Two weeks onboard the luxurious Galapagos Sky while diving Wolf, Darwin, Isabella, and Fernandina Islands
ON THIS EXPEDITION, we will be entering one of the most cherished diving locations of all time. Galapagos is world famous, and rightly so. For divers, it’s the equivalent of visiting the Louvre or making the pilgrimage to Mecca. A lot of people do it; with Amos as your guide, you’ll be doing it better than anybody.
We sail on the best dive boat there is, the Galapagos Sky, a 100-foot vessel that is more like a luxury hotel on the water. We go at the best time of year, for maximum Big Animal encounters with schooling hammerheads, whale sharks, and bait ball phenomena. We dive from two 24-foot Zodiacs which launch from the boat, for maximum flexibility and for diving buddies to spread out from other guests underwater. Amos has been diving Galapagos for 28 years, so he knows the most rewarding dive sites in the archipelago, and his comrades who dive Galapagos year-round keep him apprised of any new dive sites worth visiting.
And of course, because we’re the best, we take the time to do Galapagos right. The two weeks we spend on the Galapagos Sky allow us to venture to the most remote islands, where very few dive boats ever visit. Amos’s long relationship with the park authorities at Galapagos, and the respect they have for his sensitive, reverent approach to exploring their national treasure, guarantee you the ultimate Galapagos experience.
General Itinerary
Day 1: DEPART your home city and fly to either Quito or Guayaquil. Go through Ecuadoran Immigration and Customs. Welcome to the Republic of the Equator.
CHECK IN to the hotel of your choice. If you’re staying in Quito (many fine hotels to choose from), please join us for our first group dinner. I recommend the Marriott Hotel in Quito.http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/uiodt-jw-marriott-hotel-quito/
Day 2: DEPART early (around 6AM) for the airport and catch the first flight to Galapagos. A representative of Ecoventure will be on site to assist with your check-in.
The flight is about 2.5 hours from Quito to Galapagos. Upon arrival, the crew of the Galapagos Sky will meet us, secure our luggage, and transfer us to the vessel, waiting at port.
As soon as we get on board, we’ll leave port and head to our check-out dive. Here we’ll fine-tune your setup: body weights, buoyancy, camera, dive gear.
Then, to get started, we’ll take a dive and a hike on nearby Seymour North Island to meet some of the local heros: land and marine iguanas, Blue- and Red-footed Boobies, frigatebirds, and seals.
Day 3: Visit a Galapagos icon, Bahía Sulivan at Isla Bartolomé. We split into two teams of eight people; one team hikes the island moonscaped hills to stunning views while the other team dives with Magellanic Penguins as they hunt anchovies. After three hours, the teams switch. In the evening we sail north to Darwin and Wolf islands.
Day 4 – 7: ARRIVE Wolf Island by noon on Day 4, weather permitting. We’ll conduct four dives per day and, depending on the weather, we’ll either stay at anchor or find better diving between Wolf Island and Darwin Island.
On Day 7, after dinner, we’ll start our voyage back to home port, according to Galapagos National Park regulations. (In the past, this requirement has been waived for us, allowing us to stay out for two uninterrupted weeks, but Park policies change from year to year.)
For the record, Amos has made a request for eight to ten days at Darwin and Wolf, plus three to four days at Isabella and Fernandina, the youngest island in the archipelago, where we’ll explore how the young lava ecology contributed to Darwin’s thinking about evolution. This itinerary request was submitted and will be reviewed by the Park 30 days before departure. In past years our requests for extended travel have been approved and we hope for the same this year.
Day 8: ARRIVE Santa Cruz Island by midday for port clearance and Park registration. We’ll have a day for relaxing and strolling in town. After dinner, we head north.
Day 9: ARRIVE Wolf Island in the early afternoon, weather permitting. We’ll be able to make one or two dives here.
Day 10 – 14: DIVE Darwin and Wolf, looking for whale sharks, schooling hammerheads, eagle ray squadrons, Galapagos and Silky Sharks. Depending on weather, we may head for the western islands of Isabella and Fernandina to dive with orcas and marine iguanas.
DEPART for Punta Marshall after a full day of diving.
Day 15: We’ll make two dives at Punta Marshal for seals and manta rays, then move on toward Gordon Rock for one more dive before we proceed back to the Sky’s home port.
Day 16: DEPART vessel after breakfast for a visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station and its Natural History Interpretation Centre.
DEPART Galapagos around noon for your scheduled flight to either Quito or Guayaquil. Stay overnight at your selected hotel. If you’re in Quito, join us for our group farewell dinner.
Day 17: DEPART Quito or Guayaquil for home, intrepid traveler. While en route, think about applying to the Explorers Club — you’re more than ready, now. Bon voyage!
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About our dive boat
The Galapagos Sky (formerly known as the Sky Dancer) is one of the few boats that offers live-aboard diving in the Galapagos. Divers appreciate the large dive platform with fresh water showers and rinses, dive-deck assistance and photo and dive equipment rental. Zodiacs will ferry you between exquisite dive sites and the anchored yacht. Most dives are drift dives. The Galapagos Skyoffers up to four dives per day on a pre-planned, yet flexible itinerary.
The Galapagos Sky has eight spacious cabins located on two decks. Each stateroom features two twin beds, a private bath with shower, mirrored cabinet, wardrobe, full-length mirror, window or portlight view, bathrobes, hairdryer, toiletries and fresh towels daily. It has four Master staterooms with one queen bed or two twin beds and four Deluxe staterooms with two twin beds and a panoramic view.
The Galapagos Sky is fully air-conditioned. Its interior features teak paneling and furnishings, a spacious dining room, a fully stocked bar, and a main salon with an audio/video entertainment center. On deck, plenty of space is allocated for personal dive gear storage, a photo and video film lab, light tables, daily E-6 processing, and a space for sunbathing.
Specifications
CATEGORY: First Class Motor Yacht
DEPARTS: Sunday
CAPACITY: 16 Passengers
ACCOMMODATIONS:
Master Staterooms – Cabins 1 – 4 are located on the Lido deck and have two twin beds that can be joined together and a picture window view.
Deluxe Staterooms – Cabins 5 – 8 are located on the Dolphin deck and have two twin beds and a portlight view.
SPEED: 12 knots
LENGTH: 100 feet
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Tour price includes:
- 14 days on board the Galapagos Sky
- All diving equipment
- Up to four dives per day
- Photo coaching by Amos Nachoum - Please bring five of your best images for coaching. You’re encouraged to bring a presentation of your photography to share with your new friends on board.
Not included in Tour Price:
- International flight to Ecuador
- Excess baggage charges on flight
- Single occupancy on board
- Hotel charges on arrival and departure
- National Park entrance fee
- Chamber fee
- Fuel surcharge
- Local tax
- Domestic airfare Round trip Quito to Galapagos
- Personal charges such as laundry, meals ashore, bar, and telecommunication charges
- Loss of dive gear and equipment
- Gratuities
Payment Policy & Deposit:
When we receive your deposit, with your confirmation we will send you a comprehensive and detailed Trip Preparation Bulletin about the experience and the destination. All trip costs are subject to change without prior notice until your reservation is confirmed.
- A non-refundable deposit of $4,000 is required to secure a place on the trip.
- Full payment is due no later than 90 days before departure.
- We reserve the right to sell any space that is not paid in full 60 days before departure.
- A refund will be made if the space can be filled in time, less unrecoverable costs of sales, administration, or special promotion.
- Cancellation must be made in writing. Deposits are non-refundable if cancellation is made 180 days or less before departure.
- No refunds for unused part of the itinerary.
For payment, please mail your check to:
Big Animals Expeditions
2000 Broadway, Suite #1204
San Francisco, CA 94115
All information is current as of January 2011. Dates and prices are subject to change without prior notice.
For Booking and/or further questions, please contact Amos:
Phone: (415) 923-9865
Toll free: 877-229-4253
Email: phototrips@biganimals.com
amos@biganimals.com
We look forward to your joining us on this adventure of a lifetime!
To join us, please complete the Registration Form
