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Galapagos Islands scuba diving isn’t necessarily for real beginner divers. We recommend it 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.
GALAPAGOS TEMPERATURES The range of surface temperature of the sea is from 18°C to 30°C. 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 Galapagos in medium to strong currents. We understand medium currents 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). 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 garua season (from July to December) the Humboldt current coming from the southeast is present. In the warm season ( from January to June) the Panama current from the northeast arrives in the Galapagos.
GALAPAGOS VISIBILITY Visibility of 100 feet or 30 meters often is present in the Galapagos waters. You shall expect a visibility from 50 to 80 feet or 15 to 25 meters in most of the diving 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. Keep with your buddy and the group.
DEEP DIVING More than 20 meters or 60 feet is considered a deep dive. We make the deep dive first in the morning. Consider the possible thermocline and expect temperatures to be cold, use sufficient thermal protection. Often dives in the Galapagos are deep and wall dives.
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. 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.
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