Trip Report Humboldt Explorer Jan 13-20, 2020

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-----On the sun deck was a refrigerator with varied beverages including Coca-Cola, but I saw no Diet Coke or Coke Zero. Coffee and hot water were in the salon; I saw people using tea bags to make tea. There was alcohol for after diving – including wine (I don’t drink, so no details). Food was generally good and plentiful; at times there were 3 different ‘salad-type’ offerings, 2 meats and some cold cuts and cheese, and more. There was generally desert after lunch and dinner.

-----My stateroom was well-maintained with a decent amount of storage. Bed comfortable. My bathroom was fairly spacious by live-aboard standards. Shower water could be quite hot and air conditioning was capable.

The Crew

-----These people do Explorer Ventures proud. The guides, Jorge (‘Hore-Hey’) and Daniel were good guides, genuinely affable and helpful, provided educational presentations and helped out with other boat tasks. They alternated between our 2 groups daily. Rooms were kept clean and tended. Food was good; earlier in the week I thought it wasn’t up there with some Aggressor boats I’ve been on, but by week’s end the cook won me over pretty well. Not great, but good. After dives we were often offered hot drinks in cups (e.g.: hot chocolate, tea, strawberry or some white creamy stuff). I think the guides do 2 weeks on and 2 off, so they seem fresh (these 2 did the guiding; guiding didn’t rotate through several boat crew like I’ve seen on one boat elsewhere).

-----A word about English: my impression of Ecuador and the Galapagos (Spanish is the main language) is that ‘passable English’ is widely spoken, often not quite to the fluency I found in Bonaire or Cozumel, and it’s fine for getting by routinely but where detailed info. matters you may have a little awkwardness. Saw more of this at the Guayaquil Airport; the boat crew were pretty good with English, some rough edges but nothing that couldn’t be worked around.
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-----I only speak English. My hassles were communicating with a shuttle driver, some Guayaquil Airport staff (mistakenly ended up in domestic departure lounge and needed to get to international) and the counter lady at an airport Kentucky Fried Chicken. You don’t need to fear going to Ecuador if you only speak English.

My Fellow Divers
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I believe photo taken by a crewman, and shared via DropBox from the camera's owner. I'm far rear right. Our 2 guides are in front. There were 13 guests.
In my limited experience live-aboard guests tend to be friendly, fun-loving rec. dive enthusiasts with a strong shared interest happy to be there and prone to reach out to others and help ensure everyone has a good time. This group was perhaps the strongest I’ve seen in that regard. Young (I’m 50, and only one guy looked a bit older than me), physically fit (at 6’1” and around 265-lbs. I was the main ‘fat dude’), well-traveled (I got destination envy) and interested in a range of topics (e.g.: particularly food). It was a great bunch. I’m an old out-of-shape introvert who can only take boisterous social environments so much, so I may’ve come across as a recluse with narcolepsy (love those naps!).

Me
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Perspective matters. I’m an older (50), not very fit, fat guy, a mediocre intermediate diver with fair gas consumption, an introvert who’s not good at situational awareness and doesn’t multi-task well so when I try to address one task (e.g.: take the picture) it’s easy to lose track of something else (e.g.: that’s why I accidentally dipped down to 105 feet deep that last dive). Went into this with around 430 dives, mostly Caribbean and Florida, some North Carolina and California Channel Islands. I’m not self-deprecating; you need to know this when deciding how tough/demanding the diving is likely to be for you.

-----A young, fit diver with some natural athleticism can compensate a little for mediocre skill. An older, beefier diver with excellent dive skill can anticipate and compensate for problems earlier so he doesn’t have to over-exert. I had to focus on keeping up with the guide’s location, found trying to get situated in rocks difficult (e.g.: letting air out of wing would let me settle better, but if the guide decides to move soon, I wanted that gas!), consciously slowing my breathing rate to stretch my gas supply added some strains (e.g.: probably CO2 headaches on some dives), and 4 dives/day were a workout!

-----Speaking of which, I went from thinking ‘Why don’t they do 5/day like Caribbean live-aboards’ to ‘Oh, crap. We’re down for 4 today! Hope I hold up.’

-----I chose this trip for 4 main reasons:

1.) Galapagos live-aboard trip total costs are around double a Caribbean trip. Needed to do it while I’m working and have the money.
2.) Galapagos diving can be strenuous. Need to do it before I get older and get physical infirmities.
3.) Getting time off from work can be tough. In Nov. 2019, I learned good coverage was lined up for January.
4.) Given the choice I like warmer water. That put me out of whale shark season and we saw none. Given the other strains, just the thought of adding a hood makes me wince.

-----This was a bucket list trip. I can’t justify spending that much family money on just me for repeats. I was very blessed to get to go and very glad I went. My life is enriched but it’s a one-shot.

Land Excursions

-----We had 2. We boarded the boat on Monday morning. Tuesday afternoon we visited North Seymour via panga where a guide led us around, viewing arid, scruffy terrain (I was told the dead-looking little trees would vegetate in about a week and remain so through April, perhaps the 1st week of May, in accordance with rains), and variously viewed sea lions, lava lizards (small), land iguanas, blue-footed boobies, frigate birds and more. They rotate guides; this was one good.
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-----Sunday afternoon after 2 morning dives at Cousin’s Rock, we went to Santa Cruz Island by panga for a bus trip to the highlands to view Galapagos tortoises (where it was surprisingly lush and green; be aware the tall deciduous trees are invasive species).
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Then we were dropped off in a city to roam awhile before meeting for dinner at a reserved restaurant. Down the road was a bank with outside ATMs ($200/transaction max. withdrawal, $3 fee + my own bank’s fee, $600 max./day). Lots of souvenir shops, but bring cash.
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Price Tag

-----I flew down a couple days early in case of flight delays and to help insure my baggage caught up. Followed the flight plan my travel agent set up. I fly cheap (i.e.: coach). Flew with American Airlines, with flights between Guayaquil and San Cristobal operated by Latam.
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Flight from Miami to Guayaquil was roughly 4 hours, from Guayaquil to Dallas roughly 6 hours. My airfare and hotel arrangements were based on recommendations of and handled by agent Tim Yeo of Blue Water Travel.

-----Here’s a rough budget breakdown of what this trip cost me.

1.) Base Humboldt Explorer Price: $5,395.
2.) - $700 Sale.
3.) $150 Fuel Surcharge (not all live-aboard boats charge this).
4.) $150 Nitrox.
5.) $100 Galapagos National Park Pass (pay cash in San Cristobal).
6.) $20 Tourist Card (pay at Guayaquil Airport).
7.) $100 Extra for 100-cf AL tank.
8.) $1,300 Roundtrip Airfare from Nashville, TN (BNA) to Guayaquil Sat. Jan. 11th, on to San Cristobal Island Sun. Jan. 12th, from San Cristobal to Guayaquil Monday Jan. 20th (then over 10-hour layover at airport), then Guayaquil to Dallas, TX, 2 ½ hour layover, then on to Nashville arriving Tuesday morning around 11 a.m. This included one free checked bag. There are weight limits on personal item and single carryon bag, but nobody weighed mine coming or going.
9.) $550 Hypothetical Tip. It’s recommended to tip 10-15%, I presume of base price. They did a lot of work hauling our gear into pangas, and back onto the main boat after every dive. I don’t consider it tactful to post personal specifics; I’ll use $550 as a conservative figure for estimating trip costs.
10.) $108 One night at Holiday Inn Guayaquil (very close to airport, nice room, on-site restaurant, breakfast for a fee).
11.) $12.20 Hotel Breakfast next morning.
12.) $122 (109 + tax) One night at Casa Opuntia Hotel, roughly waterfront in San Cristobal (nice, clean, lots of storage in room, an outdoor pool, a safe but no fridge, microwave, phone or coffee maker; breakfast the next morning included. Checkout time 10 a.m.).
13.) $255.12 Trip Insurance with DAN. Planning a very expensive trip in winter at risk for ice, heavy snow, etc… I chickened out and bought trip insurance.
14.) ~ $48 SeaSoft Ti Pro Kevlar 5-mm gloves for trip.
15.) $51 (3 Diet Cokes, appetizer & entrée) Dinner at Rancho El Manzanillo the last night wasn’t covered.

So $7,661.32 + small tips, airport food, eating out while staying at hotels, souvenirs – and I didn’t count the cost of dive insurance (required; I already have DAN), an Eagle Creek duffle bag with international size restrictions in mind, and had no baggage fees (only wore a backpack for personal item, little duffle bag for carry one and had 1 checked bag for scuba gear). This trip was an easy $8,000, at regular price (Richard’s tip: don’t pay list for live-aboards! Sales are common! The week before mine was a Black Friday $3,300 off!) $8,700.

Money Warnings

1.) From what we were told, there’s a 5% bank fee and 12% VAT added to credit card purchases, so if you settle your boat bill at trip’s end with a credit card (per one staff this also applies to putting your trip tip on the card), you pay a BIG penalty.
2.) On the last day, Sunday after the excursion to see giant tortoises, we were dropped off to wonder the city a few hours till our group dinner at a restaurant. There was a bank with ATM’s. Despite showing larger amount offerings, it limited us to no more than $200/withdrawal, a $3 fee added to each, no more than $600/day total withdrawals, and my bank later charged me an additional foreign transaction fee.
3.) Some shops in the Galapagos don’t accept credit cards, so if you want a soda or souvenir, have cash.
4.) The Galapagos National Park Fee payable on arrival at San Cristobal Airport has to be paid in cash.
5.) Bring a big wad of cash!!!

Why Humboldt Explorer?

-----I sought a good, reputable mid.-range operation with plenty of trip reports, mainly positive, providing plenty of time at Wolf and Darwin (said to offer the best diving, though that depends in part on time of year and what you want to see), without spending any more than necessary. It had a base price $1,200 less than the Galapagos Aggressor III, I preferred to spend some time in San Cristobal over Baltra (where the boats are stationed), and Explorer Ventures offered a $700 off sale that week.

-----I'm happy with my experience and glad I chose them.
 
And how could we ever forget...the mighty Escobar! There's a nutty red-footed booby living on Wolf Island that likes to hang out in the pangas when we're there. One of our divers named him Escobar. I'm told nobody feeds him; he just likes hanging out amongst us (but if you get too close and bother him, he'll give you the look). And the nut job bird will not move!
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Wow!
Amazing report!
Thanks!
...
Not sure why I am asking as I most certainly wońt afford that trip ... dang Richard ! :wink:... :

What thickness of wetsuit did you wear? (I presume 7mm, not 5, but did not see or missed it)
Hood on all dives - or some?
...
Were all diving wet or were there drysuit divers as well?
(It seems a stretch to me thinking to go onto an LOB with a drysuit in expected 70+ degree water as a somewhat damaged wetsuit can be kept in service with simple means, whereas a leak in a drysuit that does not want to be field repaired could end the diving - curious how others see this)
...
You mention to bring a wad of cash ... USD - Right? but then, what foreign exchange fee were you charged?
...
You mention the extra 12% credit card fee when putting the boat cost on a card. Should I understand that if booking i.e. through Bluewater Travel there then would be such a fee on top ... or?
...
You mention you needed to hand up BCD (BP&W) first, them the weight belt you needed in addition. That could however be done in reverse if preferred - or?
(For me, fins go last if needed, floatation second to last...)
 
Asking @drrich2 & all, especially, but not only those boat gurus like @Wookie :
The max speed for the Humboldt Explorer is indeed given as 10 knots.
I had to look because it seemed low.
It also says main engines (plural): Detroit Diesel 6V92, 350 hp
But it does not say i.e: 2x Detroit Diesel 6V92, 350 hp
(and it does say “2x” when it comes to generators)
Since the given top speed is, even if the actual waterline length was to be 10% less than the given 111.5 ft LOA , more than 30% below hull speed, I wonder:
Could this be a single engine boat?
Would that be safe?

Rich, how many screws / props did you see?
Did you get to “tour” the engine compartment? How many main diesels 1 or 2?

Maybe they are just giving their max economical cruise speed as their max speed?
Does 10 knots as actual max speed make sense?

Operating in the Galápagos Islands would be considered “offshore” - or?

Humboldt Explorer Galapagos liveaboard | Explorer Ventures Liveaboard diving
 

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