In early April, I traveled to Galapagos and boarded the M/V Sky Dancer, my fifth trip to Galapagos but my first on the Sky Dancer. 

Over the years, I've always been fascinated with Galapagos, above and below the water, and always intrigued about what new sights and experiences these fabled islands might provide...

After all, this trip took place during the Summer Season" of Galapagos , which each year usually gears up for the very popular "Whale Shark Season, or Winter Season" from June through October.  Of course, "seasons" in Galapagos are a bit confusing to us in the Northern Hemisphere, as the seasons are exactly reverse of ours.  Their summer is our winter, and vice versa.

Having experienced both "seasons" in Galapagos, one of my thoughts was to compare the two and see whether the live-aboard "stampede" by traveling divers for the Winter/Whale Shark Season was really justified. How was the diving during the Summer Hammerhead / Manta Season and how different is the diving in the two seasons?

Well, if you're looking for Whale Sharks, and only Whale Sharks, yes!  We didn't see any on this trip, but that was offset by snorkeling with a pod of 60-100 Melon Head Whales (Peponocephala electra), my first time in the water with them, and my 42nd species of Cetacea!  Go, Galapagos!    

The water is distinctly warmer (by an average of 6-8 degrees) during the "Summer Season", so we dove with normal warm water attire, not the bulked up neoprene necessary during the Whale Shark Season (72-74 surface temp compared to our 79-81).  It was also sunny and calm the entire time, which is rarely the case during the Winter Season.

How about the rest of the marine life?  Simply extraordinary.  Yes, we did have one or two "low voltage" dives in our week of diving, but the rest of our dives more than made up for those "coffee breaks"...  Hammerheads and Galapagos Sharks were virtual companions on every dive.  Too numerous to count when they schooled up, and actually by week's end, fairly easy to ignore when the mantas and mobula rays showed up!  Fish, Fish, Fish, everywhere.   Giant schools of jacks, huge snappers, "salemas" (an endemic type of grunt), and many, many more.  And besides the whales, we also had several different encounters with wild dolphins, underwater, on SCUBA.  Dolphin encounters are NOT unusual for Galapagos, Summer Season.   Another rare treat!

The entire trip, travel wise, had a wonderful lyrical quality to it.  The enchanted lure and song of Darwin's historic islands topside, combined with the ever present dance of the hammerheads and rays down below, made every dive an adventure.  Song and dance combined on our current dives as we rode the drift past huge u/w formations, and became one with the Hammerheads and the sea around us. Galapagos is for experienced divers, and delivers extraordinary diving ...

And so, excited as I was before every dive in Galapagos, I was unprepared for a dive which suddenly vaulted into one of my best, ever!   It snuck up on me...  I entered the water, and it was blue, serene, and just had a special "feeling" about it that something great was going to happen.  The giant school (think two tractor trailers) of Salemas (grunts) was a nice beginning.  Then the sun disappeared overhead as the first of five different manta encounters occurred.  Next, a school of Mobula Rays, interspersed with visits from Galapagos Fur Seals.  Spotted Eagle Rays joined at times, as well as a few Marbled Rays and even a Southern Sting Ray.  All against a backdrop of our usual shark companions; Hammerheads, Galapagos, White Tips, and Silkies.  And did I mention the turtles?

This dive, at Cape Marshall, Isabela Island (not Wolf or Darwin, where we spent much of our time, and also with wonderful results), was not only the personal highlight of this trip, but one of the highlights of a long and very satisfying diving career.

From the time I jumped in, there was something "different" about the dive.   Instead of the frantic explosions of intense marine activity that happen on many dives in the Galapagos, it seemed each minute of this dive brought a new experience, a new type of marine life.  Scene by scene, it unfolded.  Never hurried, just always unusual, and always "there"!

Enchanted by the song and dance of the marine life, I realized toward the end of the dive exactly what had vaulted this particular dive into one of my best, ever.

It was a poem, a word seldom applied to entire dives or dive sites! The timing of the encounters was measured, stanza by stanza, where the interplay of underwater song and dance yielded a wonderful feeling that was more profound than any of the individual scenes!  And which produced a rich, intense, and completely satisfying experience only slightly abated by returning to Sky Dancer's luxury appointments (hot showers on the dive deck, hot towels after your shower, excellent food, and even by live-aboard standards, an exceptional crew and level of service). 

Galapagos; "an underwater song, dance, and poem".

So, Summer Season or Whale Shark Season?   Looking back, my trips in summer have been better than my Whale Shark ones, featuring warmer water and more overall marine life than my Whale Shark trips (which please don't get me wrong, were also fantastic in their own right).  I think you'll just have to go twice, and find it's worth it each time. 

(from the log of Bill Gleason, SSI Platinum 5,000 Diver, and former Publisher and Editor, Skin Diver Magazine, 1983 through 1998).

For your Plan Ahead Convenience, here are Dates for Galapagos: 2006/2007:

2006:  Only A few Spots Left: June 18-25 (1cabin), Oct. 26- Nov. 5 (1 Cabin), Nov. 26 - Dec. 3 (1 space, male), Dec. 24 - Dec. 31 (1 space, male), Dec. 31 - Jan. 7, 2007 (3 Cabins)  

2007:  Space is disappearing fast for next year, so PLEASE book asap:  We currently have spots available on the following 2007 charters:

JANUARY: Jan. 7 - 14, Jan 14 - Jan 21, Jan 22 - Feb 1
FEBRUARY: Feb 1 - Feb 11, Feb 11 - Feb 18, Feb 18 - Feb 25, Feb. 25 - March 3,
MARCH: Mar 5 - Mar 15, Mar 15 - Mar 25, Mar 25 - Apr 1
MAY: May 13 - May 20, May 21 - May 31, May 31 - Jun 10
 
NOVEMBER: Nov 11 - Nov 18, Nov 19 - Nov 29, Nov 29 - Dec 9
DECEMBER: Dec 9 - Dec 16, Dec 16 - Dec 23, Dec 23 - Dec 30, Dec. 30 - Mar. 6, 2008

2008:  If you can't go till 2008, please give us a call or email and we'll advise you on available dates...

We are delighted to announce and publicly acknowledge the wonderful work of the 12 photographers who reached the finals of the

2005 & 2006 "TAKE YOUR BEST UNDERWATER ANIMAL SHOT" Digital Photo Contest.

They are (in the order they appear on our website, with corresponding numbers):

1. Blenny w/ Lunch, Mark Mitchell
2. Hammerheads, Ferry Huberts
3. Nudibranch/Flatworm, David Rudnick
4. Shrimp on Sponge, Pascal Carrier
5. Crab on Anemone, Jackie Smaha
6. Seahorse, Ayesha Sitter
7. False Clownfish, Steven Genkins, M.D.
8. Shark, Randy Osgerby
9. Anemonefish, Glenn Ostle
10. Rhinopias, Ross Armstrong
11. Shrimp, Marli Wakeling
12. Humpback w/ Snorkeler, Diane Hotz

In recognition of the excellent photos by the finalists, they have each won a $ 250 voucher which may be redeemed on their next PHD live-aboard trip!

You may view all of the photos at:
  http://www.peterhughes.com/2005photocontest_main.html  

Our gracious THANKS to all participants.
                                                                         

WHALE SHARKS, ANYONE???  LAST MINUTE, BELIZE, May 13-20, 2006

Each year, Whale Sharks migrate to the Gladden Spit area of Belize to attend (and participate in) the Giant Snapper Spawning.  This huge congregation of snappers occurs each year, and in a timeless cycle of nature, the Whale Sharks are there to feed on the spawn which is released by the snappers!

PHD has arranged a special itinerary for the M/V Sun Dancer, Belize, during this spectacular event.  Guests will spend several days diving with the Whale Sharks at Gladden Spit in addition to visiting such popular sites as Lighthouse Reef and our regular Belize diving hotspots. 

There are only a few spots left, MAY 13-20th, 2006.  Please call or email for last minute reservations.

(ed. Note. Realizing that even Peter Hughes Diving, Inc., can not fill all of your diving dreams, we do, from time to time, offer you trips of special interest on non PHD vessels and destinations…)

This month, we'd like to introduce you to SEAL, (Sea-Air-Land Expeditions), a Durban, South Africa based company that guides divers to one of the most amazing underwater spectacles;  The Sardine Run!   Millions of sardines migrate off the coast of St. John's, South Africa each year, and are joined by a variety of predators (fish, sharks, dolphins, and even diving birds) to provide some of the most exciting diving you'll ever experience!

Underwater photographer David Doubilet has called it "the most exciting dive in the world"...

An "ultralight" aircraft is used to assist in finding the Sardines, and diving is done from Zodiac style tenders (6-8 divers per craft).  Experienced divers only, cooler water temps (66-70 degrees, F).

Trips are 10 days long, $ 3,495 per person, dbl. occupancy.  Four different trips are scheduled from June 1 through July 10th, for both 2006 and 2007. 

These are exotic tours, but PHD would be happy to help you learn more about the itineraries, and make sure your travel plans are secure well in advance of your departure.  Please call for more info.

"It's not too late for 2006 travel!  Join Terri Huber from the PHD offices on the June 11-20th, 2006 trip this year!"

The Galapagos trip in early April included Peter Hughes and a complement of well experienced industry divers.  Peter's opening comment: "It was absolutely fascinating to see these pioneering and well established industry professionals get so excited about the diving in Galapagos.  They've been around the diving world more than a couple of times, and in nearly all of the diving hotspots, for years..."

Other Industry Quotes: "My week of diving in the Galapagos reminded me of the tremendous diversity that exists in our oceans today.  I have never seen so many big animals in one place at one time.  The outstanding diving was equally matched by the outstanding service provided by the crew of the Sky Dancer.  It was simply some of the best diving and service that I’ve experienced in my travels all over this planet... "Stuart Cove, Owner, Stuart Cove's Dive Bahamas

"My recent Galapagos trip aboard Sky Dancer was the best week of diving in my entire experience of thousands of dives and some 35 years diving.  The marine life, the boat, the crew, the food were all superb.  I highly recommend it."John Englander, CEO of International SeaKeepers Society; former owner, Underwater Explorers Society, Bahamas

"It's like the ocean on steroids"

William Cline, Principal, The Cline Group (largest market research company specializing in the diving world).