Dive Review of Galapagos Shark Diving/Ship: Pinguino Explorer in
Galapagos Islands/7 locations including Darwin

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Galapagos Shark Diving/Ship: Pinguino Explorer: "Incredible experience, two years in a row.", Sep, 2021, by Gene Swacker, TN, US ( 2 reports with 6 Helpful votes). Report 11820 has 4 Helpful votes.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving	N/A
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	Galapagos had been on my diving bucket list for many years and I’ve now gone there two years in a row. In 2020, the country and the islands had just reopened from the covid mess. I went there with extremely high expectations in 2020, and slightly less expectations in 2021. The lesser expectations were because 2020 was so spectacular, I thought there was no way it could be matched, much less better. I was wrong. It was indeed better the second time. Galapagos Shark Diving is a small organization that has been researching whale sharks since 2010. As a result, their approach is quite different from the regular liveaboards in Galapagos. They are probably the best I’ve ever experienced at planning and managing a trip. From start to finish this was perfect down to the smallest detail. Jenny Waack and Jonathan Green are the principals in the organization and their enthusiasm for the Galapagos Islands and especially for the Whale Sharks is energizing and infectious. Their wealth of knowledge and experience, especially in the Galapagos but even beyond that, are truly impressive. I would encourage you to spend some time on their website to get a better understanding of the organization. Diving the Galapagos in late August to mid-September can be rugged. There can be rough surface waters, poor visibility, strong currents and cold water. There can also be days/dives where it is not quite that rugged but you should always plan for the most challenging conditions. And never forget, it is the rough conditions that bring out the best and biggest creatures. The diving was simply amazing. Hammerheads, White Tips, Galapagos Sharks, Sea Lions, Turtles, Moray Eels, Scorpionfish, Eagle Rays, Golden Cow Rays, Manta Rays, Marine Iguanas, massive schools of Barracuda and Bigeye Trevallies…and of course, Whale Sharks….9 different sightings in 2 days, with at least 3 and possibly 4 of those sightings being unique individuals. Some rare sightings were equally as exciting even if there were only one or two – Mola Alexandria, Penguin, Galapagos Bullhead Shark, Pacific Seahorse, Red-lipped Batfish & Peruvian Torpedo Ray. There were also a lot of small critters if you took the time to look, but who had the time?! There was so much to see, it was sensory overload. And the Whale Sharks…what a humbling and intense experience to be within 10 ft. of these gentle giants. I don’t think my adrenaline or heart rate could go any higher. A big part of why we had such a great experience can be attributed to Jenny, Jonathan and the two divemasters, Jimmy and Liandro. Their experience and knowledge of Galapagos and the Whale Shark habits contributed immensely to our success. From the pre-dive planning and dive briefings all the way through the dives, they were on top of all the details. The crew also was spectacular. They were a hard-working group, always ready to help with your gear, assisting in and out of the pangas, cooking and serving meals, etc. I never once saw any crew member slack off or avoid work that needed to be done. They seemed to embrace their role. The boat itself, the Pinguino Explorer, is not a luxury boat but it is clean, safe, comfortable and more than adequate. I would highly recommend this excursion to anyone interested in a first class experience. You won’t find anything better than Galapagos Shark Diving and the Pinguino Explorer and its crew. This is an intimate experience that you won’t find on many of the other liveaboards working in Galapagos.
Websites	Galapagos Shark Diving
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	501-1000 dives
Where else diving	Caribbean, Maldives, Fiji, Fr. Polynesia, Australia, Red Sea, Cocos Island
Closest Airport	GPS - Baltra	Getting There	Fly to Quito or Guayaquil, Ecuador. From there, fly to Seymour Airport (GPS) on Baltra Island via the regional airlines, either Latam or Avianca.
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny, windy, cloudy	Seas	calm, choppy, surge, currents, no currents
Water Temp	59-75°F / 15-24°C	Wetsuit Thickness	7
Water Visibility	25-75 Ft/ 8-23 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	no
Enforced diving restrictions	Safety stops on all dives. No deco or solo diving, with max 130 ft. Dive insurance and computer required. SMB and electronic beacon required and provided. DiveAlert recommended and a few were available.
Liveaboard?	yes	Nitrox Available?	yes
What I Saw
Sharks	Lots	Mantas	1 or 2
Dolphins	Schools	Whale Sharks	> 2
Turtles	> 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's	N/A	Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	Separate and large dunk tank for cameras. Camera table in the center of the dive prep area. Lots of charging stations.

Report currently has 4 Helpful votes

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Dive Review of Galapagos Shark Diving/Ship: Pinguino Explorer in Galapagos Islands/7 locations including Darwin

Galapagos Shark Diving/Ship: Pinguino Explorer: "Incredible experience, two years in a row.", Sep, 2021,

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Dive Review of Galapagos Shark Diving/Ship: Pinguino Explorer in
Galapagos Islands/7 locations including Darwin