trip Report: Wolf Buddy Liveaboard
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Nishan
Contributor
The Four Seasons Explorer is a floating luxury hotel with some diving thrown in. Not the best option for a dedicated dive vacation. You pay for a whole load of luxuries and the small cruise experience rather than a diving holiday. The liveaboards I have been on didnt include alcoholic beverages but they were not the highest end of the price range. As a budget traveller I prefer a cheaper boat where I can pay for extras if needed rather than an all inclusive. If I was paying more for the trip then of course I would expect a few more freebies. 
Great trip report diversusan. Quite jealous of you. The Galapagos are an expensive destination for those of us living in South Asia but hopefully someday.............before all the sharks disappear I hope!
Great trip report diversusan. Quite jealous of you. The Galapagos are an expensive destination for those of us living in South Asia but hopefully someday.............before all the sharks disappear I hope!
Shasta_man
Contributor
HA HA HA HA... complaining that you couldn't see for all the schools of fish in the way...that's too funny. Understood your point but it sounds funny as many places would be luckily to have the school that's in the way besides the big stuff you want to see.
That's an impressive list of animal sightings.
Question: what was the typical stability of the boat? As in, are you anchored in "protected areas" most of the time or bobbing in the swells and how did the boat take it?
Spirits I didn't bring are rare in my experience. Had to bring our own Patron for New Years.
That's an impressive list of animal sightings.
Question: what was the typical stability of the boat? As in, are you anchored in "protected areas" most of the time or bobbing in the swells and how did the boat take it?
Spirits I didn't bring are rare in my experience. Had to bring our own Patron for New Years.
OP
diversusan
Registered
I know - it was a good problem to have, I guess!
We were anchored in protected areas most of the time; did most of the traveling at night. There was only day (late afternoon/dinner/evening) when we were moving and things were rolling a bit, but it was not so bad as to be sliding things across the table or throwing things off shelves. The fact that they keep breakables (glassware, bottles, etc) sitting out on open shelves in the lounge/dining area leads me to believe that they don't get tossed around much!
We were anchored in protected areas most of the time; did most of the traveling at night. There was only day (late afternoon/dinner/evening) when we were moving and things were rolling a bit, but it was not so bad as to be sliding things across the table or throwing things off shelves. The fact that they keep breakables (glassware, bottles, etc) sitting out on open shelves in the lounge/dining area leads me to believe that they don't get tossed around much!
mbs
Contributor
Sounds pretty damn amazing!!! Question - how was getting back into the panga after the dives?
OP
diversusan
Registered
Diving from pangas/zodiacs is not my favorite, but I am small. For my husband it is not an issue at all. So your feeling about it probably depends on your size and strength. From my perspective, both getting in and out had their challenges...
You geared up on deck and then the crew helped you into the panga and passed you your fins (and camera). One guy, the oldest diver in our group, got into the panga first and then they passed him his BC, etc. Putting fins on in full gear in a moving panga was a bit wobbly for me, but I managed not to fall backward into the water or forward onto my face.
Once you surfaced, you first handed off your camera, then took off your weight belt and passed it into into the panga, and then your BC. My husband generally assisted me before taking off his gear. One time I was on my own and I did manage to lift the weight belt just high enough for the panga driver to grab, but he had to pluck my BC from the water. Keep in mind that, with the combination of extra salty water and a thick semi-dry suit, we were super weighted. Once your gear was off, you either hoisted yourself into the panga (fins on) or took off your fins and climbed the ladder. All of the women used the ladder.
Not as easy and comfortable as jumping directly from the main boat, but worth it for the great diving!
You geared up on deck and then the crew helped you into the panga and passed you your fins (and camera). One guy, the oldest diver in our group, got into the panga first and then they passed him his BC, etc. Putting fins on in full gear in a moving panga was a bit wobbly for me, but I managed not to fall backward into the water or forward onto my face.
Once you surfaced, you first handed off your camera, then took off your weight belt and passed it into into the panga, and then your BC. My husband generally assisted me before taking off his gear. One time I was on my own and I did manage to lift the weight belt just high enough for the panga driver to grab, but he had to pluck my BC from the water. Keep in mind that, with the combination of extra salty water and a thick semi-dry suit, we were super weighted. Once your gear was off, you either hoisted yourself into the panga (fins on) or took off your fins and climbed the ladder. All of the women used the ladder.
Not as easy and comfortable as jumping directly from the main boat, but worth it for the great diving!
DiveTheGalapagos
Contributor
LOL. I'm hoping free booze isn't what makes one boat more desirable than another in a location like Galapagos. Just fyi, on all of the Galapagos liveaboards, your diving is done for the day the moment you enjoy your first alcoholic beverage, beer and wine included.
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That is one point of the diving that makes the Galloping Pogos referred to as "advanced diving".
Many different new skills may confront you... all at once. That is what makes it advanced diving. Cooler water temps, increased wetsuits and weights, wild lateral currents and also instant vertical down & up-welling, spending a week on a liveaboard. Surface recovery and signalling skills, the ability to shoot a maker from 15' and hang there, the ability to clamber into the pick-up boat and not hurt yourself or others, the ability to backroll on command and immediately descend. It's a whole lot to put in order for the first timer.
Makes me wonder if you're new in this business
. Any number of such selection decisions are made on that basis, sorry to say. Even in the Caribbean, I have no idea how free alcohol could entice someone to miss dives, but it does... and they do.
OP
diversusan
Registered
Just fyi, on all of the Galapagos liveaboards, your diving is done for the day the moment you enjoy your first alcoholic beverage, beer and wine included.[/QUOTE]
That is the case with every liveaboard everyplace we've ever been. In the Galapagos it's actually less of an issue because the boats can only offer 3 dives per day, and no night diving.
We do not choose our liveaboard based on free drinks - which is why I was surprised that all of the alcoholic beverages were included on the Wolf Buddy. But I never expected my comment about that in the TR to generate so much discussion.
That is the case with every liveaboard everyplace we've ever been. In the Galapagos it's actually less of an issue because the boats can only offer 3 dives per day, and no night diving.
We do not choose our liveaboard based on free drinks - which is why I was surprised that all of the alcoholic beverages were included on the Wolf Buddy. But I never expected my comment about that in the TR to generate so much discussion.
mbs
Contributor
Ahhh, you said the magic word for me: "ladder"! We did Rangiroa a few years back and I think my wife still has black and blue marks on her arms from the dm and captain pulling her into the zodiac And that was with me pushing from underneath. Anyway, good to hear the pangas have ladders! Thanks!
And that was with me pushing from underneath. Anyway, good to hear the pangas have ladders! Thanks!Similar threads
