Diving with sharks

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Diving in the Galapagos Islands - if you're a diver you already know why that's such an exciting proposition. We were lucky to be able to do so, as all of the dive shops in Puerto Ayora (on Santa Cruz island) were pretty much booked solid. Finally though we managed to arrange two days of diving, albeit with two different companies.

The first day of diving was at North Seymour island. There was some current (usual for the Galapagos) and the water was a relatively chilly 22 deg C so both Emma and I found it a challenge. We were lucky not to be seasick too as the boat was all over the place! Not so for our diving companions on this trip sadly ,-)

The diving though was excellent. We swam with eagle rays and saw a school of over 20 white tipped sharks. We also saw garden eels and turtles. Under normal circumstances seeing one or two of these creatures would make a dive remarkable - little wonder that the Galapagos Islands have been rated the best dive spot in the world by magazine readers in the past.

The second day was with Scuba Iguana, the most reputable company on the Galapagos. The dives were nearly 2 hours' speedboat journey away as Floreana island. We had high hopes for this day as it was sadly our last on the islands. Luckily we weren't dissappointed.

The most remarkable thing about the second day was when both Emma and I, infact the whole dive group of 12 divers, was engulfed in a huge school of black striped salenas. Not a fish I'd seen before, and never had I experienced a school of fish that big. At one point I was inside the school, there were fish in every direction - the only way I knew which was was up, was to follow the bubbles! Others on the dive far more experienced than us also said they'd never seen anything quite like it. If you're interested, I've uploaded a video of the school, follow this link to download: Click here for the school of salenas Truely amazing. Over the course of the two dives we also saw sealions underwater (very very cool), hogfish, scorpionfish, more garden eels, very large puffer fish, etc. etc. etc. the list goes on!

Over all we were left feeling that 4 dives were great but not enough. I for one plan to come back some day and do a proper diving tour - expensive but an opportunity to experience things that just aren't possible anywhere else....

Footnote: Thanks go to Jono for pictures of the first day's diving, and Pablo @ Scuba Iguana for the excellent footage from the second day.

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Photos

Emma & I underwater
I think we look better below water than above!

Scorpion fish
He uuuugly!

Myself & Jono
Before the first of our dives at North Seymour

Ruth & Emma
Before the first of our dives at North Seymour

Turtle underwater
We saw loads of turtles over the 2 weeks. You really have to see them move to appreciate why they're so special.

Eagle ray
Saw loads of these too. Very graceful creatures, they look like they're flying.

School of baracuda
These are the fastest creatures on earth, although you'd never know it if you saw them like this.