Galapagos Cruises and Tours Galapagos Sky (nee Sky Dancer)

"The dazzling realm beneath the sea captivates as much curiosity as the islands themselves." Discover both onboard the Galapagos Sky, our 16-passenger, 100-foot first class dive live-aboard. Custom-designed in 2000, the M/Y Galapagos Sky offers the newest and best-equipped vessel for SCUBA diving in the Galapagos.

Master Stateroom Double ("matrimonial") bed

Stateroom Twin beds

The Galapagos Sky (Sky Dancer) is fully air-conditioned. Its interior features teak paneling and furnishings, a dining area, a fully stocked bar, and a main salon with an audio/video entertainment center. On deck, ample space is allocated for personal dive gear storage, a photo and video film lab, light tables, daily E-6 processing, and open deck space for sunbathing. 

Divers appreciate our large dive platform with fresh water showers, fresh water rinses, dive deck assistance and photo and dive equipment rental services. Zodiacs will ferry you between exquisite dive sites and the anchored yacht. Most underwater forays are drift dives. The Sky Dancer offers up to four dives per day on a pre-planned, yet flexible itinerary.

Fine dining, a Galapagos Sky specialty, offers both international and Ecuadorian cuisine. Enjoy the Galapagos in style with the creature comforts. Wake to a morning coffee service that draws you toward a breakfast buffet. After every dive, wrap up in fresh warm towels, and snuggle into plush, terrycloth bathrobes found in each cabin.

The Galapagos Sky's accommodations include eight comfortable staterooms located on two decks. Each cabin features two twin beds, private head / shower, mirrored cabinet, wardrobe, full-length mirror, window or portlight view, bathrobes, hairdryer, toiletries and fresh towels every day.

The nine-person crew includes your captain, two Dive Instructors or dive master /naturalist, and six crewmembers on hand to ensure that your Galapagos voyage transcends into a treasured adventure.

Radiant fish and bizarre animals emblazon the waters around the Galapagos and exhilarate divers and snorkelers. Seventeen percent of the fish and 35% of the marine invertebrates in the Galapagos are found only in this isolated archipelago. The abundance of otherworldly underwater animals evokes a sense of exploration and mystery.

Swept by both the cold waters of Antarctica and warm currents from the tropical Pacific, the Galapagos' colorful marine life embodies an unusual mixture of species. Here, penguins swim with tropical fish and iguanas feed underwater. The marine animals exhibit the same bold curiosity and lack of fear characteristic of terrestrial wildlife.

To conserve this wealth of sea-life, the Galapagos Marine Resources Reserve (GMRR), with waters totaling 27,000 square miles, was signed into law in 1986. The law protects marine life 15 nautical miles offshore. In 1998, the Special Law for Galapagos extended the off-limits restrictions for industrial fishing to 40 miles offshore.

Excellent diving in the Galapagos includes the renowned northern Islands of Wolf and Darwin, famous for their schools of hammerhead sharks, giant manta rays and whale sharks. In between dives, walk the shores and marvel at volcanic rocks dotted with rare plants, seabirds, and reptiles.

The dazzling realm beneath the sea captivates curiosity as much as the islands themselves. Discover both onboard the M/Y GALAPAGOS SKY, our 16-passenger, 100-foot first class dive live-aboard. Custom-designed in 2000, the M/Y GALAPAGOS SKY offers the newest and best-equipped vessel for scuba diving in the Galapagos.

Each diver is required to bring and dive with the personal safety devices listed below on every dive conducted from the yacht:
 
*  A Dive Alert
This is an air powered surface signaling device that transmits a loud noise over distances much further than you can shout or whistle.  It is powered by the air from your tank.
 
* Inflatable Safety Sausage (Surface Marker Buoy)
This device can be inflated using your alternate air source or your lungs. It raises a bright orange or yellow tube approximately six feet above your head.  Waving this while on the surface greatly increases your visibility to the crew on your vessel or tender. The safety sausage may be carried in your BC pocket or tethered to your BC.
 
* Mini-Strobe
When activated, this compact marker strobe flashes a light at regular intervals.  It is a good way to indicate your position on the surface during dusk or night dives to the vessel or tender.
 
In keeping ahead of changing industry "standards", we believe that each of these devices individually are essential for live-aboard divers.
 
If you do not already own your own surface safety equipment, we strongly encourage you to visit your local dive store to purchase them prior to commencing your voyage.  You should be able to obtain all three items for under $150 US.  By visiting your local professional dive center you can ensure that all of the pieces are properly integrated into your personal dive equipment.  The Dive Alert comes in 3 models (one of which should match your inflator system configuration.)
 
If you can practice with your new equipment before coming on the trip, excellent.  If that's not practical, we will certainly help you familiarize yourself with the new equipment during your warm up dive and briefing.
 
Divers who do not have this required equipment will not be allowed to dive from the vessel.  We will maintain a limited inventory on each vessel for rental but we strongly encourage you to get your own, and be familiar with it, as all of our divers and staff do. 
 
A “Surface Safety Package” that includes all three items will rent for $30 on a 7 night trip and $53 for a 10 night trip (excluding any taxes). 
 
Previously most of this equipment has been required on our vessels already. This new policy change now makes it mandatory on every vessel and implements a modest rental charge for guests who arrive without the equipment.
 
Safety is always our top.  This new policy ensures that every diver will enter/exit the water with the best possible tools for coping with an unforeseen emergency.

2012 Rates

Jan 1-May 31, 2012
All Rates are in US dollars, per person  and based on double occupancy
Single Supplement = 65%, shared cabins available for singles
Recompression Chamber Support = $35 US per person

Rates	8 Days / 7 nights	11 days / 10 nights	15 days / 14 nights
Master Stateroom	$4995	$7135	$9990
Deluxe Stateroom	$4795	$6835	$9590
Charter	Please inquire	Please inquire	Please inquire

Rate Includes: all meals and beverages (including national brands of alcohol), airport transfers in San Cristobal, land excursions on some days, other services and amenities. Does not include hotel in Guayaquil or Quito and air travel between Guayaquil or Quito and San Cristobal.

Galapagos Reservations

June 1, 2012 - May 31, 2013
All Rates are in US dollars, per person  and based on double occupancy
Single Supplement = 65%, shared cabins available for singles
Recompression Chamber Support = $35 US per person

Rates	8 Days / 7 nights	11 days / 10 nights	15 days / 14 nights
Master Stateroom	$5395	$7550	$9990
Deluxe Stateroom	$5195	$7350	$9590
Charter	Please inquire	Please inquire	Please inquire

Rate Includes: all meals and beverages (including national brands of alcohol), airport transfers in San Cristobal, land excursions on some days, other services and amenities. Does not include hotel in Guayaquil or Quito and air travel between Guayaquil or Quito and San Cristobal.

 

Itinerary

8 Day Itinerary:

See an enlarged map of the itinerary.

SUNDAY
PM: Arrive San Cristobal Airport. Lobos. Check out dive. Nice protected area at 20 feet depth. Look for Sea Lions. This is a short dive in a sandy bottom with the focus of checking the skills of every diver. As the sun sets you will circumvent Kicker Rock where you want to look for the Blue footed bobby birds.

MONDAY
AM:  Land Visit to the Highlands of Santa Cruz to see the Galapagos Turtles in their natural environment. A visit to the very special .Scalecias Forest., the Twins and the Lava Tube also is included during the morning ashore.
PM: Cousins Rocks (2 dives)-these dives are done along a beautiful wall and allows for great viewing opportunities for coral, frog fish, sea horses and octopus. Sea Lions will be your companions on the safety stops.

TUESDAY
AM: Wolf All night 120 nautical mile transit with schedule arrival between 9am and 11am. (1 Dive). Look for schools of Hammerheads, Silky Sharks, Galapagos Sharks Dolphins and rays.
PM: Wolf (2 dives) during the afternoon.

WEDNESDAY
AM: Darwin Early morning transit with early arrival at Darwin. (2 dives) at the Darwin Arch. Hammerheads, Galapagos Sharks and HUGE schools of tropical fish enjoy this area. Seasonal sightings of Whale Sharks are common.
PM: Darwin (1 Dives) at the Darwin Arch.

THURSDAY
AM: Darwin (2 dives) at the Darwin Arch.
PM: Wolf Late morning / early afternoon transit back at Wolf. (1 Dive) After the dive we will head to the west central Islands

FRIDAY
AM: Roca Redonda (1 dive) Dive encounters will include Hammerheads, wahoos, big eye jacks, and at time the underwater volcanic vents can release warm water bubbles.
PM: Vicente Roca (2 dives), Colorful sites with many marine invertebrates, anemones, lobsters, shrimp with occasional Mola Mola sightings. Plus the opportunity to have a panga ride and snorkeling.

SATURDAY (January-May)
AM: Marshall Island (2 dives) At Cape Marshall, on the eastern side of Isabela island, we encounter rocky volcanic cliffs which drop down to the ocean floor as an almost vertical wall. You might see large animals like manta rays, marble rays, hammerhead sharks, mola mola (oceanic sun fish) and marine turtles. Also keep an eye out for Chevron barracuda, snappers, yellow fin tuna, rainbow runners, wahoo and groupers. There are also a lot of smaller fishes like creole fishes, parrot fishes, scrawled filefishes, pacific box fishes and tiger snake eels.

PM: Albany Islet (1 dive) White tip sharks, sea lions and many active tropical fish will entertain you on this final day of diving.

SATURDAY (June-December)
AM: Marchena Pta. Espejo (2 dives) Underwater you might see cow nosed rays, turtles, schooling hammerheads, schools of Blue-striped snappers, grunts, surgeonfish, spotted morays and scorpion fish…In the shallows be on the look-out for red lipped batfish.
PM: Marchena Pta. Espejo (1 dive) After Saturday PM diving, Galapagos Sky will be motoring to Itabaca Channel in the north side of Sta. Cruz. This is where we will disembark guests who have chosen to extend their holiday in Pto. Ayora for an extension. We will arrive at approximately 9pm.

SUNDAY
AM: San Cristobal Airport

* All itineraries are subject to change at any time for any reason

Deck Plan

- Lido Deck
	Master Staterooms (1,2,3,4) One Queen Bed or two Twin Beds, Private Facilities, Window View, Mirrored Cabinet, Wardrobe, Bathrobes, Hairdryer, Toiletries, Fresh Towels Daily, Independent Air-conditioning and Volume Controls.
- Main Deck
	Dive deck, Galley, Salon, Boutique, Bar and Lounge
- Dolphin Deck
	Deluxe Twin Staterooms (5,6,7,8) Two Twin Beds, Private Facilities, Portlight View, Mirrored Cabinet, Wardrobe, Bathrobes, Hairdryer, Toiletries, Fresh Towels Daily, Independent Air-conditioning and Volume Controls.

Specifications

Port of Registry: Ecuador
Built: Eduador 2000
Construction: Steel
Type: Mono Hull
Length: 100 feet
Beam: 24 feet
Max. Passengers: 16
Staterooms: 8
Number of Crew: 8 Seamen plus 2 National Park Guides and 1 student Guide
Number of Tenders: 1
Fuel Capacity: 8000 gallons
Fresh Water Capacity: 6000 gallons
Desalination Production: 1500 gallons per day
Cruising Speed: 12 knots
Range: 2400 nautical miles
Navigation Aids: VHF, GMDSS, SSB, color radar, echo sounder, GPS, weather fax.
Compressor: (2) K-14 Bauer
Voltage: 110 volts and 220 volts
Air-conditioning: Yes
Length of Charters: 7 and 10 night itineraries
Dives Per Day: Up to 5
Photographic Services: E6 processing, Camera rental, Photo instruction, Video rental, Video instruction

Galapagos Reservations

Galapagos Islands Boats, Cruises and Yacht Charters