The Galapagos Islands is one of the foremost dive locations on the planet. In regards to giant marine life, you can expect to see a wide variety of sharks, whales, rays, seals, dolphins and orcas. You might also be lucky enough to get a glimpse of the Galapagos tortoise. Diving at Galapagos Islands is not for the faint of heart and you will be expected to have quite good dive skills before your guide will take you anywhere that has the possibility of compromising your safety. Let’s take a peek at the larger marine life you will encounter in the Galapagos!
Sharks
The Galapagos Islands is home to a massive variety of ocean life. Some of the most exciting however, are those that are on the larger end of the scale. Because of its relative isolation, you can expect to come face to face with sharks that will regard you as more of a curiosity than their next meal. Different sharks you are likely to encounter include hammerheads, white-tipped reef sharks, black-tipped reef sharks, Galapagos sharks and whale sharks. You are unlikely to find all of these sharks in one specific area.
Depending on what you wish to see, you will need to organize a land based or live-aboard trip to get to the spot that has the animals that you are there for. If you are looking to see sharks – then some of the best dive spots include the Devil’s Crown (where the Galapagos shark, white-tipped and black-tipped reef sharks are quite common), Genovesa (hammerhead sharks), Darwin and Wolf Islands (hammerhead sharks, whale sharks and the Galapagos shark). Typically, if you are trying to find sharks you are best visiting shallower dive spots away from cold water currents that move up from the south (such as the Humboldt Current) as they generally prefer warmer water.
Rays
Rays that you may see include spotted eagle rays, manta rays, golden rays and the not so giant stingray; however, stingrays have been known to grow quite large – particularly the marbled variety. You may even be lucky enough to spot a manta ray from the surface as they are known to jump out of the water and come close to the surface when their interest is piqued. They also come fairly close to the surface to feed as their main diet consists of plankton.
Dolphins
Dolphins that are typically found in the Galapagos Islands include the bottlenose dolphin, the spinner dolphin, the long-beaked and short-beaked common dolphin and the pan-tropical spotted dolphin. More interesting however, is the beakless Risso’s Dolphin. In fact, the Galapagos Islands is one of the only places in the world where you can still see large pods of the Risso’s Dolphin which generally travel in pods of five to fifty members. On top of this, there are other varieties of dolphins that migrate along the currents that strafe the Galapagos Islands and can be seen seasonally.
Seals and Sea Lions
The Galapagos Islands is also home to a massive variety of seals and sea-lions. The Galapagos fur seal is one seal which is native to the Galapagos Islands and is easily identified by its smaller stature, large eyes and black to grey brown coloration. The larger counterpart to the Galapagos fur seal is the Galapagos sea lion. Galapagos seals and sea-lions are generally quite inquisitive in nature and they are known to approach humans because of their curious temperament.
Whales
Different whales that are known to frequent the Galapagos Islands (on route while migrating normally) are the sperm whale, minke whale, humpback whale, orcas, sei whale, fin whale, pilot whale and blue whale. Although the orca belongs to the same genus as dolphins (Delphinidae) we thought it would be better to include it in with the whales because of its migratory nature – also, it is known as the killer whale. If you are traveling to the Galapagos Islands to specifically dive with whales, you will need to tailor your trip’s time to best coincide with the migration patterns of the whales that you wish to see.
So Where Can These Creatures Be Found?
Depending on what you wish to see, you will need to organize a land based or live-aboard trip to get to the spot that has the animals that you are there for. If you are looking to see sharks – then some of the best dive spots include the Devil’s Crown (where the Galapagos shark, white-tipped and black-tipped reef sharks are quite common), Genovesa (hammerhead sharks), Darwin and Wolf Islands (hammerhead sharks, whale sharks and the Galapagos shark). Typically, if you are trying to find sharks you are best visiting shallower dive spots away from cold water currents that move up from the south (such as the Humboldt Current) as they generally prefer warmer water.
If you are searching out different rays then notable dive spots include areas surrounding the beach at Rabida or South Plaza (for the manta ray), although the manta ray can be spotted at most dive spots across the Galapagos Islands because it has a tendency to follow large plots of plankton. You can sometimes spot large schools of golden rays around Black Turtle Cove and you might also see a few different sharks and the spotted eagle ray here as well. Turtle Island is also an excellent place to seek out rays and you may even see them snorkeling rather than having to suit up in your full SCUBA kit.
It is a safe bet that you will see a wide variety of dolphins across many of the dive spots in the Galapagos Islands. However there are a few spots where dolphins seem to be more apparent (typically because they search out schools of fish in order to eat). Wolf and Darwin Islands have quite an active dolphin population although the spot is also home to a variety of sharks so you might need to rely on a little luck to spot sharks if the dolphins are around enforce on the specific day that you are there.
Whales (as previously stated) will be a seasonal affair. You will need to ensure that you are diving in a spot that is close to where cold water is flowing (via a current) in order to spot them. The best places to spot whales during seasonal periods are where the water is likely to be both deep and cold. Generally speaking the best places to dive with whales are deep water troughs which flow between the islands. You are also likely to see large tortoises in these spots as well as the whale shark which prefers where the current flows because it is the best spot to gorge itself on fresh plankton as it is carried on the current.