Scuba Diving in Galapagos Islands
General Info
Diving Info
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When to Visit
During the warm season, divers can expect the highest water and air temperatures and calmer conditions. There is some brief afternoon rain, but it usually doesn’t last too long. The cooler season brings mist, winds, and overcast days. The winds create choppy seas, the water temperature is lower, and the visibility is reduced. Nonetheless, the currents bring nutrients, which results in more abundant marine life.
Diving Conditions
The water temperature ranges between 21 to 30° C (70 to 86° F) December through May with cooler thermoclines at depth and 16 to 24° C (60 to 75° F) June through November.
Currents are prevalent here, although there are several dive sites where you can expect calm conditions for easy scuba diving.
The water visibility at Galapagos islands is not the greatest you’ll ever find; it ranges between 12 to 33 meters (40 to 100 feet) during the warm season and slightly decreases during the cooler season.
Types of Diving
Highlights
Darwin Island
Darwin Island is a world-class scuba diving destination. The waters surrounding this piece of eroded volcano contain a plethora of marine animals. Divers will, of course, have the chance of seeing at least one of the species of sharks that inhabit these waters: hammerhead, Galapagos, silky, and whale sharks. The marine fauna also includes various other species of fish such as trumpetfish, trevallies, butterflyfish, surgeonfish, parrotfish. It is also common to see dolphins and sea lions here.
Gordon Rocks
Also called The Washing Machine, Gordon Rock is a popular dive site for advanced divers. The strong currents bring the plankton to the surface, attracting a number of large pelagics. Hammerhead sharks, Galapagos sharks, white-tip sharks, giant sea turtles, mobula rays, eagle rays, stingrays, and the weird-looking ocean sunfish (Mola Mola) are quite a sight.
Isabela Island
Isabela is the largest island of the Galapagos archipelago. It comprises a number of tuff cone islands and isolated rocks that are great dive sites. The south of the island is a diverse marine ecosystem due to the presence of nutrient-rich waters.
The underwater seascape at Isabela island is extremely colorful, with a variety of soft corals, coral bushes, gorgonians, and blue and red sponges. Harlequin wrasses, stingrays, tuna, barracudas, King angelfish, yellowtail surgeonfish, grunts, manta rays, sea turtles, sea lions, and killer whales are common encounters here.
Daphne Island
The waters of Daphne Island contain WWII relics, walls, slopes, platforms, and caves that are a real treat for those with a thirst for exploration. Most dives are drift dives where white-tip sharks, schools of tuna, sea turtles, moray eels, and lots of reef fish can be observed.
Explore dive centers in the area
San Cristobal Island
Puerto Ayora
Puerto Baquerizo Moreno
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