GALAPAGOS AGGRESSOR, ECUADOR: General Info
Located about 600 miles West of Ecuador, this strange & compelling archipelago, the Galapagos Islands, first received global fame after evolutionary theorist Charles Darwin wrote about the Galapagos more than a century ago. The Galapagos continue to be a magnet for divers so powerful that the Aggressor Fleet had to install a second vessel on this tour just to keep pace with all the demand. This protected national park is one of the largest marine wildlife sanctuaries on Earth; & one that few folks ever are privileged to visit. Nobody leaves the Galapagos Islands without a renewed reverence for life, & the consummate miracle of species differentiation.
The Galapagos Islands are 19 main islands & many tinier ones that are scattered across more than 4,500 square miles of the Pacific Ocean. Because the Galapagos Islands are so remote, for millions of years they remained free from outside influence; & the native species differentiated in bizarre & beautiful ways. Some creatures from the Galapagos Islands are found nowhere else on Earth -- the most celebrated, of course, being the huge tortoises & the marine iguana. Every day of your stay in the Galapagos Islands you'll be in the good company of a highly-trained naturalist & wildlife guide who'll let you in on some of the islands' best secrets. No eco-tours in the world could hold a candle to this one. (Well, maybe one on Mars.)
This is also one of few places in the world where, because it is so close to the Equator, a weird confluence of ocean currents sweeps some islands with chilly seas on one side, & warm tropical seas on the other, only a few miles apart! That's one challenge & fascination found in Galapagos diving. What's more fascinating, cold & warm water species that normally might live in ocean sectors a thousand miles apart, here thrive side by side. The amazing diversity of species in the Galapagos Islands, both on land & water, will leave you breathless & spellbound every day of your week in this sacred island group. Of course, no hunting or fishing by tourists are allowed in these sacred islands. Galapagos diving is strictly a "look & don't touch" deal.
In the water around the Galapagos islands, you'll be entertained by species such as schooling hammerheads, penguins, sea lions, sharks of several intriguing varieties, eagle rays & manta rays, great sea turtles & the occasional whale or whale shark. Galapagos diving = major critters, pure & simple. Some of these Galapagos mantas can be bigger than 12 feet across, which is enough to jump-start even a ho-hum heart! On your land treks you'll get to see the famous giant tortoises, iguanas, & properly G-rated birds such as boobies & flamingos.
Any Galapagos diving vacationer who isn't dazzled every day by the sheer splendor of life, & the dance of bio-diversity on these Galapagos Islands, probably would fall asleep during a Beatles reunion concert, or maybe order a mega-garlic dish on a dinner date with Elle McPherson, or install harvest gold shag carpeting in a new Ferrari Testa Rossa. To dive the Galapagos islands from one of the Aggressor live-aboards is a once-in-a-lifetime treat reserved for only a special few adventure divers in the world. Are you ready for the challenge & the rewards of Galapagos diving? The Galapagos Islands are beckoning; you may be just right for this outstanding live-aboard adventure. After Galapagos diving, you may have to fight being seduced by the jaded Guru: Bendar Dundat. It doesn't get much better than Galapagos diving, the dive & U/W photo pros agree. This Galapagos Aggressor dive tour is one of our best expeditions anywhere in the world. The client comments upon returning have been vividly positive about this Galapagos diving, year after year.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS of the GALAPAGOS AGGRESSOR:
Here's a capsule summary of the Aggressor Fleet's 10 vessels. All these live-aboard packages include 3 fine & filling meals per day + all the diving your heart desires for at least 5.5 days on a 7-night cruise (free tanks & weights included) + clean, spacious cabins + roomy salons & sundecks. All Aggressor Fleet live-aboard vessels carry full safety gear, high-tech navigation equipment, powerful radios, hot freshwater showers, entertainment centers, plus personal gear lockers & E-6 slide development labs right on board.
These Aggressor Fleet live-aboards also offer large scuba diving decks & wide ladders for easy entries & exits. No pile-ups here; so you'll spend your time underwater not topside, tapping your fin impatiently. Aggressor Fleet live-aboard diving vessels offer some of the world's best service & substantial bargains, in every country where their shining prows slice the Big Blue. Thousands & thousands of utterly satisfied scuba diving clients must be saying something about the well-managed Aggressor Fleet live-aboards. Their safety record is top-notch; their commitment to quality on-board amenities & their courteous staff are outstanding, as well. These folks know their business; you'll love diving the Galapagos islands with them. We bet you'll want to go back soon! Galapagos diving makes a glad mark for a long time. Most clients say forever.
WEATHER & WATER TEMPS for the GALAPAGOS ISLANDS:
The Galapagos Islands are 19 main islands & many tinier ones that are scattered across more than 4,500 square miles of the Pacific Ocean. Because the Galapagos Islands are so remote, for millions of years they remained free from outside influence; & the native species differentiated in bizarre & beautiful ways. Some creatures from the Galapagos Islands are found nowhere else on Earth -- the most celebrated, of course, being the huge tortoises & the marine iguana. Every day of your stay in the Galapagos Islands you'll be in the good company of a highly-trained naturalist & wildlife guide who'll let you in on some of the islands' best secrets. No eco-tours in the world could hold a candle to this one. (Well, maybe one on Mars.)
This is also one of few places in the world where, because it is so close to the Equator, a weird confluence of ocean currents sweeps some islands with chilly seas on one side, & warm tropical seas on the other, only a few miles apart! That's one challenge & fascination found in Galapagos diving. What's more fascinating, cold & warm water species that normally might live in ocean sectors a thousand miles apart, here thrive side by side. The amazing diversity of species in the Galapagos Islands, both on land & water, will leave you breathless & spellbound every day of your week in this sacred island group. Of course, no hunting or fishing by tourists are allowed in these sacred islands. Galapagos diving is strictly a "look & don't touch" deal.
In the water around the Galapagos islands, you'll be entertained by species such as schooling hammerheads, penguins, sea lions, sharks of several intriguing varieties, eagle rays & manta rays, great sea turtles & the occasional whale or whale shark. Galapagos diving = major critters, pure & simple. Some of these Galapagos mantas can be bigger than 12 feet across, which is enough to jump-start even a ho-hum heart! On your land treks you'll get to see the famous giant tortoises, iguanas, & properly G-rated birds such as boobies & flamingos.
Any Galapagos diving vacationer who isn't dazzled every day by the sheer splendor of life, & the dance of bio-diversity on these Galapagos Islands, probably would fall asleep during a Beatles reunion concert, or maybe order a mega-garlic dish on a dinner date with Elle McPherson, or install harvest gold shag carpeting in a new Ferrari Testa Rossa. To dive the Galapagos islands from one of the Aggressor live-aboards is a once-in-a-lifetime treat reserved for only a special few adventure divers in the world. Are you ready for the challenge & the rewards of Galapagos diving? The Galapagos Islands are beckoning; you may be just right for this outstanding live-aboard adventure. After Galapagos diving, you may have to fight being seduced by the jaded Guru: Bendar Dundat. It doesn't get much better than Galapagos diving, the dive & U/W photo pros agree. This Galapagos Aggressor dive tour is one of our best expeditions anywhere in the world. The client comments upon returning have been vividly positive about this Galapagos diving, year after year.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS of the GALAPAGOS AGGRESSOR:
Here's a capsule summary of the Aggressor Fleet's 10 vessels. All these live-aboard packages include 3 fine & filling meals per day + all the diving your heart desires for at least 5.5 days on a 7-night cruise (free tanks & weights included) + clean, spacious cabins + roomy salons & sundecks. All Aggressor Fleet live-aboard vessels carry full safety gear, high-tech navigation equipment, powerful radios, hot freshwater showers, entertainment centers, plus personal gear lockers & E-6 slide development labs right on board.
These Aggressor Fleet live-aboards also offer large scuba diving decks & wide ladders for easy entries & exits. No pile-ups here; so you'll spend your time underwater not topside, tapping your fin impatiently. Aggressor Fleet live-aboard diving vessels offer some of the world's best service & substantial bargains, in every country where their shining prows slice the Big Blue. Thousands & thousands of utterly satisfied scuba diving clients must be saying something about the well-managed Aggressor Fleet live-aboards. Their safety record is top-notch; their commitment to quality on-board amenities & their courteous staff are outstanding, as well. These folks know their business; you'll love diving the Galapagos islands with them. We bet you'll want to go back soon! Galapagos diving makes a glad mark for a long time. Most clients say forever.
WEATHER & WATER TEMPS for the GALAPAGOS ISLANDS:
- The least attractive weather in this island chain is from July through October, when you get a lot of misty rainy conditions. But this is also when the whale shark sightings increase quite a bit. While land excursions are dampened, the diving is not hurt too much.
- November through June normally bring the best weather for Galapagos diving most years, unless a special El Nino comes in & wreaks havoc. El Nino is now on the wane we are told for the next year, so this is not a big problem right now. These months are the driest months, & the warmest.
- In this time frame, water temps vary from about 63 degrees F. in the southern isles to about 68 degrees in the northern isles. Pretty nice conditions for a Galapagos live-aboard adventure.
- Critter sightings tend to be the same most months of the year, so Galapagos diving does not change a great deal from one season to another, unless a super strong El Nino makes the water very warm, as happened last fall & winter, & then the bigger pelagics tend to head to deeper, cooler water.
- All year round we recommend you bring no less than a quarter inch wetsuit (5mm) or a light drysuit, with a full hood & thick booties & gloves. Many folks like the 7mm suits, because 5 mm suits are probably too cool most of the year, for most clients, especially women, we have learned over the years of serving Galapagos live-aboard clients.
All Galapagos Aggressor photos © Copyright Aggressor Fleet & Dancer Fleet.