DIVING IN THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS If the definition of diving in Galapagos could be reduced to only two words, we would call it fabulous and unpredictable. It is fabulous because of its abundant marine life and it is unpredictable because of the variable conditions of the ocean. Marine life in Galapagos is extremely varied, abundant and marvelous. That is the reason the islands are considered one of the seven submarine wonders of the world. Divers find thousands of large and small fish, sea lions, rays and turtles. It can almost be guaranteed that divers will find hammerhead sharks, golden rays, whitetip sharks, and stingrays. In some places, divers can observe dozens of hammerhead sharks, scuba dive with dolphins and even find a white-tipped reef shark during the right season. The islands are also the only place in the world where people can dive among sea iguanas or watch sea lions playing and white-tipped reef sharks biting their tails.. The richness of our marine life is mainly the result of the cold water that originates in the deep sea and brings nutrients to the clear area, producing great quantities of phytoplankton that initiate a nutritional sequence. The diversity of the species is principally due to the position of Galapagos in the crossing of the main equatorial current of the eastern Pacific Ocean. Tropical and semitropical waters flow into the sea here, bringing animals from all along the Pacific and some places in the Indian Ocean. The diversity of the marine habitat (sandy, rocky, coral and muddy) and the large body of water in the Archipelago also contribute to its biodiversity. These are some of the many reasons that diving in Galapagos is an incomparable experience where thousands of animals and types of marine life can be seen in an unimaginable setting. Informations and Recommendations for diving in Galapagos DIVING CONDITIONS Seasons.-There are two seasons. From December to May it is warm and sunny. From July to September it is cool and cloudy. June and October are transition months. During the warm season, there is little wind, the sea is usually quite calm and visibility tends to be good. During the cool season, there is more wind, the sea may be quite agitated and visibility is low. Water Temperature .- Although the islands are very near the equator, the temperature of the water varies between 16° and 24° Celsius. We use 5-7mm suits year round and a hood during the cool season. Visibility.- Visibility generally varies between 5 and 25 meters, but most of the time it is between 12 and 18 meters. An extended submarine current (the subterranean equatorial current) from the western Pacific strikes the largest island of the archipelago (Isabela Island) and diverges until it reaches the surface, bringing along nutrient-rich cold water with it. This movement can change the temperature of the water by 6° Celsius and can also make a change in visibility for one or two days.. EXPERIENCE Beginners.- Recently certified divers or divers who have made few registered immersions (15 to 10 dives). Intermediates: 15 to 50 registered dives with experience in cold waters and strong currents. Advances: 100 or more registered dives with experience in cold waters and strong currents. A detailed description of diving experience is always necessary to confirm a diving program. A diver who has made 10 immersions in cold waters with strong currents will feel more comfortable than a diver who has made 40 registered dives in warm waters and weak currents. Or a recently certified diver may feel more comfortable than a diver who has made 50 registered dives but has not practiced for six years. Our Diving: We have fantastic diving sites for beginner, intermediate and experienced divers, although the best diving sites are usually also the most difficult. Beginners can start in the easier sites and then continue in places that are more difficult with the supervision of our guide, dive master or instructor. Immersions: Every diver needs a tank. We use aluminum 3000 psi / 207 bar tanks. All the tanks have an international connection system. If passengers want to use their own DIN-system regulators, they must bring their own adaptors. Immersions are between 15 and 25 meters because that is the depth where most Galapagos marine life is found. The maximum depth of our immersions is 30 meters. Gear.- Our prices for daily diving tours always include complete gear. Divers may decide if they want to use our gear or their own. Our onboard diving cruises do not include personal gear. Only tanks, a belt and weights are included, but a reservation may be made ahead of time for renting gear on board at reasonable prices.