New Galapagos 2011 itineraries

[DiveTheGalapagos]

Sorry, am in Galapagos with very limited access...none next week. Hope to have by the time I return to the mainland in March.

 

[diveloonie66]

Can anyone recommend a day boat scuba operator on San Cristobal island?
I will be there for four days prior to boarding the Aggressor and would like to do even more diving
I am having a hard time finding one. Scuba Iguana is on Santa Cruz and does not do San Cristobal.

 

[openhelix]

Dive the Galapagos can probably help. She's been of great help to me (I'm going on her dive charter in Aug) and seems to know everything about the G islands

 

[pikeblenny]

There are a few operators in San Cristobal, some definitely more professional than others. Wreck Bay are expensive but do a very good job. I am not so sure you will find 4 full days of diving as most of the land based sites are out of Santa Cruz. Kicker Rock(Leon Dormido) is worth doing. That is probably about it. Land based diving is expensive - about $180 per day average for the better operators.
My suggestion is to change your plans to fly to Baltra instead and dive out of Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz for a couple days then take the ferry to meet the Aggressor in San Cristobal the day of the charter.
It is very easy to change your plane ticket to the islands and taking the ferry is very straightforward.
That way you can dive Gordon Rocks, North Seymour, Mosquera - great sites that the liveaboards are no longer permitted to do. I would be happy to answer any specific questions as I am in Galapagos frequently.
Good luck!

 

[DiveTheGalapagos]

There are a few operators in San Cristobal, some definitely more professional than others. Wreck Bay are expensive but do a very good job. I am not so sure you will find 4 full days of diving as most of the land based sites are out of Santa Cruz. Kicker Rock(Leon Dormido) is worth doing. That is probably about it. Land based diving is expensive - about $180 per day average for the better operators.
My suggestion is to change your plans to fly to Baltra instead and dive out of Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz for a couple days then take the ferry to meet the Aggressor in San Cristobal the day of the charter.
It is very easy to change your plane ticket to the islands and taking the ferry is very straightforward.
That way you can dive Gordon Rocks, North Seymour, Mosquera - great sites that the liveaboards are no longer permitted to do. I would be happy to answer any specific questions as I am in Galapagos frequently.
Good luck!

Good advice as the only site around San Cristobal worth diving, imho, is Kicker Rock. Scuba Iguana still dives Floreana on Mondays, too, from Santa Cruz, at least for 2011, a good place to dive in addition to the Santa Cruz sites. Wreck Bay is a good operator, but won't have a dive permit until the next go round of awarding dive permits. They still go out and I assume they will continue unless the 2 with permits end up putting their foot down. So, just in case it does start being enforced, I would get in touch with Roberto Naranjo who does have a dive permit. His email is naranjo_roberto@hotmail.com. He speaks very good English and can also arrange hotels and any other tours for San Cristobal. I think Roberto charges $130 pp for a 2 tank dive, including equipment and a box lunch on the beach post diving.

PS, PikeBlenny...beyond time to update your profile to Course Director!

 

[DiveTheGalapagos]

ps...All new Galapagos liveaboard itineraries (except Buddy boats) are on our website under the LiveAboards menu. Look for the individual boat to see their itinerary. On the homepage, you can find Scuba Iguana's 2011 itinerary, look under Daily Dives on the bottom half of the page. All land operators with permits are now limited to itineraries, too.

 

[diver00014]

ps...All new Galapagos liveaboard itineraries (except Buddy boats) are on our website under the LiveAboards menu. Look for the individual boat to see their itinerary. On the homepage, you can find Scuba Iguana's 2011 itinerary, look under Daily Dives on the bottom half of the page. All land operators with permits are now limited to itineraries, too.

I sent an email to the web sight in the above post.Im trying to put together a trip for a group of divers but am having a hard time justifying the cost. Is it really worth it?
Flight from nebraska to Guayaquil 2k, park fees and some other tax 110, one night in Quito 100 plus some food? flight to Galapagos another 500, cost of liveabord 5k plus tip, in other words 8 grand for maybe if were lucky 15 dives? WOW

 

[Dom@DiveAdvice]

Galapagso Sky

Day 1: Arrival, Check dive
Day 2: AM: Land Visit to Santa Cruz; PM: 2 dives at Cousins
Day 3: Wolf 3 dives
Day 4: Darwin 3 dives
Day 5: Darwin 2 dives: PM 1 dive at Wolf
Day 6: Roca Redonda 1 dive + Roca Vicente 2 dives
Day 7: Jan to May AM: Cape Marshal 2 dives : PM: Albany 1 dive
Day 7: Jun to Dec Pt Marchena 3 dives
Day 8: Interpretation Center . Departure.

Deep Blue

Monday: PM: Cristobal - PM: Isla Lobos Check Out Dive

Tuesday: AM: Punta Carrion 2 Dives PM: Los Gemelos – El Chato ( Santa Cruz) Land visit

Wednesday: AM: Wolf 2 Dives PM: Wolf 1 Dive

Thursday: AM: Darwin 2 Dives PM: Darwin 1 Dive

Friday: AM: Darwin 2 Dives PM: Darwin 1 Dive

Saturday: AM: Cabo Marshall 2 Dives PM: Cabo Marshall 1 Dive

Sunday: AM: Rocas Cousin 2 Dives PM: Bartolome –Charles Darwin Station Land visit

Monday: AM: Land Visit to Interpretation Center San Cristobal departure

Send me a mail if you want itineraries for new Darwin Buddy + Wolf Buddy, which will be larger, faster, include everything all drisnk and free nitrox, and $1000 less expensive than the Aggressor. l .

Dominick Macan
Dive Advice Travel
dom@diveadvice.com
DIVE ADVICE TRAVEL - Welcome to Dive Advice Travel

 

[Dom@DiveAdvice]

Hi Semo - I think that you can revise your budget to around $6000 from Nebrasks. Then if you plan to put it together for a half or full boat charter you maybe able to knock $800 to $1000 off that. Galapagis is always going to be costly but there are better wasy to do it. Let me know if you need help. Cheers, Dom

Top liveaboard in prime time @ $4150 include nitrox and all drinks
Extras including park fee $100, Visitors card $10, recompression chambre fee $35
GYE-SCY-GYE- from $340 RT incl taxes
Hotel + transfers @ $85 pp dbl occupancy
Flts from Omaha NB to GYE from approx $1150
Tip $400

Dominick Macan
Dive Advice Travel
dom@diveadvice.com
DIVE ADVICE TRAVEL - Welcome to Dive Advice Travel

 

[DiveTheGalapagos]

I've been intending to come post this...client's questions today made me realize I had never published it on our site. This is a chart with an overview of each Galapagos liveaboard's itinerary:

Galapagos Live-Aboard New Itineraries