Itinerary: Galapagos Islands
Dates: 4th – 13th November 2016
Aboard: M/Y Wolf Buddy
The vessel…
At 36m in length and welcoming a maximum of 16 guests per week, M/Y Wolf Buddy offers luxurious accommodation in which to relax and dive. The dive deck is unique in Galapagos liveaboards and consists of 2 separate areas – one can be closed off on cooler days and heated for when you exit the water! With plenty of space to get kitted up and store your equipment, it is a dream platform for entering some of the most exciting waters in the world!
Sample schedule…
– Day 1 – Fly to Ecuador (Guayaquil), transfer to hotel for overnight stay
– Day 2 – Fly to Galapagos Islands, transfer to vessel
– Day 2 – 9 – Liveaboard safari
– Day 9 – Fly back to Guayaquil and transfer to hotel for overnight stay
– Day 10 – Fly home
– Day 11 – Arrive home
Few people are lucky enough to dive these pristine waters, and no place on Earth will boast such a variety of underwater life. Schooling hammerheads, silkies, Galapagos sharks, whale sharks, whales, manta rays and even marine iguanas and penguins may accompany you on dives!
Itinerary Highlights…
LOBOS ISLAND
Lobos Island is named after the Spanish word for ‘sea lion’ and it certainly lives up to its name! The small flat island is home to an abundant population of these amazing creatures and with any luck you will encounter them underwater. As well as the sea lions, the island is also well-known for sightings of marine iguanas, turtles, blotched stingrays and beautiful sea stars.
CABO MARSHALL
Along the eastside of Isabela Island (the largest of the Galapagos Islands), is the site of Cabo Marshall or Cape Marshall. This is the only spot in the Northern Hemisphere where you can observe penguins in their natural habitat. The site is only accessible by liveaboard and is renowned for its manta rays. If you don’t get to see these giants, there is plenty of other action to keep you entertained: hammerheads, white-tip reef sharks, Galapagos sharks, sea lions, sea turtles and many other fish. The seafloor and walls are covered by black coral and interesting anemone colonies grow all over the rocks.
THE NORTHERN ISLANDS: DARWIN & WOLF
The northern most islands in Galapagos ‘Darwin and Wolf’ rank among the best and most famous dive sites in the world. Due to their fragile ecosystem, the national park authorities prohibit land visits and the fact that they are so far from the other islands, means that they are only visited by liveaboards. Darwin (appropriately named for its famous visitor) is easily recognised by its famous arch, which sits just above the surface and is considered the best in Galapagos. Schooling hammerheads, mackerel, tuna, jacks and rainbow-runners swirl around the walls while dolphins play in the distance. Thousands of species such as eels, turtles, sea lions, flounders, rays and whale sharks are all on the list for the lucky Darwin divers! The long journey to Wolf Island is well worth it – divers can enjoy a drift dive in very fast currents with thousands of fish, schools of hammerheads and other large pelagic species such as whale sharks and eagle rays!
COUSIN’S ROCK
Cousin’s Rock is a small rock and the remains of an eroded volcano crater. A small number of birds and sea lions live on it, but the appeal is definitely underwater. This wall dive with strong currents features plenty of black coral, which appears green underwater. If you can keep from being distracted by the schools of barracuda, green sea turtles, sea lions, eagle rays and the occasional manta , you will see that this coral provides the perfect camouflage for seahorses and other experts of disguise, such as octopus, hawkfish and sometimes frogfish.
All dive sites are subject to weather conditions and cannot be guaranteed.
£4099 per person including FREE NITROX
Included: Return flights Guayaquil to Galapagos Islands, 2 nights B&B in a 3*/4* hotel in Guayaquil before and after the liveaboard, internal transfers, 7 nights full board accommodation on vessel (based on 2 sharing), tea/coffee/water/soft drinks/local alcoholic beverages, snacks, up to 3 dives per day while on safari, unlimited nitrox, 12lt cylinder and weights.
Not included: Flights to Ecuador (Guayaquil), equipment rental, $100 Galapagos Park fee to be paid on arrival in cash, U$D 10 Tourist Card (to be paid before boarding your domestic flights to the Galapagos), Ecuadorian Departure Taxes (between U$D 28 and U$D 41 for International flights).
Please contact Reefers and Wreckers on 01254 825555 or visit the Reefers and Wreckers Website for more information or to book on this fabulous Galapagos safari!
