Diving Conditions at the Galapagos Islands (es)

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MARINE RESERVE   After several attempts to protect the surrounding waters, in March 13, 1996, the Galapagos Marine Reserve was declared with 70.000 square Km. and 1.400 Km of coast.

           

            In 1990 shark  fishing was prohibited

            In 1992 the Galapagos was declared a "Whale's Sanctuary".

            In 1978 UNESCO declared Galapagos a "Natural Heritage".

            In 1985 United Nations declared the Galapagos a "Reserve of the Biosphere"

            In 1989 CEDAM Intl. Declared the Galapagos "One of the seven underwater wonders of the world"

 

DIVING CONDITIONS AT THE GALAPAGOS       Diving conditions at the Galapagos are considered medium to hard due to the currents, depth and shape of the dive sites, temperatures and fauna.

 

TEMPERATURES      The range of surface temperature of the sea is from 18ºC to 30ºC. September to November are the coldest months, and February to April the warmest. Thermoclines are present, between 10 to 30 meters depth ( 30 to 100 feet) and the temperature can drop from one to five degrees Celsius.

 

CURRENTS    You will probably dive in the Galápagos in medium to strong currents. We understand s medium currents to be between one and three knots (between 1 and 4 miles/hour or between 2 and 6 Km./hour), and strong currents are more than three knots (more than 4 miles/hour or 6 Km./hour).

                        If you are caught in an unexpected current on the surface just relax, get positive bouyancy and call the boat. If you are in a group, get close together.  In the garúa season (from July to December) the Humboldt current coming from the southeast is present. In the warm season ( from January to June) the Panamá current from the northeast arrives in the Galápagos.

 

VISIBILITY    Visibility of 100 feet or 30 meters often is present in the Galápagos waters. You shall expect a visibility from 50 to 80 feet or 15 to 25 meters in most of the diving places. In some areas and in some seasons due to the richness of phytoplankton, green waters are present. This planktonic algae is the first step in the trophic chain and is necessary to sustain all marine life at the islands.

 

DRIFT DIVES Many dives in the Galapagos are drift dives. The group will enter and will be drifted down current. With medium currents, you should not wait more than a few seconds at the surface before descending, so you don´t drift from the group. During your dive the boat will follow the bubbles and will pick you up in the place you appear at the surface.

Safety stops are often made in blue waters, away from a wall or bottom. Keep with your buddy and the group.

 

DEEP DIVES  More than 20 meters or 60 feet is considered a deep dive.  We make the deep dive first in the morning. Consider the possible thermocline and expect temperatures to be cold, use sufficient thermal protection. Often dives in the Galápagos are deep and wall dives.

 

 NIGHT DIVES           You will enjoy a shallow night dive with no drift. Your guide will select a safe place for the night dive with no current. Nocturnal crabs, starfish, sea cucumbers, fish, and other different species are visible at night, and it is common to find fluorescence in the first six meters. One of the best dives can be a fluorescent night dive with turtles, fur seals and other animals which cam be seen with the lamp turned off.

 

 

SAFETY          You should take all of the safety indications that your guide will explain very seriously in the briefings. Conditions in the Galapagos are so variable that the guides can only make an accurate assessment of the actual conditions upon arriving at the diving site.   Additionally,  conditions may very well  change during the dive.

Before any dive, the company will ask you to sign a waiver of responsibility.

We strongly recommend that you have a valid D.A.N. membership card.

 

RULES

 

·         Follow your guide´s instructions.

·         Never do decompression dives.

·         The maximum depth of any dive is 100 feet or 30 meters.

·         Make a safety stop after every dive.  Three minutes at 5 meters or 15 feet.

·         Make the deepest dive first and don't make repetitive deep dives.

·         You should finish your dive whith 500 p.s.i. or 40 bars of air in your tank.

·         If you lose the group, search for them for one minute and if it is not possible to locate them, then resurface.

·         Never leave an unattended tank on the deck.

·         Always dive with your buddy.

·         Don't touch or disturb the animals or plants, you can be bitten or stung.

·         Don't collect anything from the oceans, only remove the rubbish.

·         Don't go outside of the diving or snorkeling area specified by your guide.

·         Keep yourself safe of nitrogen; don't go to the limits of the diving tables or computer.

·         Never attempt to snorkel or dive if you are not sure that you can manage the situation.

·         Be sure that your guide, the boat driver, or another person is supervising you at all times. 

·         If a problem arises on the surface, be calm and maintain positive buoyancy.

·         If you are caught in a current, don't attempt to fight against it.  It is better to relax, float, and make signals to the boat.

           

CHAMBER     In Puerto Ayora it is an Hyperbaric Chamber, operated by PROTESUB, part of the SSS Recompression Chamber Network.. 

 

DANGERS      About animals, be careful with the sea lion. Some species of sea urchins, scorpionfish, hydroids or a type of small blue jellyfish can sting you.  Moorey eels, rays and sharks do not attack people. Be aware in the proximity of rocks, they may cut you.

Descendent and strong horizontal currents can be found.  Be sure that you resurface after the dive in the place that your guide planned.