Diving Holidays to The Galapagos Islands: Sample Programme

MV Sky Dancer

Experience the enchantment of the Galapagos Islands with the luxurious Sky Dancer as your cruising home base. Sky Dancer, a 100-foot first class custom built dive liveaboard, accommodates 16 passengers. Fully air-conditioned, its interior features teak panelling and furnishings, a dining area, a fully stocked bar and a main salon with an audio/video entertainment center. On deck there is ample space for personal dive gear storage and an open deck for sunbathing. All of the magnificent staterooms have en-suite bath facilities, hairdryers, individual air-conditioning controls and picture window or portlight views. Sky Dancer also features all the standard perks of the Dancer Fleet® and is the perfect vessel to cruise this world heritage marine park.

MV Sky Dancer, (Peter Hughes fleet), is a 30m yacht accommodating up to 16 guests in 8 luxurious staterooms. All staterooms have a window view, air-conditioning and en-suite bathroom with daily fresh linen. A crew of eight are there to offer superb service at all times. Sky Dancer boasts comfortable sun decks and saloon where guests can relax after all dives taking in the magnificent scenery. The dive platform is spacious and well equipped with individual preparation and storage space, plus a couple of showers and a water fountain.

THE FOLLOWING 7 NIGHT ITINERARY IS A SAMPLE ONLY.

Sky Dancer operates out of the harbour at Puerto Baquerizo Moreno on San Cristobal island for 7 night cruises departing on Sundays throughout the year. All cruises include Darwin and Wolf, subject to local conditions. Sky Dancer's itinerary offers a total of approx. 19 dives It also offers land excursions, and covers 565.5 nautical miles of ocean. It has only one very long navigation (15 hours from Wolf to North Seymour). Following changes in the Galapagos National Park regulations it places Darwin & Wolf Islands at the beginning of the trip, and finishes the diving with 2 really great dive sites (North Seymour & Gordon's rocks).

When the TAME or AEROGAL flight is scheduled for early arrival, the Sky Dancer crew will escort all guests to the Galapagos Interpretation Center after being greeted at the airport and before boarding the Sky Dancer. This gives guests a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the oceanography and volcanic origins, plus a very nice exhibit on the human history of the Galapagos Islands.

Sunday: Guests are welcomed aboard at approx. 1:00. After a short period of relaxation and adjustment there is a briefing and mandatory "check out dive" at Isla Lobos. A land walk at Isla Lobos is also scheduled. Dinner at 7:00 pm followed by Orientation Slide Show. Each weekday morning is greeted with morning beverage service to your stateroom and a breakfast cooked to order. Lunch is always buffet, but an elegant dinner will be served to the table. Each evening provides an opportunity for entertainment, education or other diversion.

Monday:2 dives at Cousins Rock in the morning and a land excursion at Bartolome Island. Possible opportunity to snorkel with Penguins at Bartolome. Night dive at Cousins Rock.

Tuesday to Thursday: Wolfe and Darwin.These days will include diving at the remote Wolf and Darwin Islands with up to four or five dives per day from Tuesday to Thursday and two dives on Friday before returning to the Central islands. After 120 nautical miles night cruising arrival at Wolf around 9 o’clock to offer two dives during the morning,  mostly in the landslide divesite: Schools of hammerheads, silkies, Galapagos sharks, Rays abound.  The average is moderate to strong current with good vis. This will be followed by two dives during the afternoon the divemasters will take to more challenging dive sites depending on the level of divers on board. Darwin. Darwin is even smaller than Wolf and a further 3 hours sailing time,  it is here that you find the beautiful arch formation, appropriately named ‘Darwin’s Arch’. From July-December encounters with the biggest fish of the ocean, the Whale shark, is almost guaranteed. There is just about anything you want to see here, large schools of Hammerhead sharks, Galapagos sharks, Silky sharks, Manta rays, Blue spotted jacks, Rainbow runners, Streamer hogfish, Spotted Morays, Sea turtles, Hawksbill turtles, Bottle nose dolphins, Sailfish... simply some of the best diving in the world.

Friday: Two dives will be scheduled at Gordon Rocks in the Morning with a Land walk at Punta Espinosa and possibly opportunities to snorkel with Marine Iguanas. 3 dives this day including Caleta Tagus Cove and Punta Vicente Roca, an excellent night dive.

Saturday: Two dives in one of the most popular places in the central islands, hammer heads, Galapagos sharks, rays and others.  66-70ºF during the whale shark season, and from Dec to May  over the 70ºF.  Frequently good vis. Visit to Puerta Ayora in the afternoon for shopping and a tour of the Charles Darwin Research Station.

Sunday:8:00 am departure is preceded by a continental breakfast buffet. Once guests disembark there is still an opportunity to visit the Interpretation Center at San Cristobal before boarding the flight back to Ecuador's mainland.

Liveaboard Diving accommodation at The Galapagos Islands

Aggressor I and II

The Aggressors I and II are stunning 30m yachts that were built in 1992 and have since been overhauled in 2000. Each accommodates 14 passengers in seven bright and spacious double staterooms, all benefit from controlled air conditioning, en-suite bathroom with hot water shower and fresh linen.

There is a comfortable dining saloon and several sun terraces for guests to relax on between and after dives. The onboard chef boasts an array of native seafood and international cuisine to suit all tastes and quell those post-dive hunger pangs! These powerful yachts boast large dive platforms with individual preparation space and gear storage. Galapagos Aggressors I & II operate from the harbour at Puerto Baquerizo Moreno on San Cristobal island for 7 nights cruises, departing every Thursday throughout the year. Both boats cover the northern part of the archipelago, including Wolf and Darwin, and offer an average of three dives per day plus one to two land visits daily.

Prices for diving The Galapagos Islands

Inclusions for all cruises
- Accommodation aboard the vessel.
- Diving.
- Compressed air tanks, weights & weight belts.
- Airport transfers on day of arrival and departure.
- All meals and snacks.
- Non-alcoholic and local alcoholic beverages.

Aggressor I and II

Jan. 7, 2010 - Jan. 6, 2011....... master suite $4,695; deluxe $4,495

Rates are per person, double occupancy,
All prices quoted in US Dollars and will be calculated to Sterling equivalent at time of booking. Rates are subject to change without notice.

Master suite staterooms are larger and have one double bed (king on Bay Islands), couples preferred. Deluxe staterooms have one double bed and one single bunk. Twin staterooms have two single bunks, singles preferred. Quad staterooms have four single bunks, singles preferred.

CHARTERS INCLUDE:
• Accommodations aboard the vessel
• Diving
• Compressed air tanks, weights & weight belts
• Airport transfers on day of arrival and departure (except Okeanos Aggressor)
• All meals and snacks, non-alcoholic and local alcoholic beverages
• (We are happy to accommodate most special dietary requests)

CHARTERS DO NOT INCLUDE:
• Airfare
• Insurance
• Equipment rentals
• Nitrox fills
• Certification or specialty courses
• Hotel stays or day rooms
• Dinner on final evening
• Crew gratuity
• Government taxes or park fees (when applicable)

• A discount applies to non-divers
• A discount applies to consecutive charters
• When multiple discounts apply, only the most generous offer can be applied to the charter rate.
• Custom designed itineraries available on whole boat charters. Book a full charter and we'll give one to two free places.
• Diving World also offers tour packages for extended stays. If you would like assistance with your air itinerary, don't hesitate to contact Diving World on 020 7407 0019.

Sky Dancer