Galapagos Water Temperature

[Seadeuce]

This is not the case for the -1ºC dive mentionned above. In the Saguenay river there is a surface layer of freshwater (4ºC, can be higher) that flows South. At around 10m/30ft there is a halocline and underneath it's all saltwater (colder! the -1ºC was recorded repeatedly between 20 and 35m) from the Labrador current, flowing North. It's a wicked dive: the halocline blocks all sunlight. It's as dark as it gets and there's a lot of benthic species at leisure diving depths.

Interesting local anomaly. Thanks for the explanation. Must be nice getting a night dive by day.
I'd like to do that one!
We live and learn - the beauty of diving is there is always something new.


Seadeuce

 

[Manuel Sam]

My dive itinerary is as followsay 1 Playa OchoaDay 2 Mosquera Island & N. SeymourDay 3 WolfDay 4 DarwinDay 5 Darwin & WolfDay 6 Cousins Rock & Bartolome IslandDay 7 Gordon's Rock, South Plaza Island, & Puerto Ayora

So when looking at a map, It looks like Wolf and Darwin are considered the "northern" islands, so those likely will be my wetsuit islands. And I'm assuming the rest are the "southern" islands, probably my drysuit dives? (Considering my trip is the last week of June)

Everyone's lingo may vary but the rest are what I call "Central Islands" to distinguish them from the "real" southern islands, which are Floreana and Espanyola. Again, I'd play it by ear as far as wetsuit vs. drysuit in the Central Islands, depending on water temps when you get there.

Some of the other replies expressed a concern over wearing a drysuit in a tough current and/or amidst all the sharp and craggy rocks and barnacles. I've never done drysuits and don't ever plan to, so I can't comment on the first issue.

As far as the sharp rocks and barnacles, that is more of a concern in the Northern islands, where you spend some of the time hanging on or hidden in the rocks waiting for Mr. Big or the Hammerheads to come by. But looking at the dives that you have listed for the Central Islands, which is where you might use your drysuit, most of the time you will be drifting with only an occasional stop to perhaps look at a seahorse in Cousins or if something really unusual happens to swim by - so less of a chance to get your drysuit snagged/torn in the rocks.

 

[becky_scuba]

You can get away with a 3mm full suit with a 3/5 hood/vest. If your baggage tolerance allows I would also bring a 5 mm full suit for repetitive dives in the colder areas. The dive ops always under sell the colder currents. But, Im am also older!

Personally, I could never dive in a 3mm anywhere. I am tall and very, very thin. I have to wear a minimum of a 7mm farmer jane to stay warm anywhere I dive, otherwise I begin to shiver an abort the dive. Yes, even in the caribbean!!! So I need to figure out what the water temps are going to be at these various dive sites so that I can plan my dry suit vs. 7mm wet suit decisions for late June/early July.....

 

[suzbo]

Becky, the first time I dove in Galapagos was in July (though it was 9 years ago). I just looked at my log book and I recorded the water temps at the islands near the equator (Isla Lobos, North Seymour Island, Cousin's Rock) as 64, 66, and 68 degrees F respectively.

In general, the water around the islands closer to the equator are much colder than at Wolf & Darwin. That said, conditions change all the time, El Nino or La Nina can make a big difference in the water temps from year to year. But maybe this gives you a general idea.

Sue

 

[SteveAD]

I wouldn't bother with a wetsuit at all. Just the drysuit and a selection of undies.

 

[becky_scuba]

Becky, the first time I dove in Galapagos was in July (though it was 9 years ago). I just looked at my log book and I recorded the water temps at the islands near the equator (Isla Lobos, North Seymour Island, Cousin's Rock) as 64, 66, and 68 degrees F respectively.

In general, the water around the islands closer to the equator are much colder than at Wolf & Darwin. That said, conditions change all the time, El Nino or La Nina can make a big difference in the water temps from year to year. But maybe this gives you a general idea.

Sue

Hey Sue,
Thanks for the info. Did you dive at Wolf & Darwin? What was the temp there? That was the impression I got from others, that those two are warmer than the rest....
Beck

 

[divingdog5]

for sure a 5 mm will be fine but you need a hood the thermoclines around wolf and darwin are unpredictable .when i dove there i wore a 3mm with an other 3mm rented on top .

have you heard of malpello ??? dived from panama its as good as wolf or darwin rock and the liveaboard is not as pricey as any from costarica google inula we saw 5 whale sharks hundreds of silkys hammerheads ect

have a look on my flickr account search for diving dog 5 .

good luck abd buy a hood and some gloves

 

[suzbo]

Becky,
The temps at Wolf and Darwin can be nearly 10 degrees warmer than at the other islands. I show temps on my dives there as 74 - 76 degrees F. Sounds counter-intuitive that it's coldest at the equator, but that's the rule of thumb as far as the water temps go there. This is due to the particular major currents in that area.

I know you don't want to hear this, but I really think you run the risk of ripping or puncturing a dry suit there, at least at Darwin's Arch, where the procedure is to go lie on a ledge and hang on. These are all sharp volcanic rocks, almost no coral (they only have something like 5 species of coral in Galapagos), with plenty of sharp barnacles. The reason you're hanging on is that the currents really shove you around. I have all of these really embarrassing scrapes and scratches on my fins - top and bottom - from being there... I'm afraid to let other divers see them, unless they know I used those fins in Galapagos! So I'd be really worried about destroying that expensive dry suit.

That said, I don't get cold that easily, and you are the best judge of what you can handle. So do what you think will work for you, but you might want to try the wetsuit at Darwin, at least, where you'll get the warmest temps.

Good luck!