Hi guys
What's the best way to dive the Galapagos Islands on a budget?
All the liveaboards run like $4k for a trip and that's simply out of our range.
Cheers guys!
Adam
Diving the Galapagos on a budget
Started by MitHere, Mar 28 2012 09:32 AM
5 replies to this topic
#1
MitHere
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Wolf Eel
Posted 28 March 2012 - 09:32 AM
UW - Canon Powershot G11 with Inon D4 baseplate, arms, Inon LE240, dual Inon S2000s, Inon lens caddy, dual Inon stackable macros, Dyron 67mm adaptor and Dyron 0.3x WA lens.
Topside - Camera with Lensmate 72mm adaptor and holder, 72mm Kenko Pro1D circular polariser and Velbon Sherpa 435R.
Topside - Camera with Lensmate 72mm adaptor and holder, 72mm Kenko Pro1D circular polariser and Velbon Sherpa 435R.
#2
MitHere
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- Member
- 102 posts
Wolf Eel
Posted 28 March 2012 - 09:38 AM
Hi guys
What's the best way to dive the Galapagos Islands on a budget?
All the liveaboards run like $4k for a trip and that's simply out of our range.
Cheers guys!
Adam
http://www.galapagos-sub-aqua.com
Maybe I found it.
Unfortunate that you don't go out cruising. All overnights in Puerto Ayora. Does anyone else want to have a look and tell me what they think?
Cheers!
Adam
UW - Canon Powershot G11 with Inon D4 baseplate, arms, Inon LE240, dual Inon S2000s, Inon lens caddy, dual Inon stackable macros, Dyron 67mm adaptor and Dyron 0.3x WA lens.
Topside - Camera with Lensmate 72mm adaptor and holder, 72mm Kenko Pro1D circular polariser and Velbon Sherpa 435R.
Topside - Camera with Lensmate 72mm adaptor and holder, 72mm Kenko Pro1D circular polariser and Velbon Sherpa 435R.
#3
operam
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- 36 posts
Triggerfish
- Gender:Male
- Location:NJ, USA
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Posted 28 March 2012 - 11:16 AM
http://www.galapagos-sub-aqua.com
Maybe I found it.
Unfortunate that you don't go out cruising. All overnights in Puerto Ayora. Does anyone else want to have a look and tell me what they think?
Cheers!
Adam
In order to reach Darwin and Wolf, where arguably the best diving in the Galapagos is, you need to be in a liveaboard. If you don't care about Darwin and Wolf, then the shore-based operators should be fine.
Edited by operam, 28 March 2012 - 01:25 PM.
Nikon D7000 in Aquatica AD-7000 housing | 2x Inon Z-240 with 4600K diffuser | Tokina 10-17mm | Nikon AF-D 60mm | Nikon 105mm VR | Kenko 1.4TC | Aquatica 6" dome | Aquatica AF/MF macro port | Aquatica +5 and +10 diopters
#4
MitHere
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- 102 posts
Wolf Eel
Posted 28 March 2012 - 11:47 AM
I care.In order to reach Darwin and Wolf, where arguably the best diving in the Galapagos are, you need to be in a liveaboard. If you don't care about Darwin and Wolf, then the shore-based operators should be fine.
$4000 for a week after 10 and a half months away is too expensive.
What's the absolute cheapest liveaboard?
UW - Canon Powershot G11 with Inon D4 baseplate, arms, Inon LE240, dual Inon S2000s, Inon lens caddy, dual Inon stackable macros, Dyron 67mm adaptor and Dyron 0.3x WA lens.
Topside - Camera with Lensmate 72mm adaptor and holder, 72mm Kenko Pro1D circular polariser and Velbon Sherpa 435R.
Topside - Camera with Lensmate 72mm adaptor and holder, 72mm Kenko Pro1D circular polariser and Velbon Sherpa 435R.
#5
operam
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- Member
- 36 posts
Triggerfish
- Gender:Male
- Location:NJ, USA
-
Posted 28 March 2012 - 01:16 PM
I care.
$4000 for a week after 10 and a half months away is too expensive.
What's the absolute cheapest liveaboard?
I don't have a definitive list of the liveaboards operating in Galapagos, but based on this page, it seems the cheapest are Deep Blue and Humboldt Explorer:
Galapagos Liveaboards
I haven't been to any of the liveaboards, so I cannot tell you how they are.
Nikon D7000 in Aquatica AD-7000 housing | 2x Inon Z-240 with 4600K diffuser | Tokina 10-17mm | Nikon AF-D 60mm | Nikon 105mm VR | Kenko 1.4TC | Aquatica 6" dome | Aquatica AF/MF macro port | Aquatica +5 and +10 diopters
#6
BC-SeaDragon
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- Member
- 101 posts
Wolf Eel
- Gender:Male
- Location:Oslo, Norway
- Interests:DIVING!
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Posted 03 April 2012 - 01:49 PM
Hello,
I was in the same situation this time last year. I was on an extended trip and couldn't afford the liveaboard trip as it truly is a big chunk of cash. I heard from many people that I shouldn't even bother going unless I was going to do a liveaboard but after being there I beg ti differ.
The day trips are still fairly expensive also but still amazing (land and diving). I dove with Scuba Iguana and they had nice boats, good guides etc etc. I think I paid 150 a day but I also had all of my gear with me. Booking ahead was 190 I believe and only necessary if your really strapped for time and want to guarantee a spot on the boat. Well worth it either way IMO.
What I saw diving...
Turtles
Sea Lions
Eagle Rays
Mobula Rays ( a school of about 50)
Marble Rays (massive)
White tip sharks on literally every dive
Galapagos Sharks
Black tip sharks
Hammerheads (individual, pairs and smaller schools of about 15)
Garden Eels
Snake eels
Stone fish
Schools of pelagic fishes
On one of the land based day trips to Bartolome I also experienced snorkeling with the colony of penguins. This was spectacular for me as I had seen most of the other species.
The one thing you will miss unless your lucky is the huge schools of hammerheads, pods of dolphins and whale sharks. This is what Darwin and Wolf is so famous for from my understanding. I believe the whale sharks are not around until July/August anyways. Unfortunately those dive sites are only reachable by liveaborad
The land trips are also amazing if you like topside wildlife too. I spent 11 days there and alternated between the 2. Accoms and food was also very cheap if you stay and eat at the right places. Don't expect more than a bed and a fan though.
Overall if you have the time and are in the area its worth going. In my eyes at least.
Enjoy,
Kelly
I was in the same situation this time last year. I was on an extended trip and couldn't afford the liveaboard trip as it truly is a big chunk of cash. I heard from many people that I shouldn't even bother going unless I was going to do a liveaboard but after being there I beg ti differ.
The day trips are still fairly expensive also but still amazing (land and diving). I dove with Scuba Iguana and they had nice boats, good guides etc etc. I think I paid 150 a day but I also had all of my gear with me. Booking ahead was 190 I believe and only necessary if your really strapped for time and want to guarantee a spot on the boat. Well worth it either way IMO.
What I saw diving...
Turtles
Sea Lions
Eagle Rays
Mobula Rays ( a school of about 50)
Marble Rays (massive)
White tip sharks on literally every dive
Galapagos Sharks
Black tip sharks
Hammerheads (individual, pairs and smaller schools of about 15)
Garden Eels
Snake eels
Stone fish
Schools of pelagic fishes
On one of the land based day trips to Bartolome I also experienced snorkeling with the colony of penguins. This was spectacular for me as I had seen most of the other species.
The one thing you will miss unless your lucky is the huge schools of hammerheads, pods of dolphins and whale sharks. This is what Darwin and Wolf is so famous for from my understanding. I believe the whale sharks are not around until July/August anyways. Unfortunately those dive sites are only reachable by liveaborad
The land trips are also amazing if you like topside wildlife too. I spent 11 days there and alternated between the 2. Accoms and food was also very cheap if you stay and eat at the right places. Don't expect more than a bed and a fan though.
Overall if you have the time and are in the area its worth going. In my eyes at least.
Enjoy,
Kelly
