DiveTheGalapagos
Contributor
The Park has imposed the long rumored 'no land visits' regulation on Galapagos live-aboards. As someone who, by far, prefers the focus on diving, I think it is making for some exciting new itineraries.
Here's the Aggressor's new itinerary:
Day 1: Arrival. Isla Lobos check dive.
Day 2: AM: Bartolome PM: Cousins
Day 3: Wolf
Day 4: Darwin
Day 5: AM: Darwin. PM: Wolf (Jan - May AM: Roca Redonda, PM: Punta Vicente Roca
Day 6: AM: Roca Redonda 2 dives. PM: Punta Vicente Roca (Jan-May: Cabo Marshall)
Day 7: Highlands of Santa Cruz. Darwin Station visit. Dinner in Puerto Ayora.
Day 8: Departure
Here's the Humboldt's new itinerary.
Day 1: Arrival, Check dive
Day 2: AM: Bartolome dive and snorkel with penguins; PM: Sail to Darwin
Day 3: Wolf 3 dives
Day 4: Wolf 3 dives
Day 5: Darwin 3 dives
Day 6: Darwin 3 dives
Day 7: AM: Cousins Rocks 2 dives. PM: Santa Cruz Highlands land visit and BBQ. Darwin Station.
Day 8: Interpretation Center (optional and independent). Departure.
Exciting to have 2 days at Wolf and 2 days at Darwin in one week. Yay! Exciting to visit Punta Vicente Roca (mola molas, flightless cormorants, penguins and Orcas over there so often!) and really smart for that to be seasonal since viz can be nothing at times of the year, and cool, giant mantas at Cabo Marshall the rest of the year.
Personally, I'm excited that Roca Redonda will again have a presence in the area so hopefully, sharks will have more protection rather than being prime finning grounds. Area is too big and resources too limited to adequately patrol. Dive boats present deters finning. Yay!
Gordon Rocks, N. Seymour and Mosqueras now off limits to live-aboards and reserved for land-based access. Floreana and Cousins will continue to be accessible via land-based operators (all 4 with permits from Santa Cruz) for 2011. Here's Scuba Iguana's 2011 dive itinerary from Santa Cruz:
Mon: Floreana (snorkel during surface time)
Tues: Gordon Rocks (snorkel during surface time)
Wed: Seymour Canal/ Mosquera North (snorkel during surface time)
Thurs: Cousin/ Bartolome
Fri: Mosquera South/ Seymour Punta (snorkel during surface time)
Sat: Beagle/ Daphne
Sun: Seymour Canal / Gordon (snorkel during surface time)
For those disappointed about land visits, hopefully you can plan a few days on land before or after your dive cruise -lots of fantastic options that will provide you with wildlife and experience rich topside excursions. For the rest of us, exciting new dive itineraries.
Here's the Aggressor's new itinerary:
Day 1: Arrival. Isla Lobos check dive.
Day 2: AM: Bartolome PM: Cousins
Day 3: Wolf
Day 4: Darwin
Day 5: AM: Darwin. PM: Wolf (Jan - May AM: Roca Redonda, PM: Punta Vicente Roca
Day 6: AM: Roca Redonda 2 dives. PM: Punta Vicente Roca (Jan-May: Cabo Marshall)
Day 7: Highlands of Santa Cruz. Darwin Station visit. Dinner in Puerto Ayora.
Day 8: Departure
Here's the Humboldt's new itinerary.
Day 1: Arrival, Check dive
Day 2: AM: Bartolome dive and snorkel with penguins; PM: Sail to Darwin
Day 3: Wolf 3 dives
Day 4: Wolf 3 dives
Day 5: Darwin 3 dives
Day 6: Darwin 3 dives
Day 7: AM: Cousins Rocks 2 dives. PM: Santa Cruz Highlands land visit and BBQ. Darwin Station.
Day 8: Interpretation Center (optional and independent). Departure.
Exciting to have 2 days at Wolf and 2 days at Darwin in one week. Yay! Exciting to visit Punta Vicente Roca (mola molas, flightless cormorants, penguins and Orcas over there so often!) and really smart for that to be seasonal since viz can be nothing at times of the year, and cool, giant mantas at Cabo Marshall the rest of the year.
Personally, I'm excited that Roca Redonda will again have a presence in the area so hopefully, sharks will have more protection rather than being prime finning grounds. Area is too big and resources too limited to adequately patrol. Dive boats present deters finning. Yay!
Gordon Rocks, N. Seymour and Mosqueras now off limits to live-aboards and reserved for land-based access. Floreana and Cousins will continue to be accessible via land-based operators (all 4 with permits from Santa Cruz) for 2011. Here's Scuba Iguana's 2011 dive itinerary from Santa Cruz:
Mon: Floreana (snorkel during surface time)
Tues: Gordon Rocks (snorkel during surface time)
Wed: Seymour Canal/ Mosquera North (snorkel during surface time)
Thurs: Cousin/ Bartolome
Fri: Mosquera South/ Seymour Punta (snorkel during surface time)
Sat: Beagle/ Daphne
Sun: Seymour Canal / Gordon (snorkel during surface time)
For those disappointed about land visits, hopefully you can plan a few days on land before or after your dive cruise -lots of fantastic options that will provide you with wildlife and experience rich topside excursions. For the rest of us, exciting new dive itineraries.