February 8, 2025
skydancer
General Information 2011
Departure Days Price per Person
8 Days Saturday between USD 4,595 USD 4,795
Capacity 16 passengers

 

Overview Itinerary
Monday Flight to Galápagos / Island San Cristóbal – Lobos Island – Interpretation Center
Tuesday North Seymour Island (2 dives)
Wednesday to Friday Wolf and Darwin Islands (4 dives each day)
Saturday Isabela Island – Cape Marshall (4 dives)
Sunday Island Santiago – Cousins (2 dives) – Sullivan Bay / Bartolome (snorkeling)
Monday Island San Cristóbal – Galapaguera – flight back to mainland

Custom-designed in 2000, the Sky Dancer offers the newest and best-equipped vessel for scuba diving in the Galapagos. The Sky Dancer’s accommodation includes 8 comfortable staterooms located on two decks. The Sky Dancer is fully air-conditioned. Divers appreciate the large dive platform with fresh water showers, fresh water rinses, dive deck assistance and photo and dive equipment rental services. The Sky Dancer offers up to four dives per day on a pre-planned itinerary.

Built in 2002, the Deep Blue is one of the newest yachts sailing the Galápagos Islands. It is a large, comfortable vessel with spacious cabins and plenty of space for 16 divers (although, it can accomodate 18). Underwater photographers will be happy, as there are two camera tables and a huge rinse tank. The cabins are divided into eight double cabins with lower beds, private bathroom and air conditioning and 1 Suite. With air-conditioning, comfortable social areas, sun deck and salon, the Deep Blue provides a comfortable setting for you enjoy an unforgettable Galápagos experience.

Technical facts and specifications
Type First Class Motor Yacht
Length 32.30 m
Beam 7.45 m
Capacity: 16 passengers
Speed: 12.5 Knots
Accommodation: 16 passengers in 9 cabins, each with a double bed or two twin beds / private bathroom

 

Detailed Itinerary:

Monday: Flight to Galápagos / Island San Cristóbal – Lobos Island – Interpretation Center

In the morning flight to the Galapágos Island San Cristobal from which you will start your cruise. After paying the National Park Entrance Fee, a crew member will accompany you to your yacht which anchors at Baquerizo Moreno harbour. After arrival on board, check- in and explanations in general, lunch will be served. Afterwards there is a mandatory check dive at Lobos Island, which is located in the front of Island San Cristóbal. It is a seasonal nesting location for the blue footed booby and frigate birds. During your check dive you will encounter sea lions. At the port of Baquerizo Moreno, which is the capital of the province Galápagos, you will visit the Interpretation Center. The Center will give you a good impression of the history of the Galápagos Islands. -/L/D

Tuesday: North Seymour Island (2 dives)

In the south side of Seymour Island and no deeper than 50 feet deep, the northern channel is superb. It features an enormous “field” of garden eels, stingrays, a school of spotted eagle rays, white tipped reef sharks, and thick schools of grunts, snappers & goatfish. When Dr. Silvia Earle described Galapagos as “the fishiest place in the world”, she had probably dove this dive site. After lunch, you will have the land visit of North Seymour. After a dry landing, you will have a short walk along the coast of Seymour. You can encounter swallow tailed gulls, sea lions and cliff crabs. This site is also known for being a major nesting colony of blue footed boobies, and the largest colony of the magnificent frigate bird, a species different to the great frigate bird. You can also spot both endemic species of iguanas, the marine iguanas and land iguanas. You will enjoy this relaxing hike around the nesting sites. B/L/D

Wednesday to Friday: Wolf and Darwin Islands (4 dives each day)

You spend the next three days diving Wolf and Darwin with up to four or five dives per day before returning to the central islands. Most experienced divers will agree Wolf and Darwin are the best diving sites in the world! Sightings of the whale shark are common here. There are no land visitor sites here, just serious diving. At the Northern Arch at Darwin, Hammerhead sharks are not uncommon, nor are bottlenose dolphins. The reef contains many warm water varieties of fish found nowhere else in the Islands and is the most consistent place to see Hammerheads.

Darwin Island:

Considered by many experienced divers as the very best dive site in the world; the arch at Darwin Island honors its reputation. It is warmer by a few degrees than the central islands. In one single dive you can find schooling hammerhead sharks, Galapagos sharks, large pods of dolphins, thick schools of skipjack and yellow fin tuna, big eye jacks, Mobula rays, and silky sharks. From June to November, you can almost guarantee whale sharks in numbers of up to 8 different individuals in one single dive. The presence of occasional tiger sharks, black and blue marlin and killer whales, adds on to this amazing diving experience. If you still have time to look for smaller stuff, you’ll find octopus, flounders, and an enormous variety and abundance of tropical fish. Darwin Island is the biggest jewel on the Galapagos Crown.

Wolf Island:

One of those magical islands with several dive sites to choose from. If you want to see sharks, you are at the right spot. This is a place for schooling hammerhead sharks, large aggregations of Galapagos sharks, and occasionally whale sharks. Seeing dolphins, large schools of tuna, spotted eagle rays, barracudas, sea lions and sea turtles is common. The bottom is littered with hundreds of moray eels, many of them free swimming. Being several degrees warmer than the central islands, you can look for many representatives of the Indo-Pacific underwater fauna.

Saturday: Isabela Island – Cape Marshall (4 dives)

At Cape Marshall on the eastern side of Isabela Island, you encounter rocky volcanic cliffs that drop down to the ocean floor as an almost vertical wall. You might see large animals like manta rays, marbled rays, hammerhead sharks mola mola (sun fish) and marine turtles, but also Chevron barracuda, snappers, yellow fin tuna, rainbow runners, wahoo and groupers. There are also a lot of smaller fishes like creole fishes, parrot fishes, scrawled filefishes, pacific box fishes and tiger snake eels. B/L/D

Sunday: Island Santiago – Cousins (2 dives) – Sullivan Bay / Bartolome (snorkeling)

In the afternoon you will land at Santiago Island, also known as James, or San Salvador Island, which is the fourth largest island in the archipelago. The influences of the former salt mine workers and their imported animals are still alive on the island. The last tries to populate Santiago Island were given up forty years ago. At the so called “Cousins Rock”, a small islet in the northeast of Santiago Island, you will have two dives. Dive along a precipitous wall, which is overgrown by black corals. Here you can encounter seahorses, frog fishes and other heroes of the small underwater fauna. During your dive around the west cap often you can explore eagle rays, sea lions and tropical fishes as well. The Sullivan Bay is located on the east coast of Santiago Island. Its lava field with lava cacti is a variety of interesting patterns. After exploring the lava flow, you can swim or snorkel with playful sea lions off two small coralline. Then you will go snorkelling at the coast of Bartolome. If you are lucky you can snorkel with penguins. B/L/D

Monday: Island San Cristóbal – Galapaguera – flight back to mainland

On your last day you will come back to Island San Cristóbal. Here you will visit San Cristobal breeding centre in the highlands, called “La Galapaguera”, where you will have the possibility to get to know more about the Giant tortoises breeding efforts of the National Park; especially of the endemic species: Geochelone elephantopus Chatamensis. Around midday you will fly back to mainland of Ecuador. Enjoy the last view back to the enchanting islands, this unique paradise with its fascinating nature. B

B: Breakfast / L: Lunch / D: Dinner


Prices per Person for 2011:

Double cabin Lower Deck per person: USD 3,820.-
Double cabin Upper Deck per person: USD 4,045.-

Charter: USD 62,910.-

Fuel surcharge per person: USD 160.-


Included in the price:

All transfers in Galapagos, 8 days cruise on board of the GALAPAGOS EXPLORER in double accommodation with all facilities, english speaking naturalist guide, purified water free to drink.

Not included in the price:

Flights mainland to/from Galapagos (e.g. Quito – Galapagos – Quito USD 420.- per person), entrance fee to Galapagos National Park USD 100.- per person, migration card USD 10.- per person, beverages, tips, personal items, insurance.

NB

Itinerary is subject to change without previous notice, due to weather conditions, operational matters, National Park Authorities advise, or Captain´s decision for passengers security.