Few things in life match the exhilaration and awe of coming face-to-face with a large marine mammal in open water. And while there are a number of places around the world where divers can experience a big-animal encounter, none can match the Galapagos Islands for both the diversity and sheer numbers of these encounters.
A Big Animal Diving Mecca
The Galapagos are the high point of a mid-ocean ridge that rises from the deep waters of the Eastern Pacific. Here, some 600 miles from the coast of South America, five distinct warm and cold oceanic currents mix and mingle, creating nutrient-rich upwellings that support a lively marine ecosystem and attract all manner of pelagic beasts. The islands are famous for their unique bio-diversity, which served as the inspiration for Darwin's Theory of Evolution. The surrounding waters are equally as dynamic and diverse, home to everything from penguins and sea lions to tropical reef fish, sea turtles and every manner of shark and marine mammal – including some of the biggest animals in the sea.
The list of outsized marine megafauna that may be encountered in the Galapagos reads like a big-animal diver's bucket list. Here's a sampling what you can expect:
Manta Rays – The Galapagos are known for big rays. Oceanic mantas weighing as much as three tons with wingspans of 15 feet or more come to feed on the rich plankton blooms created by upwelling currents. Divers can also visit manta cleaning stations to watch these huge graceful creatures pause their swooping swims to be groomed by tiny cleaner fish.
Hammerhead Sharks – In addition to a resident year-round population of both smooth hammerheads and great hammerheads the Galapagos is the site of an annual migration of scalloped hammerheads, which arrive in schools numbering into the hundreds.
Whale Sharks – The largest member of the shark family is known as the biggest fish in the sea, and they don't get any bigger than in the Galapagos. It's not uncommon to encounter a 30-foot shark, and they've been known to reach sizes of up to 45 feet in length.
Whales and Dolphins – The Galapagos create an oceanic outpost that attracts an impressive collection of cetaceans. Divers may be visited by bottlenose dolphins and it's not uncommon to run across pilot whales, false killer whales and orcas. Some sites draw sperm whales and there's an occasional chance to see the ocean's largest creature, the blue whale.
More Sharks – When it comes to shark sightings in the Galapagos, hammerheads and whale sharks are just the beginning, as some 32 different species have been recorded in these waters. Among the most common are Galapagos sharks, white and black-tip reef sharks and silky sharks. Tiger sharks are a sometimes sighting, and a closer look among the rocks may reveal some lesser-known species such as horn, bullhead, and ghost sharks or the diminutive and only recently-discovered jaguar cat shark.
Sea Turtles – In keeping with its reputation as one of the world's richest marine ecosystems, the Galapagos has plenty of sea turtles. Divers have an opportunity to encounter four different species, including hawksbill, leatherback, olive ridley, and a subspecies of green turtle known as the Galapagos turtle.
Sea Lions and Seals – Dive near the shoreline or around a rock outcropping and you may receive a visit from a curious Galapagos fur seal, or run across a sea lion foraging for dinner.
Sunfish – Sunfish, aka mola mola, are rare sightings anywhere in the world. The Galapagos is one of the few places where sightings are more frequent, and divers may run across two different species of these unusual-looking creatures: the oceanic sunfish and the southern sunfish.
Beyond The Big Stuff
In addition to an awe-inspiring collection of big animals, the waters of the Galapagos teem with marine life in all sizes. Pinnacles hold massive shoals of fish and attract flights of eagle rays, cow nose rays and mobula rays. On the edge of blue water, divers may find themselves enveloped in a swirling mass of big-eyed jacks, or confronted with a moving wall of bonito, yellowfin tuna, snappers or barracudas. Close to shore, slopes bearing sparse but healthy coral clusters hold parrotfish and an assortment of smaller tropical species. A favorite find is the indigenous red-lipped batfish, and an investigation of crevices may reveal octopus and moray eels.
The Galapagos Islands are a bird watchers paradise, and divers can get in on the action where penguins, cormorants and bobbies make dive-bombing plunges plunge beneath the waves to snatch a fish. Freediving marine iguanas are another underwater phenomenon unique to the Galapagos. At certain sites divers can watch these dinosaur-like reptiles make breath-hold forays into coastal shallows to graze on algae growing on underwater rock piles.
Land Or Sea?
Of the 16 islands that make up the Galapagos Archipelago, only four are inhabited, with the two most populous – Santa Cruz and San Cristobal – providing opportunities for land-based diving. Of the two, Santa Cruz is generally preferred as it often provides better water clarity and access to several neighboring islands. That said, the vast majority of divers who come to the Galapagos opt for a liveaboard diving experience, as this option provides unparalleled access to the entire island chain, including the remote northern islands that are out of reach of land-based operations.
The dive travel experts at Caradonna Adventures work with all the top liveaboard dive operators in the Galapagos. Agents can provide advice on the best boats, seasons and itineraries, and can handle all the details of travel, transfer and booking. Get started, on your Galapagos diving adventure by giving them a call at 800-329-9989, or send a note to sales@caradonna.com.