Diving Daphne Minor and Seymour
Two good dives to see big pelagics.
As every day at 7 a.m. we are picked up from the hotel and transfer to Itabaca Canal, where we board the diving Yacht Nautilus. Sailing to Daphne minor takes about 50 minutes, meanwhile we listen to the dive and safety breefing given by dive guides, organize groups and check equipment on board.
During this short navigation we can see on the sea surface and from the deck of the boat some signs of marine animals: fins of feeding mantas, shools of fish bubbling water, and probably sea lions or shark fin in transit. Also we see seabirds as petrels and sheerwaters feeding on the surface.
Already arrived to Daphne minor we see the majestic volcanic island walls falling vertically to the sea. On the coast along the water's rest the blue-footed boobies and masked boobies. Marine iguanas on this island are small, liying in the sun. We see more frigates flying overhead, and possibly some tropical bird and swallow-tailed gulls.
We immediately descend in groups to the dinghies, and we approach the point of descent. During the dive we can see giant mantas who come to filter the microorganisms that are concentrated on this island. The mantas tend to make repeated laps on the same place, so it is not uncommon to see them again every three to five minutes on the same site. We can also see rays, turtles and schools of fish. It is very common to see salemas in high concentrations, which is a fascinating experience for divers and also for photographers.
After the first dive, during the surface interval, and as we sail towards Seymour Island (about 50 minutes navigation) we have some snacks, drinks, and we can freely prepare coffee or tea in the cafeteria of the boat.
Immediately arrived to Seymour, we descend towards inflatable boats divided into groups, and do the second dive of about 45 minutes, to possibly find the Hammerhead, and other large marine animals.
At the end of diving activities we have a box lunch in the Nautilus Yacht saloon. Now after the dives we navigate to Itabaca Channel, where we took taxis to head to our hotel in Puerto Ayora
Check availability
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What's Included?
- Activities according to the package booked:
- Snorkeling: 2 snorkeling sessions
- Discovery Scuba: 1 dive y 1 snorkeling session
- Certified Diver: 2 dives
- Transfers
- From your hotel to Nautilus Yacht
- From Nautilus Yacht to your hotel
- Full set of dive equipment
- Regulator with octopus
- Pressure gauge
- Depth gauge
- BCD
- Wetsuit 7 m/m
- Booties
- Mask
- Fins
- Aluminium air tanks S80
- Weight belts
- Food and drink
- Snack
- Box lunch
- Coffee, tee and water
- Insurance
- Passenger Insurance on board
- Liability Insurance release
- Experienced Diving Nat.Park certified Guides
- Activities according to the package booked:
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What it is not included?
- Dive computer
- 15 liter dive tank
- Nitrox 32%
- Tips
- Diving insurance
- Soft Drinks
- Beers
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Daphne Minor
It is an extinct volcano placed about 20 nautical miles north of Santa Cruz Island. It is suitable for beginners and more experienced divers. Daphne minor has several diving spots, one of them is the platform that includes a small cave located about 6 mts deep where we can find white tipped sharks and sea turtles. During the tour you can go through a pinnacle 20mts depth where there is usually pretty reef fish and from where you may see the giant manta or Manta birostris. In the underwater platform in the east we will find the famous salema banks that can have tens of thousands of individuals in formation. This fish is about 10cm in length and endemic Galapagos favorite food for seabirds and some sharks. It is not uncommon to see feeding on them. Daphne has other diving spots as vertical walls covered woth sessile organisms of various shapes and colors, these walls down to more than 40mt deep.
Entry Exit Corrent
Seymour Nordest
The Northeast coast of North Seymour Island, is a very good place for sharks and large pelagic fish, sea lions, stingrays, eagle rays, moray eels and many fish attracted by the current. The sea bottom is very steepy, with some platforms and small caves where white tip reef sharks and sea turtles usually rest. It is important to stay with the partner and avoid separated from the group, since the currents can be medium to strong, especially in the most extreme point of the route. The exit in this dive is in open ocean, so it is recommended to strictly follow the buddy system.
Entry Exit Corrent -
Itinery
- 07:00 Meetpoint Nautidiving Dive Shop or your Hotel
- 08:00 Arrive at Itabaca Channel and Nautilus boarding
- 08:45 Breefing and check equipment
- 10:00 First dive
- 11:00 Snak
- 12:00 Second dive
- 13:00 Box lunch
- 15:30 Arrive at Puerto Ayora
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Schedule to Daphne Minor and Seymour Noreast
- Every Wednesday
MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY Seymour Seymour Canal Seymour Noreast Seymour Canal Seymour Noreast Mosquera Mosquera South Mosquera North Mosquera South Mosquera North Gordon Rocks Gordon Rocks Gordon Rocks Daphne Minor Daphne Minor Daphne Minor