Diving
Gear
If you have
already read about diving in the Galápagos, you will definitely
hear about how these aren't Caribbean waters as far as temperature,
visibility, currents and surge. The conditions vary widely, and
it is difficult to predict what it might be like from one site to
the next, let alone from season to season. Generally, we never had
less than 50 feet visibility, but we didn't have much more either.
While we had read about currents that threaten to rip your mask
off, we never encountered this extreme. At the most, we would guess
there was a 2-3 knot current in some spots. The various currents
in this area also affect the water temperature, mostly the Humboldt
Current that brings cold water up from Antarctica. The problem is
that the water temps can vary greatly throughout the year, and even
dive to dive on the same trip. It all depends on how the currents
are moving. We had read about temperatures ranging from 65°F to
80°F. That's quite a range to prepare for when considering what
thermal protection to bring.
Ultimately
we decided on bringing a 5 mm wetsuit and a Polartec type skin as
a backup to wear underneath just in case. The 5 mm suit seemed to
be a popular choice once we got on board as most of the divers had
the same thickness. The temperatures for our trip in mid-June ranged
between 71-73°F, and were fairly constant. The 5 mm wetsuit was
sufficient and comfortable throughout the week.
A hood is recommended
to keep down your heat loss. We seemed to do fine with just a polar
fleece lined lycra hood. Gloves are practically mandatory, and forget
about those thin reef gloves. Unlike other diving destinations where
gloves are discouraged to keep people from wanting to touch things,
they are needed in the Galápagos to keep your hands from being cut
up. You will be grabbing onto barnacles and rocks on the bottom.
There are situations where you will be in surge or current and need
to grab onto something, and barnacles are sharp! The best gloves
suited for this trip are those that have Kevlar lining on the fingers
and palms. We read about people that went through 2-3 pairs of normal
gloves, had them wrapped in duct tape, from being cut up on the
barnacles. The Kevlar gloves lasted the entire week with barely
any tears. Performance
Diver carries these, as well as many local dive shops.
They do not cost much more than normal cold-water gloves.
You may or
may not want to bring a large dive light, depending on how close
you are to your weight limits. There was only one night dive during
our trip, though others may have more. We just brought a small C-cell
light, and relied on our camera strobe focusing lights for anything
else.
Backup dive
computer, regulator, extra computer batteries, and mask are always
a good idea when traveling to some place this remote. If you are
traveling with others, each person can bring one backup item to
cut down on the weight. Also, check with your charter operator,
they may or may not have backup gear on board.
Lastly,
one essential piece of dive gear you need to bring is called a Scuba-Tuba.
This is a rolled up vinyl tube that you can inflate with air when
you are floating on the surface. It fits easily in any BC pocket.
Diving in Galápagos is generally done from Dinghy's/Zodiac's (inflatable
boats) a great distance away from the main boat. They drop you in
at a certain location, and then spread out waiting for people to
surface. There are no up lines or specific points to surface at.
In some areas, the currents can tend to take you out farther than
you anticipate. You may surface to find yourself in 4-foot swells,
without a boat in sight, and they may or may not see you. This is
where you can inflate the Scuba-Tuba at the surface, where it stands
above the water a good 4 feet or so, which helps you get spotted
by the pick-up boats. You may also want to bring a device called
a Dive-Alert.
This is a loud, air-powered horn that connects to your BC inflator
hose. You can use it to get just about anyone's attention. Keep
in mind they seem to work very poorly if they have water in them.
Make sure all
of your dive gear is tested out long before you leave, giving you
ample time to get something fixed if necessary.
