Galaxy Diver

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AM: Welcome to the Galapagos Islands, where today marks the beginning of our diving adventure onboard the Galaxy Diver liveaboard yacht. Our journey starts with our arrival at Seymour Airport, also known as Baltra Airport, located on the island of Baltra. As we step off the plane, we'll be greeted by our guide and the friendly staff of the Galaxy Diver, who will help us with our luggage and transfer us to the Galaxy Diver.

PM: Then, we'll enjoy a delicious lunch and settle into our cabins. But before we dive into the waters, it's important to note that there are strict guidelines for passengers to the archipelago due to the area's designation as a national park. These guidelines help preserve the delicate environment of the Galapagos Islands, ensuring that we can continue to enjoy the beauty of this unique ecosystem for years to come.

After all, we have the safety drill and check dive to try all the equipment by having our first immersion among the wonders of the Galapagos Islands. With the Galaxy Diver as our home base, we'll explore the pristine waters and encounter incredible marine life that can't be found anywhere else. It's sure to be an unforgettable experience that will leave us with memories to last a lifetime.

AM: As the sun rises on our first day of diving aboard the Galaxy Diver yacht, we can feel the excitement building for what's in store at our first dive site, Punta Carrion. We gather our gear, and with the guidance of our expert dive master instructors, we dive into the crystal-clear waters surrounding the stunning Santa Cruz Island. Descending deeper into the underwater world of Punta Carrion, we'll be immediately mesmerized by the incredible visibility and the abundance of marine life that surrounds us—schools of hammerhead and whale sharks, this last one available between June to December. At the same time, playful sea lions dart in and out of the rocky underwater cliffs.

We learn more about the vivid and colorful world of tropical fish as we continue our exploration, including groups of surgeonfish, angelfish, and parrotfish. Luckily, we can even find a few secretive seahorses hidden in the reef's crevices.

Later, we joyfully discuss our underwater excursions. At the same time, the onboard cook makes a lovely lunch when we return to the Galaxy Diver.

PM: Finally, in the late afternoon, we'll begin our 14 hours of navigation through the Galapagos Sea to Wolf Island.

AM: Today, we'll have an exciting diving adventure as we discover the hidden riches of this enchanted location. Our first stop is the breathtaking Shark Bay, where we can spot the majestic Galapagos shark, eagle ray, and sea lion will meet you as you plunge into the ocean's depths. These magnificent creatures are a sight to behold, with exquisite movements that will take your breath away. Following a thrilling morning dive, we'll travel to La Banana to continue our journey and discover the Galapagos Islands' abundant marine life. In addition, we'll be able to see playful sea lions in their native environment, darting and whirling about us with elegant, engaging, and mesmerizing beauty.

PM: As the day unfolds, we'll make our way to La Ventana Islet and El Derrumbe, two diving locations known for their diverse marine life. Go into the fascinating world of colorful fish, turtles, and sea stars as they welcome you into their natural home. The beauty and magic of the undersea environment will wow you as you explore these hidden jewels.

As we wrap up our diving day, take a minute to enjoy the beautiful sunset while reflecting on the incredible experiences of the day. The Galapagos Islands are indeed a treasure trove of natural beauty, and we are privileged to accompany you on this magnificent voyage. Therefore, be ready to immerse yourself in a world of wonder and go on a once-in-a-lifetime experience!

AM: Today, we'll take you to El Arenal. This magnificent location will leave you spellbound by the natural beauty of the Galapagos Islands. A diving site considered one of the best diving points in the world. This site is close to Darwin's Arch and offers moderate to strong currents with depths ranging from 46 to 121 ft and visibility from 40 to 80 ft. As you dive deeper into the sea, you'll be greeted by the impressive Galapagos underwater biodiversity.

PM: We'll then move on to Darwin's Tower, commonly known as Darwin's Arch, one of the most iconic dive sites in the world. This awe-inspiring location is a must-visit for any avid diver. We're thrilled to share this incredible experience with you. As you dive into the deep blue waters, a world of vibrant coral, schools of colorful fish, and the majestic beauty of the hammerhead shark will be waiting for you with their imposing presence and graceful movements.

The thrill of diving at Darwin's Tower is indescribable, and you'll be amazed by the sheer beauty of this underwater wonderland.

AM: Our first dive site of the day is El Arenal. As we explore the vibrant coral reefs and discover the diverse marine life, we'll have the chance to encounter an incredible array of species. Some of them could be dolphins commonly sighted feeding on schools of fish, hammerhead sharks, whale sharks, rays, Galapagos sharks, and even tiger sharks and killer whales. But the beauty of El Arenal isn't just in its impressive marine life; the geological formations are also a sight to behold.

PM: We'll move on to El Derrumbe, where we'll discover the fascinating marine diversity of the Galapagos Islands. This site offers a unique diving experience with its underwater cliffs and caves. You'll encounter many species, including green turtles, sea lions, and eagle rays. But what makes this site truly special is the presence of bull sharks, one of the few places in the world where you can dive with them in shallow waters.

Our last dive of the day takes us to Shark Bay, where we'll explore the hidden treasures of the Galapagos Islands. This site is famous for its incredible diversity of marine life, including the Galapagos shark, eagle ray, and sea lion. But what makes this site truly unique is the presence of whale sharks that visit the Galapagos Islands every year from July to November. It's a rare opportunity to witness these gentle giants, and we're honored to share this experience with you.

AM: As we continue our journey through the pristine waters of the Galapagos Islands onboard the Galaxy Diver, we have some incredible dives planned for you on this sixth day in the deeper sea of the Galapagos Islands.

We start our day by diving at Douglas Cape, where you can observe the marine iguanas feeding on algae underwater. These graceful creatures spend time basking in the sun to warm up before diving into the sea for about 20 minutes to feed. Watching them glide through the water is a truly unforgettable experience. The seas surrounding Douglas Cape are teeming with unique marine life, such as the famous Galapagos marine iguana, red-lipped batfish, fur seals, Galapagos penguins, and flightless cormorants.

PM: Our following dive site is Vicente Roca Point, located on the northwest coast of Isabela Island. The abundance of colorful corals and gorgonians make this site one of the best in the Galapagos Islands for enjoying macro life, such as seahorses, different species of nudibranchs, toadfish, and even the elusive Mola Alexandrini (mola mola), the largest bony fish in the world. You may also encounter penguins and flying cormorants, green turtles, and, if lucky, a cat shark. The stunning coral formations and the impressive array of marine life at Vicente Roca Point will take your breath away.

AM: This morning we'll have the opportunity to do our last dive at Cousin Rock—one of the most colorful dive sites in the archipelago. The vibrant coral walls and gorgonians create a stunning backdrop for encounters with seahorses, reef fish, and various nudibranchs. Keep an eye out for the curious coral hawks as they dart around the reef. As we dive deeper, we might glimpse a school of eagle rays gracefully gliding by or spot a white-tip shark resting in a crevice. If we're lucky, we might even see mobulas and schools of barracudas. Finally, the playful sea lions will appear and invite us to join their underwater games.

PM: After lunch, we disembark and head for a reserve in the Santa Cruz Highlands. Here, we have the unique opportunity to witness the iconic Galapagos Tortoise in its natural habitat. Walking through the lush vegetation, we might even spot some of the other residents of the highlands, like the elusive Galapagos Rail or the bright Vermilion Flycatcher.

AM: After a week of unforgettable experiences, it is time to bid farewell to this enchanting land. As you'll be transferred to Baltra Airport, take the memories of a lifetime and the magic of the Galapagos Islands.

AM: Departure to the Galapagos Islands, arrive at Baltra airport, where our naturalist guide of the National Park will be waiting for you.

PM: Bachas gets its name from the remains of two large barges (mispronounced by locals as “bachas”) left by the Americans during WWII. At low tide you can still see the iron skeletons of the barges buried in the white sand. From November till May, this place is also one of the most important sea turtle nesting grounds in the entire Galapagos islands. There are also several small saltwater lagoons where we often see flamingoes, herons and other aquatic birds.

AM: This hike is a journey into understanding the birth of these volcanic islands. You will walk in a very well-preserved flow of Pahoehoe lava, which will give you endless opportunities to see the delicate textures of these type of lavas which only appear in a few places throughout the world. At first sight, the barren landscape looks completely deprived of life, but look carefully for pioneer plants, lava lizards, and small birds. By the shore, you can find penguins, pelicans and oystercatchers.

PM: Rábida is a small island famous for its reddish lava rocks (rich in iron) which gives it a unique look. The beach is also red and hosts a small colony of sea lions. There is a small saltwater lagoon where we will see ducks and stilts and sometimes flamingoes. The trail will take you inland to get beautiful views of the beach and the lagoon. Look for Darwin finches, flycatchers and mockingbirds. In the cliffs along the coast, you can find Nazca & blue-footed boobies, brown noddy, herons and the two species of sea lions: Galapagos and fur seals.

AM: Located at the base of an imposing volcano (the most active in the Galapagos islands) this site is one of the jewels of the Galapagos National Park. As soon as you disembark you will be surrounded by hundreds of marine iguanas, as this is the largest colony for the species. Sea lions bask in the beaches while their pups play in tide pools. Along the shore, you will see flightless cormorants, which are restricted to the western areas of the archipelago. Surrounded by cold plankton-rich waters, Punta Espinosa is home for an array of species, including herons, pelicans, oystercatchers, sea turtles, shorebirds and many more. Look up in the mangroves as Galapagos hawks often perch to look for their prey.

PM: Tagus cove is one of the places Charles Darwin visited during his exploration of the Galapagos islands. A trail will take you through a dry Palo Santo forest where you can see Darwin finches and mockingbirds. You will get great views of Darwin’s Lake and the large volcanos of northern Isabela.

A boat tour along the shore will give you chances to see penguins, cormorants, marine iguanas and a very unique species: the Galapagos martin, a small endemic bird which is one of the most endangered species on the island.

AM: This place is known for the dramatic uplifting that happened here during the 1950’s. A large portion of the coast was pushed up, exposing many hectares of previously submerged land. Look carefully along the trail and you will find small shells and corals, a proof that the area was underwater more than sixty years ago. The trail will give the opportunity to see land iguanas and, during certain seasons, giant tortoises. Galapagos hawks nest in the area and are often seen flying or perched on the trees.

PM: Elizabeth Bay is a beautiful sheltered bay surrounded by large mangroves and barren lava fields. There is no trail here so you will take a dinghy tour to explore many channels, pools and coves teeming with life. This is one of the best locations in the islands to see Galapagos penguins, but don’t expect to see thousands of them, as the entire population of the islands is only about 3.000 of them. Flightless cormorants also nest in the area and blue-footed boobies and pelicans often fish in these shallow and rich waters. Rays and sea turtles are also very abundant.

AM: Located very close to Puerto Villamil, the main town in Isabela, this small islet is surprisingly rich in wildlife. There are extensive colonies of marine iguanas and sea lions and you will see rays and sea turtles in the shallow channels. Here it’s easy to see reef sharks, locally known as “Tintoreras”. Herons and gulls are also common and if you are lucky, you might see a Galapagos penguin, as there are a few individuals in the area.

PM: The wetlands of Villamil include a large area of lagoons, channels and coves located near the town. The salt water lagoons are surrounded by mangroves and are rich in bird species, sheltering species such as American flamingo, white-cheeked pintails, gallinules, stilts, herons and other shorebirds.

AM: Floreana is famous for the tales of German settlers and the baroness during the late 1920’s and 30 ‘s. Assassinations, isappearances and other unsolved mysteries are the ingredients of this fascinating story. Post office bay was often used by whalers to anchor their ships and go up to the highlands to get freshwater and tortoises. Most boats visiting the Galapagos had to came to this place sooner or later, so a system of mail was established more than 200 years ago: a barrel near the beach became the way to leave messages to other ships and also to the outside world. This mail system is still in use and will allow you to send postcards from the Galapagos to the outside world. Aside from a small beautiful beach and a lava tunnel, the area is great for dinghy tours to look for sea lions, green sea turtles, shorebirds, small sharks and, with some luck, Galapagos penguins.

PM: Punta Cormorant is located in the north of Floreana and it is known for its large coastal lagoon with American flamingoes, white-cheeked pintails, black-necked stilts and other shorebirds. There is a beautiful white sand beach which is an important nesting ground for green sea turtles where we can also see rays and reef sharks. In the last years, a small groups of blue footed boobies have started to breed right by the trail. This is also a great trail to look at endemic plants.

AM: Either if you do this visit starting from Baltra or from Puerto Ayora, a bus will take you to the highlands stopping along the way at one of the reserves to visit the lush highland forests where you will look for Galapagos Giant tortoises in their natural environment. This is the best place in the Galapagos to see these gentle giants (reaching over 300 kg / 600 pounds!) casually grazing and resting in freshwater ponds. This is also home for a great diversity of birds rarely found at the lowlands, including finches (tree, woodpecker and vegetarian finches), flycatchers and several species of water birds. You will visit a lava tunnel (depend on the itinerary) and learn how these extraordinary formations where created by ancient volcanic eruptions.

PM: The Charles Darwin Station is a nonprofit organization which has been working for decades together with the Galapagos National Park to preserve the biodiversity of these unique islands. During this visit you will learn about the projects that both institutions carry together to protect the native species and eradicate the invasive ones which are threatening the Galapagos environment. One of the most important and emblematic projects has been reproducing giant tortoises in captivity. The visit is mostly outdoors in a beautiful dry native forest with giant cactus and many other interesting native plants. It is also a fantastic place to find several endemic Darwin finches, as well as flycatchers and mockingbirds.

AM: This island is home for large colonies of both magnificent and great frigatebirds and you can see them displaying their red balloons to attract a female. Blue-footed boobies nest in the ground and perform their famous dance in the open areas, while swallow-tailed gulls perch on the cliff edges. Land iguanas are common inland while their marine cousins bask in the rocks by the sea, close to sea lions, which often like to body surf in the waves.