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Dive Review of Buddy Dive/Wolf Buddy in
Galapagos Islands

Buddy Dive/Wolf Buddy, Sep, 2012,

by Martin Roberts, Fordingbridge, GB (Sr. Reviewer Sr. Reviewer 10 reports with 3 Helpful votes). Report 6711.

No photos available at this time

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

Accommodations 5 stars Food 5 stars
Service and Attitude 5 stars Environmental Sensitivity 4 stars
Dive Operation 5 stars Shore Diving N/A
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ 4 stars
Beginners 1 stars
Advanced 5 stars
Comments This is one of a pair of new (year old) liveaboards in the Galapagos. Feels new as a result and is generally very well designed. I guess all boats run very similar itineraries - time at wolf & darwin is essential for a dive trip - so the important thing is the boat & crew.

Both of these are excellent.

Very attentive and helpful crew, smooth changeovers between dives with very rapid (free) Nitox fills. All crew in all areas went above and beyond to deliver excellent service at all times. Food was plentiful and of good quality as are the included beverages.
Boat is very well designed with large cabins and spacious bathrooms, very nice on a liveaboard here. Hot water showers on dive deck. Rental 7mm Waterproof semi-dry suits in good supply and good condition - recommeneded unless you have similar already; 5mm would be a bit too cold at times., even well layered.

Diving was as expected - 2nd trip here - some current, variable visability, surface chop and at times heavy surge. Not a beginners destination. Underwater sightings included the expected sharks - schooling scalloped hammerhead, galapagos, silkies etc - a few manta, a number of eagle (& other) ray sightings, lots turtles, several schools of dolphin, large schoools barracuda - lots of Creolefish (getting in the way of most photo shots!
Above these the highlights were a number of MASSIVE whalesharks, apparently all pregnant females migrating - saw between 6 & 10 - plus a large number of Mola Mola/Oceanic sun fish in 5-25m of water at most 6 at once around cleaning stations - for us the highlight.

There are any number of smaller animals to see - red lipped batfish, torpedo rays, numerous (not so small) moray, fleeting penguins, various blennies, a few nudibranch etc - but you're not likely to spend too long looking for them..

In summary great, if challenging, diving from a fantastic liveaboard.
Websites Buddy Dive   

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 501-1000 dives
Where else diving worldide tropical - red sea, various carribean, South Africa, Mozambique, Tanzania, Philippines - lots of Indonesian location.
Closest Airport Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny Seas surge, currents
Water Temp 14-23°C / 57-73°F Wetsuit Thickness 7
Water Visibility 5-20 M / 16-66 Ft

Dive Policy

Dive own profile no
Enforced diving restrictions No deco diving, after all very remote destination. No solo diving, surface with "a" buddy... Hour max dive time.
Liveaboard? yes Nitrox Available? yes

What I Saw

Sharks Lots Mantas 1 or 2
Dolphins Schools Whale Sharks > 2
Turtles > 2 Whales None
Corals N/A Tropical Fish N/A
Small Critters N/A Large Fish 5 stars
Large Pelagics 5 stars

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

Subject Matter 5 stars Boat Facilities 5 stars
Overall rating for UWP's 4 stars Shore Facilities N/A
UW Photo Comments Plenty of camera space, good handling of cameras by crew. Lots of big subjects!

Vis not so hot, lots of backscatter..
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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