The Galapagos Sky 7 night Live-Aboard Diving Cruises itinerary to Galapagos Islands offers diving and photography opportunities with Schooling Hammerheads, giant whale sharks, rays of all shapes and colors, turtles, huge schools of fish, galapagos fur seals, and astounding marine life diversity are just some of the riveting attractions of Galapagos liveaboard diving – a destination many divers feel is “the best in the world”.
With a total of approximately 17 – 19 dives (check out dive included) all weather, current and sea condition dependant) and 3 land excursions on every trip. Diving in Galapagos IS considered ADVANCED diving as it occurs in the presence of strong currents, cold water and at times limited visibility. Diving from tenders/pangas (small inflatable boats) is also the rule and not an exception in this World Renowned destination.
Diving with Hammerhead Sharks
When you dive the islands of Wolf and Darwin on your next Galapagos Sky live-aboard cruise, hammerhead sharks are your constant companions.
You will see individual sharks, groups of 4-5 sharks, large schools numbering 100 or more sharks – and from December through May you can even see the sharks form a solid wall of hammerheads.
Despite their size, hammerhead sharks are a bit skittish – and while you’ll have no problem getting close enough to see them clearly – getting a good shot or video clip can be challenging.
Darwin Island: Considered by many experienced divers as the very best dive site in the world, The Arch at Darwin island (actually several dive sites depending on where you enter, currents, etc) honors its reputation. It is warmer by a few degrees than the central islands. In one single dive you can find schooling hammerhead sharks, Galapagos sharks, large pods of dolphins, thick schools of skipjack and yellow fin tuna, big eye jacks, mobula rays, and silky sharks. From June to November, it is not uncommon to encounter whale sharks in multiple numbers on one single dive. The presence of occasional tiger sharks, black and blue marlin, and killer whales adds on to this amazing diving experience. If you still have time to look for smaller stuff, you’ll find octopus, flounders, and an enormous variety and abundance of tropical fish. Darwin Island is the biggest jewel on the Galapagos Crown.
Wolf Island: One of those magical islands, with several dive sites to choose from. If you want to see sharks, you are at the right spot. This is a place for schooling hammerhead sharks, large aggregations of Galapagos sharks, and occasionally whale sharks. Seeing dolphins, large schools of tuna, spotted eagle rays, barracudas, sea lions and sea turtles is common. The bottom is littered with hundreds of moray eels, many of them free swimming. Being several degrees warmer than the central islands, you can look for many representatives of the Indo-Pacific underwater fauna. On a night dive here you will also enjoy spotting and watching the Red Lipped bat fish walk along the bottom of the sea!
Galapagos Sky Cruise itinerary:
Sunday (Embarkation day):
• Isla Lobos- Check out dive
The crew of the Galapagos Sky will personally meet you at the airport of San Cristobal on Sunday, collect your luggage, and escort you to the Galapagos Sky. Your luggage will be delivered to the dive deck for you. After everyone is on board, we will introduce you to the boat and do our mandatory safety briefings and drills. Then, cruise to the area of Los Lobos for your check-out dive. Watch for Galapagos sea lions and fur seals as they Zoom in and out and dance playfully for you!
Monday
•Bartolome – 1 dive and land walk
•Cousins 2 dives
Bartolome – Penguins can be seen at this dive site. After the dive enjoy a lovely land excursion where you can climb to the top of the hill for breathe taking views.
Cousins Rocks– this dive is an itinerary favorite and is done along a beautiful wall with corals, frog fish, sea horses, scorpion fish and octopuses. It is also a great dive for large schools of Barracudas and also Hammerhead sharks sightings. Sea lions will be your companions upon entry and on the safety stops.
By definition, the entire Galapagos Archipelago is geographically remote. But after this day of your live-aboard cruise finds you heading toward the most isolated, northernmost part of the Galapagos Islands – the uninhabited, untouched, twin cathedrals of world-class diving – Wolf and Darwin Islands.
Tuesday-Thursday- Wolf & Darwin
• Tues-4 Dives a day at Wolf plus a night dive
• Wed- 4 dives at Darwin
• Thurs-3 Dives total, 2 at Darwin and 1 afternoon dive at Wolf before long transit back to central islands.
Diving Wolf and Darwin
You’ll spend the next three days diving (up to four dives per day plus a night dive) the legendary islands of WOLF & DARWIN.
Most experienced divers will agree, Wolf and Darwin can provide some of the best diving encounters in the world! Whale sharks are common here from Mid May through November. At The Arch at Darwin, you will see hammerhead sharks either individually, in small groups, or large schools. Bottlenose dolphins are common. The reef contains many warm water varieties of fish found nowhere else in the Islands.
Once you see Wolf and Darwin – you’ll immediately understand why there are no shore excursions on this part of the cruise – there is no way up the vertical cliffs!
Friday
• Cabo Douglas 1 dive – Marine iguana dive
• Punta Vicente Roca up to 2 dives and Panga ride if time allows.
Cabo Douglas: On the western side of Fernandina Island, you will do 1 dive Friday morning. Here you can expect to see Galapagos Penguins, Marine Iguanas, Flighless Cormorants, Sea Lions, Seahorse, Sea Turtles, Horn Sharks, Red Lipped Batfish, and occasional hammerhead sharks and white tip sharks. Also keep an eye out for chevron barracuda, snappers, yellow fin tuna, rainbow runners, and wahoo. There are also a lot of smaller fishes like creole fishes, parrot fishes, scrawled filefishes, pacific box fishes, and tiger snake eels.
Punta Vincente Roca: Our coldest yet rapidly increasing favorite dive – steep, deep vertical wall covered in soft coral, sponges, and endemic black coral. Regular sightings of mola mola (oceanic sun fish,) sea horses, bullhead sharks, red lipped bat fish, various shrimp and many other marine invertebrates. Keep your eyes open for fly bys from the flightless cormorants, penguins and maybe even a marine iguana. Our after-dive panga ride offers great topside photo ops for penguins, flightless cormorants, marine iguanas, sea lions, blue footed & nazca booby Birds, magnificent frigates and noddy terns. The diving here is chilly (particularly below the thermocline – but not to be missed!).
Saturday
• Northeast tip of Isla Pinzon/Islote Dumb- 1 dive
• Puerto Ayora/Highlands tour
Isla Pinzon – While diving Isla Pinzon you will be provided opportunities for encounters with a variety of species of sharks, sea lions, mantas, eagle rays, and moray eels. Many Species of fish and tropicals including yellow tailed surgeonfish, king angelfish, moorish idols, steel pompanos, snappers, grunts, creole fish, and barracuda.
This dive is then followed by a transit to Itabaca Channel where you will be transferred by bus (at approx. 1400h and approx.. 45 minute ground transfer) to visit the Highlands of Santa Cruz to see the Galapagos Tortoises in their natural environment, and visit to Puerto Ayora. You will then be transferred back to Itabaca Channel to board the Galapagos Sky approx. 1900h for dinner on board. The Sky will then return to San Cristobal for Sunday morning cruise completion.
Sunday Morning- Land Tour and Day of Departure
• Interpretation center.
Arrive San Cristobal—(Land Excursion) visit the Interpretation Center where an interesting human history of Galapagos is presented, town walk (last chance for shopping). Late morning departure.
