Embark on an unforgettable journey with Galapagos Sky
Our itineraries are 7 and 10 nights long. Dives at Wolf and Darwin are the highlight of the trip, and full days will be spent here with the chance to see whale sharks, mantas, and schooling hammerhead sharks. The dive deck has warm fresh-water showers and hot towels are offered after every dive. Diving from tenders makes getting to and from the dive site hassle-free.
Dive Briefing
Diving in the Galapagos offers an exhilarating experience but requires advanced skills due to strong currents, variable visibility, and cooler water temperatures. Expect temperatures to range from the low 60s to the upper 70s Fahrenheit, depending on the itinerary location and the season. Dive depths typically range from 20 to 30 meters (65 to 100 feet).
To ensure a safe and enjoyable dive, divers should be comfortable with these conditions and possess excellent buoyancy control. Proficiency in performing negative (sometimes rapid) back-roll entries and descents from small boats is also essential.
We recommend divers have between 50 and 100 open water dives, experience with strong currents, the ability to remove gear in the water, and the skill to board small boats in choppy seas. Nitrox certification prior to the cruise is highly recommended, and recent dive experience is required. For those who haven’t been diving for six months or more, both PADI and DAN suggest a refresher course.
Please note that all diving from the Galapagos Sky is NON-DECOMPRESSION diving, no exceptions.
How We Dive
Entry
All diving is conducted from a panga (also known as an inflatable or tender). Divers will prepare their gear on the dive deck of the Galapagos Sky. The crew will place fins in the panga, and divers will walk to the gangway and, with the crew’s assistance, lower themselves into the panga. Cameras will be handed down by the crew as well.
Once seated in the panga, divers will receive their fins to put on. At the dive site, the Dive Guide will conduct a final self and buddy check before signaling to dive. Divers must perform a simultaneous back-roll entry. Cameras will be handed to divers by the panga driver. At certain sites, divers may be asked to perform a negative entry (no air in the BCD) for a quicker descent in stronger currents.
The Dive
Dive Briefings will be provided on board before each dive. Divers are expected to follow the Dive Guide, adhere to signals and instructions, and stay with the group throughout the dive. If a diver needs to end their dive early, they must be able to conduct a proper ascent with their dive buddy, complete a safety stop, and signal the panga driver once safely buoyant at the surface.
Dives typically last around 50 minutes, with depths generally ranging from 60 feet (18 meters) to 100 feet (30 meters).
Exiting the Water
Once the panga approaches the diver and the panga driver gives the signal, divers should hand up their cameras and remove and pass up their weight belts. Divers must then remove their inflated BCDs in the water and present the tank side to the panga driver, who will lift the gear aboard. Afterward, divers will hand up their fins and climb the ladder back onto the panga.
Diver to Guide Ratio
8:1 With a full boat of 16 guests, divers will be placed in two groups of 8. Each group of 8 divers will have 1 Galapagos National Park certified Dive Guide.
Night Diving
Night dives are optional and will be conducted on Day 3 at Wolf, weather and conditions permitting. Divers must be experienced in night diving and should carry a primary light/torch, a backup light/torch (as recommended by all certification agencies), and a tank light. Please note that underwater lights/torches are not available for rent or loan.
Solo Diving | SideMount | Rebreather | Doubles
Solo diving, side mount diving, and diving with doubles or rebreathers are not permitted. Stage or pony bottles are not available for rent.
Nitrox / Enriched Air vs Air
To dive with Nitrox on the Galapagos Sky, you must have Nitrox/Enriched Air Certification from a recognized training agency. If you do not have this certification, you will be provided with air fills instead. Please note that without Nitrox certification, you will be unable to dive on Day 3, 4, and 5 at Wolf and Darwin due to recreational Non-Decompression Limits.
Nitrox classes are not available on board, and our membrane system generally produces 32% Nitrox. Certified Nitrox divers are required to analyze and log their Nitrox mixes and Maximum Operating Depths (MOD) before each dive. Nitrox analyzers will be provided.
Please present your Nitrox Certification Card during check-in. If you do not have Nitrox certification, a private Dive Guide will be required.
Snorkeling
All activities in the Galapagos are regulated by the Galapagos National Park. Please note that our permit restricts snorkeling at most of our dive sites. Additionally, many of our dive sites have surface conditions that are unsafe for snorkeling. As a result, there is no discount available for non-divers.
Requirements
Certification Cards
Please present your certification cards to the Dive Guides during check-in at the start of the cruise. Ensure you provide both your highest level of diving certification and your Enriched Air Nitrox card.
Minimum Age
Since our dive itinerary features dives at depths of 40 feet (12 meters) or deeper, divers must be at least 15 years old and possess the appropriate training and experience.
Equipment
Dive Computer
Divers must use a dive computer or be able to demonstrate dive planning with a table to the Dive Guide to monitor their non-decompression time. Rental dive computers are very limited, so it is strongly recommended that each diver bring their own dive computer along with a backup, ideally with the same algorithm.
If a dive computer is damaged or malfunctions—such as being out of battery, displaying a blank screen, or experiencing flooding—the diver without a backup must refrain from diving for a minimum of 12 hours after a single no-decompression dive, or 24 hours after multiple dives or multiple days of diving, before resuming dives with a “fresh” computer.
Divers with malfunctioning computers will not be allowed to dive until the issue is resolved and the computer has cleared.
Tanks and Valves
Standard tanks provided are Aluminum 80 cubic feet (12 liters) with an INT/Yoke valve. Each tank includes a removable insert to accommodate DIN first stages.
A limited number of Aluminum 100 cubic feet (15 liters) tanks are available for an additional weekly rental fee of $60 USD, payable directly on board. These tanks are DIN/INT compatible. Steel tanks are not available.
If you wish to rent 100 cubic feet (15 liters) tanks, please indicate this preference on your application when making rental requests prior to the cruise.
Reef Hooks
The Galápagos Sky does not provide reef hooks for divers. Experienced divers who are comfortable using reef hooks may bring their own, along with a small cutting tool to free themselves if necessary. However, divers who are not highly experienced with reef hooks should avoid attempting to learn this technique in the Galápagos due to the strong currents.
All divers are required to bring their own gloves to hold onto rocks in the current.
Surface Safety Devices
Each diver entering the water must have the following surface safety devices:
- Safety Sausage/SMB (Surface Marker Buoy)
- Dive Alert or similar audible surface signaling device
- Nautilus Lifeline electronic surface tracking device
If you have your own Nautilus Lifeline, please note that the MMSI number is 735057585.
These items are available for loan to divers while on board.
Weights and Weight Belts
Weights and weight belts are provided and included in your cruise rate. Most lead weights available on board are 4 to 5 pounds. Please note that small 1 to 2-pound or trim weights are limited, and soft weights are not available.
Camera Table
A camera table is available next to a freshwater tank for rinsing your camera after each dive. The table is equipped with compressed air to help you dry the housing before opening it.
Our spacious and luxurious yacht offers all the comforts of home, with sustainable dining, comfortable cabins, and panoramic views of the stunning Galapagos landscape.
What our guests say
See what our guests have to say about their unforgettable experiences aboard the Galapagos Sky!