Descriptions of Diving Sites

Academy Bay .- This is an ideal site for introductory diving, checking immersions or immersions for beginning and intermediate divers. A short cruise from Puerto Ayora takes us to the area. We always require that each person dive at least one day in the Academy Bay area in order to get acclimated to the diving conditions of the Galapagos Islands. We recommend that beginning divers make three immersions in Academy Bay before proceeding to sites further on. Academy Bay permits diving with little current. Following are descriptions of some of the sites within the Academy Bay area.

Punta Estrada.- Here there is an interesting geological formation of a sea turtle canyon, and it is possible to see invertebrates, tropical fish, stingrays, sea turtles, and sometimes golden rays or some whitetip reef sharks

Caamaño Islet.- Here you have a unique opportunity to swim and play with friendly sea lions, many kinds of tropical fish and a few marine iguanas.

Punta Nuñez.- Wall and cave diving. There are turtles, tropical fish and stingray here.

Bajo Solmar.- This shoal in Academy Bay has an impressive number of fish, whitetip sharks, morays, invertebrates, eagle rays, stingrays, turtles and sea fans. This is a good site for intermediate and advanced divers

OUTSIDE ACADEMY BAY

The navigation distance to diving sites outside the Academy Bay area is between 20 and 38 miles. It takes about an hour to reach each site. We always have 3 crewmembers on board when we dive outside Academy Bay. These sites are spectacular and offer high international quality diving for intermediate and advanced divers.

Floreana.- Enderby Islet, Punta Ayora, Champion Islet and Devil's Crown are diving sites where we find sea lions, exotic fish, thousands of tropical fish, barracudas, black coral, whitetip and Galapagos sharks, moray eels, some hammerhead sharks and eagle rays. During the cruise to Floreana Island, there is an excellent opportunity to see dolphins and snorkel with them. From the launch it is possible to observe and enjoy the marine and land life of sea lions, blue-footed boobies, frigate birds, penguins and marine iguanas.

Gordon Rocks.- This is the best daily tour for advanced divers who want to see turtles, large cold water fish, hundreds of tropical fish, hammerhead shark, Galapagos shark, whitetips, blacktips, large morays, eagle rays, golden rays, stingrays and fur seals.

North Seymour .- Groups of hammerhead shark, many snappers and tropical fish, turtles, morays, manta rays and whitetip sharks.

Cousin Rocks.- This site for intermediate divers combines shoal diving with wall diving among sea lions, thousands of fish, whitetip sharks, hammerhead sharks, eagle rays and manta rays. Invertebrates and black coral can be seen on an impressive vertical wall.

Bartolome.- Stingrays, turtles, whitetips, many fish, invertebrates and an interesting formation of rocks. After the dive, you can snorkel to observe penguins.

Mosquera Islet.-Large schools of garden eels, mantarays, whitetips and sometimes hammerhead shark and eagle ray along with many tropical fish and sea lions.

Daphne Islet.- Wall diving with morays, whitetips, eagle rays, stingrays, sea lions, invertebrates, hammerhead sharks, turtles, black coral and hundreds of fish.

Santa Fe.- An easy diving site with little current. Whitetips, turtles, stingrays and sometimes pairs of hammerhead shark, and you can snorkel with sea lions.