Explorer Ventures is please to announce that an official copy of their 2009 permit to offer diving expeditions to Darwin and Wolf Islands in the Galapagos aboard Estrella del Mar is now available!
As the Galapagos National Park authorities have continued to revise their announced regulatory changes and the timeframe to implement them, the company has again been forced to delay plans for a new vessel in the Galapagos. Work on the Humboldt Explorer in on hold pending further information on the development of the new diving permit system for the Galapagos Islands, but Explorer Ventures will be operating one of only 5 vessels offering regularly-scheduled diving itineraries within the central and northern islands of Galapagos Archipelago in 2009.
The Estrella del Mar, which served Explorer Ventures guests in 2008 as well, is a well-appointed and very comfortable yacht equipped with dual compressors, watermakers and nitrox system. She will be going into drydock in early 2009 in order to prepare her for the upcoming diving charters, and to further improve the upper deck layout for the companyÃÔ guests. Changes to the dive deck to allow better storage for passengers and expanding the camera table space and adding a refreshment table on the dive deck are also scheduled.
As was the case in 2008, the GNP (which must approve all itineraries of any sort on a weekly basis) is still mandating that all vessels focus on either land itineraries or diving itineraries, and is not approving itineraries which involve both diving and tours on the same day. Night diving and snorkeling with the penguins are no longer permitted to be done by any diving operator within the National Park. As Explorer Ventures focus is on diving, the chosen itinerary offers the greatest number of opportunities to dive the wonders of the Galapagos Islands.
For further information, visit our website explorerventures.com or call 1-800-322-3577 or +1.307.235.0683.
As the Galapagos National Park authorities have continued to revise their announced regulatory changes and the timeframe to implement them, the company has again been forced to delay plans for a new vessel in the Galapagos. Work on the Humboldt Explorer in on hold pending further information on the development of the new diving permit system for the Galapagos Islands, but Explorer Ventures will be operating one of only 5 vessels offering regularly-scheduled diving itineraries within the central and northern islands of Galapagos Archipelago in 2009.
The Estrella del Mar, which served Explorer Ventures guests in 2008 as well, is a well-appointed and very comfortable yacht equipped with dual compressors, watermakers and nitrox system. She will be going into drydock in early 2009 in order to prepare her for the upcoming diving charters, and to further improve the upper deck layout for the companyÃÔ guests. Changes to the dive deck to allow better storage for passengers and expanding the camera table space and adding a refreshment table on the dive deck are also scheduled.
As was the case in 2008, the GNP (which must approve all itineraries of any sort on a weekly basis) is still mandating that all vessels focus on either land itineraries or diving itineraries, and is not approving itineraries which involve both diving and tours on the same day. Night diving and snorkeling with the penguins are no longer permitted to be done by any diving operator within the National Park. As Explorer Ventures focus is on diving, the chosen itinerary offers the greatest number of opportunities to dive the wonders of the Galapagos Islands.
For further information, visit our website explorerventures.com or call 1-800-322-3577 or +1.307.235.0683.
