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HUMBOLDT EXPLORER LIVEABOARD OVERVIEW
PACKAGE OVERVIEW
SCY – San Cristobal Airport, Galapagos Ecuador
13:00
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Please bring your C card , Nitrox card and log book (if you have one). Please bring a copy of your dive cruise application and waiver to present when you board or you will need to fill it out again. If you have dietary requests that were noted in your cruise application, please also remind your dive guide and/or the chef once you board.
7mm wetsuits are recommended. Gloves are necessary for protection, not warmth. Bring your own gloves! No camera rentals exist.
Guests fly to the Galapagos Islands from Mainland Ecuador, arriving in the islands mid- day. Guests are met at the airport and taken to the vessel. You will depart for a short crossing to the a calm site for a check out dive and safety briefing. After dinner the vessel will depart to the next scheduled destination.
AM: Punta Carrion. 2 dives. Sightings include rays and sea lions.
PM: North Seymour is a flat, bushy island which has the largest population of nesting Frigates in the Galapagos.There is a 2 kilometer trail around the island which will put you very up close and personal with these birds in addition to nesting Blue Footed Boobies.
You could see Blue Footed Booby hatchlings. You can also see my favorite swooping in the air, the ethereal Tropicbird. You will see other bird species, land iguanas, sea lions, marine iguanas and the typical cast of fearless Gala- pagos characters.
Depart for Northern Islands. Navigation time is around 14 hours.
Wolf Island, along with its sister Darwin Island, is considered one of the best dive destinations in the world. This small island located more than 100 kilometers to the northwest of the main Galapagos Islands chain.
Sightings include: large schools of Hammerhead sharks, Galapagos sharks, Eagle Rays, Sea Lions, Mantas, Turtles, Jacks, Trumpetfish, Butterfly fish, Morish Idols, Moray Eels, Dolphins and, in season, Whale sharks. Wolf Island is also prolific in corals and reef life, with more than 8 species of corals, and the greatest diversity of tropical fish in the islands. Some of Wolf’s dive sites are Shark Bay, The Landslide, La Banana and Islote La Ventana. Wolf is also a great experience above water. It is home to literally hundreds of thousands of seabirds such as Nazca boobies (also known as masked boobies), frigates, pelicans and swallow-tailed gulls. Night at anchor.
AM: Wolf Island.2 dives. Crossing to Darwin.
PM: Darwin: 2 dives. Considered by most to be the best dive site on the planet, Darwin is the northernmost island in Galapagos. This site is only visited by divers are there is no land access. Sightings include large schools of Hammerheads, free swimming morays, Galapagos sharks, Dolphins, Puffers and Porcupine fish, huge schools of Jacks and, of course, Whale Sharks between June and Nov. This is the only place on the planet where you can swim with 50+ ft / 15+ mt pregnant whale sharks. The island itself is home to countless birds, including the rare red-footed booby. Fur seal colonies also make Darwin their home.
Another full day of diving at Mecca for divers – Darwin.
And back to Wolf for 3-4 more great dives. If you have come to Galapagos specifically for sharks, only the Humboldt offers 4 full days of diving in the north – Darwin and Wolf.
Depart for the Central Islands.
AM: Cousin’s Rock. 2 dives. This combination of wall and coral covered rock is home to a variety of smaller creatures, a huge variety of tropical fishes and it’s not unknown to drop in on mantas or eagle rays. Black corals, small hard corals, sea fans and red sponges cover the tiered wall providing cover on the small ledges for many critters including Turtles, Frogfish, Long-nose Coral Hawkfish and the giant Pacific Sea Horse. Off in the blue, it’s not uncommon to spot Mobulas, Mantas, Eagle rays as well as sharks and sea lions.
PM: Santa Cruz Island. This tour begins with a stop at “Los Gemelos” (The Twins), two enormous craters that occurred when surface materials collapsed into fissures or chambers below. It is an awe-inspiring visual reminder of the power of nature. The short, easy hike is teeming with endemic flora and fauna, including a Scalesia Forest. Most say this relative of the sunflower reminds them of a forest of giant broccoli.
Next is a visit to a private ranch where you will have to chance to see the iconic giant tortoises in the wild.
Then, we visit the town of Puerto Ayora. You can explore the Darwin Center on your own, shop for souvenirs or just hang out in town. Dinner will be a restaurant in Puerto Ayora.
Return to the Humboldt Explorer at 8:30 pm.
Depart the vessel by 9 AM. Transfer to SCY Airport for your flight back to Ecuador.