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Galapagos Islands scuba diving isn´t necessarily for real beginner divers. Recommended for mid-level to advanced divers, especially for certain areas. Dive shops will advise you on the conditions at that time and can suggest less strenuous itineraries for beginners. Diving conditions at the Galapagos are considered medium to hard due to the currents, depth and shape of the dive sites, temperatures and fauna. However, for those of you who want to get your PADI certificate, there's no better place than the Galapagos. Even in the waters near the islands, will give you the
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chance to swim with sea lions, watch mantas, look out for flounders, colorful fish, and perhaps even dodge the hungry nibbles of a Blue Footed Booby, diving for its mid-morning snack.
GALAPAGOS 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. Galapagos Islands scuba diving shops will supply divers with wet suits and appropriate gear for the temperatures.
CURRENTS
You will probably dive in the Galápagos in medium to strong currents. The medium current is 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).
Galapagos diving can be tricky 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.
GALAPAGOS VISIBILITY
couldn't be better! 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 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 DIVING
Many of the Galapagos islands dives 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.
DEEP DIVING
More than 20 meters or 60 feet is considered a deep dive. Consider the possible thermocline and expect temperatures to be cold, use sufficient thermal protection. Often dives in the Galápagos are deep and wall dives, making Galapagos diving more complicated.
NIGHT DIVING
You can 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. When you do, it's like diving in the stars! 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.
MARINE LIFE
ALGAE
333 species of algae are reported at the Galápagos, (35 % are endemics). During "El Niño" many of the algae are replaced by others which can grow better in warm waters, changing the food chain.
INVERTEBRATES
24 species of sea urchins, 28 of sea stars, 30 of sea cucumbers, approximately 600 of mollusca, and more than 100 of crabs exist in the Galapagos. The colors of the Blue Sea Star Phataria Unifascialis, the shape of the Black Spiny Brittle Star Ophiocoma aethiops, the red phosphorescent skin of the Horse conch Fasciolaria Princeps and the quantity of Slate Pencil Urchins Eucidaris thouarsii will fascinate you during the dives.
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CORALS
31 non-reef building corals (30% of them are endemic) and 13 reef builders are reported. The Galápago have the same quantity and diversity of corals as other parts of the east Pacific. They are congregated in some areas, especially in Darwin and Wolf where more warm waters are present. Out of those congregations, you should not expect to find large quantities of corals.
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CORALS
31 non-reef building corals (30% of them are endemic) and 13 reef builders are reported. The Galápago have the same quantity and diversity of corals as other parts of the east Pacific. They are congregated in some areas, especially in Darwin and Wolf where more warm waters are present. Out of those congregations, you should not expect to find large quantities of corals.
FISH
There are more than 300 species of fish (17% are endemic to the Galapagos). Big schools of Creole Fish (Gringo or Paranthias colonus), Black Striped Salema (Ojón or Xenocys jessiae), groups of Almaco Jacks (Palometa or Seriola rivoliana), Barracudas (Sphyraena idiastes), Moorish Idol (Zanclus cornutus), and dancing Rainbow Wrass (Vieja Arco Iris or Thalassoma lucasanum) are common.
You may see a Pacific Seahorse (Caballito de Mar or Hippocamous ingens) hanging in a Black Coral, a Fantail Pipefish ( Pez pipa or Doryrhamphus excisus) inside a small crevice and several Red-lipped Batfish (Pez Murciélago or Ogcocephalus darwini) lying in the sand, the Sanguine Frogfish (Pez Sapo or Antennatus sanguineus) changing colors due to the surroundings sponges are more of a challenge to see because of their size and camouflage.
Galapagos Barnacle Blennies ( Acanthemblemaria castroi) living inside old barnacles, Yellow-tail Damselfish (Damisela Cola Amarilla or Stegastes arcifrons) protecting their algae garden, Wrasses cleaning other fish, Stone Scorpionfish (Brujo or Scorpaena plumieri mystes) with the same shape and color of the rocks, fascinating juvenile Giant Damselfish (Damisela Gigante or Microspathodon dorsalis) with their iridescent blue spots and the poisonous Bulleye Puffer (Tambulero or Sphoeroides annulatus) are easy to see.
Many Fine Spotted Morays ( Morena Puntofino or Gymnothorax dovii) opening their mouth to breathe, congregations of Galapagos Garden Eels (Anguilas de Jardín or Taenioconger klausewitzi), and several species of rays including the huge Manta Ray ( Manta or Manta hamiltoni) which reach 7 meters or 22 feet also are common.
MAMMALS
Two species of sea lions inhabit the Galápagos; the sea lion (Lobo marino or Zalophus californianus wollebaeki) and the Fur seal ( Lobo de dos pelos or Arctocephalus galapagoensis). Total estimated population 80.000 individuals . When snorkeling with them, don´t forget your camera. Don´t try to touch them, they can bite you.
The most sighted whale is the Bride´s Whale (Balaenoptera Edeni). Also you can see Sperm Whales (Physeter Macrocephalus), Killer Whales (Orcinus Orca), (Megaptera Novaeangliae), and others. If you are looking for whales, try the upwelling areas. Close contacts with whales can be done snorkeling between the islands. Approach the whales by they rear. Do not make noises or splashes. Be silent.
When cruising in the day the Bottlenosed dolphins (Delfín nariz de botella or Tursiups truncatus) swim in front of the boats giving you an opportunity to take their picture, and the small Common dolphins ( Delfín común or Delphinus delphis) likes to jump off the waves made by the boats. You can snorkel with Bottlenosed dolphins jumping in the water right in front of you and can wait as they pass under you. You can hear their sounds and distinguish the mothers and babies.
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