Experience
· In the Galapagos there are dive sites for all levels of diving experience--beginners, intermediate and advanced.
· A few vessels offer courses for diving, or this can be arranged through hotel/day tour packages.
· However, in general, the diving in the Galapagos is for intermediate to advanced divers, and the best dives sites are usually the most difficult ones.
· Most dives are drifts along the cliff faces, off-shore rocks and pinnacles; additionally, strong currents, sea swells, surges, upwelling, large animals and difficult entry onto/exit from the dive boats (usually zodiacs) contribute to the reason why divers will feel more comfortable in the Galapagos if they are more experienced.
Intermediate - Between 15 or 30 dives and 99 dives logged with experience in cold water and with drift and wall diving.
· Some vessels allow divers as young as 12 years old.
Due to Galapagos National Park rules, a Naturalist Guide will be in the water with the divers during all dives--just as visitors must be accompanied by a Naturalist Guide on land. Sometimes this Naturalist Guide is also a dive master and sometimes there is a separate dive master who accompanies the group and is responsible for directing and controlling the group.