Trip Report Humboldt Explorer Jan 13-20, 2020

[Trailboss123]

Trailboss123's land-based Philippines trip sounded good; I don't know what it cost, all expenses included.

Great report as always @drrich2

For my Philippines trip, airfare was $750 round trip from Seattle- likely a bit more for you. LAX and SFO seem to be the best gateways to Manila from the USA.
I paid $1614 per person, double occupancy, for 11 nights accommodation and 10 days of diving at El Galleon/Asia Divers. Diving was 4 dives per day. Optional night dives were additional. We did 2 trips out to Verde Island, which were also additional- but nominally so - I want to say $35 for each 2 tank trip. $1614 price tag included a buffet/all you can eat breakfast, as well as grand transport from Manila Airport to El Galleon round trip. We did lunch and dinner a la carte which averaged out to about $7.50 per meal, but mostly ate vegetarian, but not exclusively. We certainly didn't skimp and portions were abundant. Nitrox was also additional- I believe $125 for the 10 days, but upgrading to 100 cubic foot tanks was free. So, all in, call it $2500 per person for airfare, ground transport and diving with Nitrox and accommodations and breakfast. Another $150 to $200 total for lunch and dinner, per person. There are always incidentals which will be variable for each person, such as alcohol, airport parking, tips, etc - Again, this was 11 nights and 10 days of diving. Pretty reasonable as far as dive vacations go.

 

[drrich2]

Thanks for the cost figures! I hope to maybe get to do longer, less expensive trips if blessed with plenty of free time and good health in retirement. I understand the Red Sea live-aboards are contenders, too. Problem is, the 6-year old figured out I was gone on vacation longer than she was. I think my job with call shifts is harder than 1st grade, but I'm not sure she's convinced.

I'm trying to use these issues as motivation to program an appreciation for academics. Get good grades and go to college so you can make more money and do stuff like this later. Our kid is doomed to be strange.

Oh, since the time during my brief stay on San Cristobal, I've had diarrhea. Not nausea or vomiting. Kept thinking it'd get better, thought maybe I'd picked up C. diff. (since I travel often I've had the 2 shot Hepatitis A vaccination series), but while it'd fluctuate it wouldn't stay gone! Then this past Wednesday night I got somewhat debilitated (there was a G.I. bug going around at work, so I think I picked up some kind of '24-hour' thing on top of what I already had). Thursday, I got to my family doctor.

We're waiting on culture and ova and parasite studies to come back, but some kind of rapid test called a Bio Fire said I've got 'enteroinvasive E. coli,' so he called me in a Cipro prescription. Feel better today.

I'm fairly careful when abroad, but in my hotel room, there was a pitcher of water and I drank from that. I don't know if that, or my trip, had anything to do with my getting sick (though the coincidence is odd); I didn't think it'd make me sick so fast, but my family Dr. said if a toxin were involved it could.

Okay, the point behind this TMI special is this...from an OnTheGoTours.com page -

"Is tap water safe to drink on the Galapagos Islands?
The tap water on the Galapagos Islands is not safe to drink so only drink bottled water, which is readily available on board cruise boats. It's wise to avoid ice cubes in drinks, and salads, which may have been washed in unhygienic water."

Duly noted.

 

[Meggie]

@drrich2

Thanks for the wonderful posts Richard, you remain, King of the Trip Reports.

I did the Galapagos in April-May, 2018 Galapagos Aggressor III April 26-May 3, 2018 There were some significant differences between our itineraries that folks might want to be aware of. You did 9 dives at Wolf and 6 at Darwin. We did only 6 dives at Wolf and 2 at Darwin.

We did a dive off Bartolome, where we saw Galapagos Penguins. We did 4 dives off Isabella Island at Cabo Marshall where we saw many mantas along with hammerheads and black tips. There was a shallow sea lion dive there also. At Cabo Douglas, off Fernandina, we did 2 dives and saw horn sharks and did a shallow dive with marine iguanas. We did 2 dives at Punta Vicente Roca, off Isabella, where we dived at a Mola mola cleaning station and saw Sea Robins and Red Lip Batfish. We were able to do one night dive at Wolf, perhaps the most interesting night dive I've done.

I wore a full 7mm wetsuit with or without a 5/3mm hooded vest. The water temperature at Wolf and Darwin were the same as yours. However, the water temperature at Cabo Marshall was 70-73, at Cabo Douglas 67-70, and at Punta Vicente Roca 63-65. I was one of the few divers who was acceptably warm on all dives. One of the divers from Russia wore a drysuit, he seemed happy about it

I'm not sure what dictates the various itineraries, specific boat, time of year, or something else. The water temperature may vary considerably between the various dive sites.

Edit: the Aggressor runs the itinerary I took from December through May and an itinerary closer to Richard's from June through November.

How would you compare Galapagos diving to all the other dive places you have been? Best of it all? Once it a life time, must do?

 

[scubadada]

Hi @Meggie

I'm much less traveled than many others on SB. The only "exotic" liveaboards" I have been on are the Red Sea Red Sea Aggressor April-May 2016, Cocos Cocos, March 27-April 5, 2017, Galapagos Galapagos Aggressor III April 26-May 3, 2018, and the Revillagigedos Revillagigedos on the Nautilus Explorer, May 24-June 1, 2019.

These were all fantastic trips. If I had to pick a favorite, it would be Galapagos, for the huge variety in diving sites and the incredible diversity of sea life. Do note the influence on specific itinerary on my comment. My runner up would probably be the Revillagigedos, though I thoroughly enjoyed, and would recommend, all of these trips.

Of course, I reserve the right to change my mind. The global pandemic caused the cancellation of my 2020 trip to Malpelo. It has been rescheduled to July 2021, I hope you'll hear about it, shortly thereafter.

So many places I haven't been, yet

 

[Meggie]

Hi @Meggie

I'm much less traveled than many others on SB. The only "exotic" liveaboards" I have been on are the Red Sea Red Sea Aggressor April-May 2016, Cocos Cocos, March 27-April 5, 2017, Galapagos Galapagos Aggressor III April 26-May 3, 2018, and the Revillagigedos Revillagigedos on the Nautilus Explorer, May 24-June 1, 2019.

These were all fantastic trips. If I had to pick a favorite, it would be Galapagos, for the huge variety in diving sites and the incredible diversity of sea life. Do note the influence on specific itinerary on my comment. My runner up would probably be the Revillagigedos, though I thoroughly enjoyed, and would recommend, all of these trips.

Of course, I reserve the right to change my mind. The global pandemic caused the cancellation of my 2020 trip to Malpelo. It has been rescheduled to July 2021, I hope you'll hear about it, shortly thereafter.

So many places I haven't been, yet

Did you think that 8 days was enough of diving in the Galapagos? What I mean by that, it's never enough diving, but since the dives are more challenging than other destinations, after 8 days did you feel like you go enough diving, and you saw enough for that trip? what i want to understand is the typical 7 nights, 8days enough? Financially the 8 day trip is what we can afford really but some people say if you can do the 11 day do that instead. Thanks!

 

[scubadada]

I would have gladly spent more time if that option would have been available

 

[drrich2]

I could have done more dives. Yes, using pangas, 4 dives/day was more tiring than I expected. I did 19 of the 20 offered dives (had ear trouble one dive). I got enough diving to satisfy me. Would a trip longer than a week be worthwhile?

Maybe! I'd look at the itinerary and see whether they'd take me where I could dive with marine iguanas, might see mola molas, and could see the Galapagos penguins. In other words, instead of 'more of the same,' show me something different.

If money's tight (when is it not?), after the live-aboard, would a land-based option be more practical? Live-aboards are good for reaching Wolf Island and Darwin's Arch, but after that, if you want to go elsewhere...

 

[DiveTheGalapagos]

Forgot to answer this one. The official currency of Ecuador is the U.S. Dollar. In practice a couple of oddities when getting change.

1.) Often change includes 1 dollar coins, U.S., but about the size of a 50 cent piece and sort of brown.
2.) I have 2 25-cent and 2 50-cent pieces that are clearly Ecuadorian. I don't know if these are hold-overs from the past or what. I like picking up some 'foreign money' when I travel to bring home to our daughter as a keep sake.

Just to clarify on this, Ecuador does mint its own coins that are identical to US change in size, but lighter in weight. So pennies (1 cent), nickels (5 cents), dimes (10 cents), quarters (25 cents) and half dollars (50 cent). US coins are spendable and widely accepted.

The dollar coins are, as you said, US dollars, the Sacagawea dollar. Sometimes, they're shiny and new. Others in distribution awhile indeed look dull and brown. I like the heft of shaking 2-3 of them in a closed hand. They're not quite the weight of a £ coin, but close. I never see them in the US, only Ecuador.

In Ecuador, it's always good to have smaller bills, nothing above a $20, as merchants having change is not a given.

 

[ontdiver]

I'm fairly careful when abroad, but in my hotel room, there was a pitcher of water and I drank from that.

That was the likely culprit. While the water may have been relatively safe, there is a high risk associated with cups, pitchers, etc that may we washed in the room with a contaminated dishcloth.

We have been taking Dukoral for several years and it has served us well. You may still get some symptoms but for us at least they have not been too severe.

 

[peeweediver]

Totally wonderful report. My LSD will be going the same January time frame next year so much of the info will be helpful. As you consider future trips, Raja should be a priority. It eclipsed all others for me. As to land based in the Philippines, we had a great 12 day trip to Moalboal. I know most on SB think there are better places in the Philippines, but the resort, Magic Island, and the diving was wonderful for us and, by using miles, we kept the cost under $8,000 for two. If we return, we'd split between their Moalboal and Bohol resorts.
Thanks again for a great trip report. Just came back inside from shoveling 7 inches of snow, so this was a great way to relax, have some tea and read your report.

Rob