There are fantastic dives on many of the islands, though several islands are stand outs, including darwin island where there are often huge schools of pelagic species including hammerhead and galapagos sharks as well as some whimsical geologic formations. Near the yucatan peninsula, whale shark season ranges from june to september, whereas whale shark season in mexicos baja peninsula occurs from winter to early spring. Of all the baleen whales that visit the galapagos islands, the one youre most likely to see cruising around is the brydes whale. That is why the highest chance of meeting these creatures can be only guaranteed on the mentioned islands.
You already know the galapagos are a hot spot for sharks. Its uncommon to see galapagos whale sharks on a cruise. Marine megafauna foundation galapagos whale shark season. The blacktip shark can also be found around the world in tropical coastal waters which makes overfishing one of its most important threats, however as this species is small and it doesnt represent much meat the risk lowers as its not very interesting when.
Because most scuba divers are restricted to a certain time for their vacation, this article intends to introduce a few options for your whale shark adventures. When these three variables interact, the galapagos islands become the perfect place for whalewatching. There are not many places on earth that offer whale shark encounters on a regular basis, and the maldives belongs to those few. Best diving in the galapagos islands, whale sharks, mantas. The islands of charles darwin fame offer some of the most dramatic diving in the world. Pregnant whale shark from the galapagos in september 2016, chris rohner and i from mmf were lucky enough to be able to join a research expedition to darwin island. Add whale sharks, giant manta rays, and graceful rays. In 2011, together with the galapagos national park directorate and other partners, green created the galapagos whale shark project. Scientists track gentle giant whale sharks off the galapagos islands to reveal new clues on the mysterious lives of worlds largest fish. While you may see whale sharks during any cruise on mv galapagos sky, the number of encounters goes up dramatically during whale shark season june through november of every year. There are still large schools of hammerheads and occasional silkys and galapagos shark around the islands. Speedy, agile, and smaller than the sei whale, brydes whales can change directions in the water as well as turn up their speed quickly.
After two days at each onboard the galapagos master and a total of 15 dives, i finally know what all the fuss is about. Galapagos dive liveaboard galapagos whale shark project. Whale sharks arent the only marine life found here in great numbers. To have an incredible experience, should consider some security advice control your movements, approach slowly. Green, have contributed to a database of sightings of whale sharks in the galapagos marine reserve, gmr, which provides baseline information on seasonal frequency and distribution. Reserve your spot nowwhale shark season while you may see whale sharks during any cruise on mv galapagos sky, the number of encounters goes up dramatically during whale shark season june through november of every year. Tagging amazingly huge whale sharks in the galapagos islands. I am trying to plan a trip to the galapagos islands during whale shark season. Come and read about the galapagos whale shark, which is known as the worlds largest fish. It feeds on plankton including copepods, krill, fish eggs, christmas island red crab larvae 52 and small nektonic life, such as small squid or fish. On a highlight reel of diving in the galapagos islands, darwin and wolf islands would be the undisputed stars. The whale shark in galapagos facts on the worlds largest. Best time to see whale sharks in galapagos islands 2020.
Thanks to this database, green was able to make some preliminary findings about whale sharks in the gmr. Galapagos island diving, scuba diving in galapagos. Learn many whale shark facts while also learning about galapagos cruises and travel with quasar expeditions. A whale shark cruises by, darwin arch, galapagos islands. Galapagos land based diving and whale shark season. As the penguins, many other animal behaviors will depend on the. Whale and dolphin watching in the galapagos, when and where. The amount of rain and little temperature variations mark the seasons in galapagos. The best time to swim with whale sharks in the galapagos is during the dry season, which takes place between june and december. The best time and place to see them is between june and october, and the best location is in the channel between the islands of isabela and fernandina. The remote islands of darwin and wolf that are only accessible via a liveaboard are the best place within the galapagos islands to dive with the big schools of hammerheads each year around june hundreds if not thousands of scalloped hammerheads migrates to these islands in the north. We cant talk about sharks without putting the galapagos somewhere in the conversation. When is the best time to dive with hammerheads in galapagos.
The blacktip shark is frequently seen in the galapagos around the numerous reefs in the archipelago. Species of baleen whales found in the galapagos include blue whale, brydes whale, humpback whale, minke, and sei. In a smallish diversion, we will also visit wolf and darwin, two tiny islands 100 miles north of the galapagos, to learn more about the whale shark. I am wondering if i will have a good opportunity of seeing whale sharks doing land based diving only daily dive trips from santa cruz islandno liveaboard. The galapagos whale shark project, supported by galapagos conservation trust, aims to increase our knowledge about the worlds largest fish including what their migratory patterns are, and whether the majority of individuals seen in. Underwater, the wind, current, water temperature defines the most outstanding area to discover the whale sharks. Puerto ayora, ecuador october 7, 2015 with the permission of the galapagos national park directorate, experts from around the globe sailed to darwin island in the far northern region of the galapagos marine reserve in ecuador. The giants of the sea are found in open water and the area around darwins arch. The waters off these islands have the largest shark population per capita in the world. Contact us for more information about the galapagos islands. The best time to dive with whale sharks in galapagos from a liveaboard is the dry season between june and dec. The cool season is all about whale sharks which are around the islands of darwin and wolf at this time. A complete list of the shark attacks that have occurred in galapagos islands, ecuador. Whale sharks in the galapagos islands happy gringo travel.
Some of these species are yearround residents while others pass through during their migrations. Unreachable except via liveaboard, these two legendary dive spots surpass even their fabled reputation. Americanwilderness pantanal florida cephalopods pacificocean southamerica maldives bahamas sharkweek jellyfishlake post galapagosislands whaleshark christmas greece sunscreen hanukkah global. Here, they can be seen between 6 and 60 feet 2 and 20 meters under the waters surface as they feed along rocky outcrops. Whale sharks are studied off the galapagos islands daily. The following event was made in collaboration with ocean school, a free educational resource, learn more at oceanschool. It is unquestionably the hammerhead shark capital of the world but also home to the sleek galapagos shark, horn sharks, white tips, silkies, and the occasional pelagic visitors like the tiger shark. The diving season in galapagos is generally divided into two categories.
Rougher sea conditions and strong currents make the diving more challenging. The galapagos islands are home to over 24 different species of dolphin and whale. Galapagos dive expeditions led by the director of the galapagos whale shark project, jonathan r. May is the warm season, during which skies are typically clearer and the sun can. Galapagos whale shark season is between june and november when the humboldt current cools the waters around darwin and wolf islands in the northwest of the archipelago. The islands of the galapagos, offer lots of natural outcrop during whale shark season, so more plankton, their favorite. Hope this is helpful snorkeling with whale sharks was on my bucket list and we did a fair bit of research to make it. The galapagos islands are a must for all experienced divers. The trip was organised by jonathan green from the galapagos whale shark project, and funded primarily by the galapagos conservation trust and the bbc shooting footage for the. If you want a small chance to see them on the central islands it is during the wet season dec may although it is not very likely.
When is the best time to dive with hammerhead sharks in galapagos. The objective was to document the movements and behaviors of the worlds largest fish, the whale shark rhincodon typus, in order to better understand its natural. Shark attack by black tip shark while snorkeling om galapagos islands. The whale shark is a filter feeder one of only three known filterfeeding shark species along with the basking shark and the megamouth shark. Happy gringo offers galapagos diving cruises that travel to the northern waters around darwin and wolf islands where you can see whale sharks. When is the best time to dive with whale sharks in galapagos. They fade into each other so there is no strict dividing line but they can be generally characterized as follows. All flights to the galapagos islands depart from mainland ecuador, from either quito or guayaquil.
Whale sharks rhincodon typus are the largest fish in the sea, and large adults may reach 40 ft. We saw a whale shark on our may 2018 group trip to galapagos one month earlier than the official whale shark season. Giant turtle nesting season, whale shark season diving. Typically, whale sharks are more active near the northern islands of wolf and darwin between june and december. Observational findings over the last two decades, a number of dive masters, led by jonathan r. Whales are present, sea birds in numbers, whale shark season diving. Darwin and wolf islands are where the liveaboard boats go to for the ultimate whale shark experience. That is why the highest chance of meeting these creatures can be only guaranteed on. For the best chance of seeing a whale shark in the galapagos, head to the open water around wolf and darwin islands between june and december. If you want a small chance to see them on the central islands it is during the wet season dec may although it is not very likely you will see one. The best time to swim with whale sharks in mexico depends on what part of the country you intend to visit. Encounter silky, galapagos, hammerhead and whale sharks from the comfort of a liveaboard, and come face to face with unique wildlife topside. The galapagos islands are one of several locations that are visited by the whale sharks during the year. Between the northern edge of the galapagos, cocos islands in costa rica, and colombias malpelo is a migration route known as the hammerhead triangle.
There are many destinations around the world to swim and dive with whale sharks, so we wanted to provide you with a handy guide with the best places for every month of the year. Best guide to scuba diving in galapagos islands, ecuador. The project began an ambitious study to attach satellite tags to sharks at darwin island to track their movements. Whale shark season junenovember and manta season decembermay when its slightly warmer. A baleen whale feeds by opening its mouth and taking in water, which is expelled through the baleen, trapping small animals such as krill and fish. Diving in the galapagos islands bluewater dive travel. January through june is wet season with sunny spells either side of. This period of time also offers the opportunity to dive.
The best time to dive in galapagos highly depends on what youd like to see. Reports on sea conditions, water temps and wildlife sightings on dive trips in the galapagos islands. Best time to see whale sharks in maldives 2020 when. In each season, diving conditions or the animal behavior will vary from month to month. Whale sightings in the galapagos islands depend on an interesting correlation between the return of the southeast trade winds, the availability of food caused by upwellings, and the migration patterns of cetaceans.
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