Advice on Galapagos diving from land in October

[world_traveler]

Hello,
I'll be in Galapagos in October and besides the island hopping trip would like to do some diving.
I have 50 logged dives but not very much strong currents experience and my husband doesn't dive so we won't probably take a live aboard to Darwin and Wolf though I know they are the best.
I need advice about the "second best" sites that I can dive from land before or after our cruise, even if we'll have to travel some more in order to reach them.
Thank you

 

[Doc Harry]

Assuming that you will be in Puerto Ayora, you can contact one of the many dive ops in town to discuss where they are going for the day, and whether or not they would be willing to take you along to that day's destination (given your lack of experience). Some of the dive sites are appropriate for beginner divers, others are not.

There are only a few dive sites that can be reached in a day from Puerto Ayora or Baltra. If one dive op won't take you somewhere, there are only another dozen or so dive ops who are going somewhere else that day.

You are going to be there at the end of peak dive season, so I am sure all of the dive ops will be in full swing during that time. Cost is about $140-$150 per person for 2 dives.

I really don't think that you'll be able to do any shore diving in the Galapagos. Take a look at Google earth and see if you can find any roads that go to the water. And even if there were roads, where are you going to get your tanks?

Puerto Ayora is right on the water, but there is so much boat traffic, and the water is so disgusting and murky, you wouldn't want to do any shore diving there.

There are a few nice beaches, but they are very long walks (1 mile) in utterly brutal heat, and the water is cloudy and stirred up and you couldn't see anything anyway. Maybe there is something on San Cistobal or Floreana, but I wouldn't plan on it.

Remember, Ecuador is a third-world country.

 

[Andyoak]

All the dive shops are regulated by the park authority as to which sites they can goto on any given day, so you can be reasonably sure whoever you dive with you will not have too many boats at any one site.

We dives from land with "scuba iguana" and found them to be a good safe professional organization. You walk right past their shop just before you get to the Darwin research station.

If you want to get out and dive Isabella (and I recommend you do) it may pay to organise in advance through someone.

We uses dive the Galapagos for a combined land/diving trip and could not have been happier http://www.divethegalapagos.com/index.php/dive-galapagos-island-hopping-tours.html

 

[world_traveler]

Thank you Doc Harry and Andyoak. I'll check the combined trips.
Also I found a classification of the dive sites suitable for diving day trips from Santa Cruz and San Cristobal. Here are the ones for beginners and intermediate level:

Dive Sites Near Puerto Ayora
For Beginner Divers: Academy Bay (El Bajo, Punta Nuñez, Punta Estrada, Camaño Islet) and Bartolome Island
For Intermediate Divers: Guy Fawkes, Eden Islet, Pinzon, Santa Fe, North Seymour, Mosquera Islet, Daphne Islet, Floreana Island (Devil's Crown, Punta Ayora, Champion)


Dive Sites Near Puerto Baquerizo:
For Beginner Divers: Isla Lobos
For Intermediate Divers: Five Fingers, Whale Rock and Kicker Rock

Do you know these sites? which beginner sites are better and which intermediate ones ?

Thanks again

 

[Doc Harry]

I think shore diving would suck. I did a lot of snorkeling on a lot of different islands, and the surf really stirred up the sand. Whenever there was a beach, the visibility was terrible.

I dove North Seymour and Gordon Rocks from Puerto Ayora. Supposedly Gordan Rocks was for experienced divers only, but I didn't think the diving was very difficult at all. One of the guys on the boat had 7 dives and did just fine.

The combined trips sound great. I did a week-long nature cruise (with no diving, because of my group of friends), and it was still fantastic (even though we didn't dive!).

 

[world_traveler]

I think shore diving would suck. I did a lot of snorkeling on a lot of different islands, and the surf really stirred up the sand. Whenever there was a beach, the visibility was terrible.[/QUOT

Hello Harry
My post wasn't probably clear enough - I didn't intend to shore dive.

I checked some combined trips and I'll search some more. If I'll find one that does all what we want to see on land + diving, yes, it will the perfect solution but I'm also checking the possibility to do a nature tour for the land sites and to dive after it for 2-3 days on day diving trips. They should be ok , no?

Were North Seymour and Gordon Rocks good sites in Galapagos terms?

For diving in the central area is it important to be in October or it will be easier to dive in March April and still good? We planned but didn't yet buy the tickets so we can still change the season. I know that October is very good but usually divers write about Darwin and Wolf area and I don't know what difference is between the seasons in the central area.

Thank you

 

[Doc Harry]

...that I can dive from land...

Hmmmmm?

 

[jkeznord]

Hello - I've got one spot available on a 3night nature cruise in Galapagos on either the M/Y Coral I fits = 36 or M/Y Coral II fits = 20
NOTE: it is not a diving boat ;-(
But than I'm planning on seeking to stay in the area for more time and dive.... Happy to Sell the package for 2 people or possible go with someone sometime before October it must be used.

If anyone has done this vessel before please; let me know how it was and if you had the opportunity to diving on any of the local boats or live aboards. THX u

 

[Doc]

Were North Seymour and Gordon Rocks good sites in Galapagos terms?

Yes. Just one day and one dive, but at Gordon we saw schooling Hammerheads, Mobulas, and a lengthy hide and seek between a Shark and a Seal which ended in a draw.

The dive routes shown are decided upon by the day' currents...



Scuba Iguana is the choice, by far. For some trips, they may drive you across the islands to meet your dive boat.

 

[kekomixtle]

My wife and I just came back from Galápagos and land based diving was great. Gordon Rocks is the place to go. We saw more than 40 hammerheads on each dive, mobulas, white tip reef sharks, eagle rays, etc. The current was strong but enjoyable. It was our 19th and 20th dive. There was a lady who panicked on the first dive because she couldn't descend and her mask was flooding so she aborted it. After that, we had the best dive of our lives.

My recommendation is to dive somewhere before Gordon Rocks to build confidence. North Seymour, Daphne Minor or Bartholomé could be good options coming from Puerto Ayora. Try to do it with the same company. We went with Academy Bay Diving. It was expensive ($180 for 2 tanks) but it was private, only the Divemaster and us.

Here's a video of our trip.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTyu-4oe_iA