CALIPSO DIVING
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Only in Galapagos can you dive with such a sheer abundance of species and so many sharks. The best dive sites in Galapagos are some of the best on the planet and are only accessible from a liveaboard. High season offers whale sharks and is the peak of wildlife populations. During high season, water temps are cooler and visibility diminished. Low season has no whale sharks, but better visibility to see all of the hammerheads and mantas that are obscured during high season. Water and air temps are warmer in low season.
On Calipso diving yacht, travelers will enjoy the best of both worlds that the Galapagos Islands have to offer: the land and sea. Upgraded and modernized in 2019, this ship is perfect for all kinds of adventurers. With 8 spacious cabins that can hold up to 16 passengers, a professional crew, expert naturalist and diving guides, open dining and social areas, and free WiFi, travelers can enjoy any of the 4, 5, and 8-day tours in comfort.
TECHNICAL AND SAFETY FEATURES
- First Aid, Oxygen and AED
- Life Jackets and Life Rafts
- Nautilus Lifelines, dive alerts
- Radar and sonnar
- VHF Radio
- Antenna GPS
- Searchlight and Horn
- Bilge pump alarm
- Fire Alarm System and Extinguishers
- Smoke and temperature detectors
- CO2 reserve (150 Kg)
- Year of construction: 1991, rebuild 2019
- Type: Motor Yacht
- Length: 115 ft / 35 m
- Beam: 24 ft / 7.3 m
- Electricity: 110 & 220 V
- Capacity: 16 passengers
- Main engines: Cummins NTA855-M @400hp (x2)
- Generators: Cummins 6B-CP 99 kW (x2)
- Cruising speed: 12 knots
- Exterior: Naval steel and fiber glass
- Water capacity: 5,000 gls.
- Crew: 10 Crew members + 1 Guide
DECK PLANS
About Itinerary
Yes we have the high voltage diving at Darwin and Wolf Islands on our itinery. Hammerheads, Galapagos sharks, Silky sharks and Whale sharks in season. Darwin and Wolf put Galapagos on the map for divers.
Divers can begin to take ‘another school of hammerheads’ for granted (true), so like most Galapagos liveaboards, we also dive the western sites. Punta Vicente Roca is a Mola Mola cleaning station, is rich in species and perhaps has the most coral in all Galapagos. Cabo (Spanish for Cape) Marshall is a dependable site for giant Mantas. At Cabo Douglas, you dive with Marine Iguanas and Penguins while they feed. Cousins, our final dive, is in the Central Islands.
All Galapagos liveaboard itineraries are a minimum of 7 nights due to the distance of the remote sites we dive.
ITINERARY:

ITINERARY DIVING - 8 DAYS
THURSDAY
AM: San Cristobal Airport: Arrival and Transfer to the boat
PM: San Cristobal: Lobos Island
FRIDAY
AM: Santa Cruz: Carrion Point
PM: Seymour Island
SATURDAY
AM: Wolf Island
PM: Wolf Island
SUNDAY
AM: Darwin Island
PM: Darwin Island
MONDAY
AM: Darwin Island
PM: Wolf Island - There is an optional night dive at the Anchorage site.
TUESDAY
AM: (JUN - MAY Isabela: Cabo Marshall) (JUN - DEC Fernandina:Cabo Douglas)
PM: Isabela: Vicente Roca Point
WEDNESDAY
AM: Santa Cruz: Counsin Rock
PM: Santa Cruz: Puerto Ayora
THURSDAY
AM: San Cristobal: Transfer to the Airport
DIVING FACTS
Children 15 years and up who are certified and have the prerequisite number of logged dives may dive when accompanied by an experienced diving parent.
Diving in the Galapagos is advanced due to strong currents, varying visibility and cold water. We recommend 50 dives between Dec and May and 100 dives between June and Nov. You need Nitrox certification especially if you are on the lower end of dive experience.
We recommend a 7mm wetsuit and 5mm booties. Hoods are a personal choice, but most need at least a beanie at the western sites. While Darwin can often be a warmer site, you spend a lot of the dive stationary, watching Hammerheads pass by in front of you. You don’t get as warm as you would in motion, so 7mm feels right.
Gloves are mandatory, for protection, not warmth. In Galapagos, you often grab rocks covered in sharp barnacles which will cut your hands if you’re not wearing gloves. We recommend 1.5-2mm gloves with reinforced palms. Bring those as they are not available to rent or buy in Galapagos.
We do recommend dive skins. Not only does it make putting on a wet wetsuit much easier and prevent wetsuit rash, but they are great sun protection when you're not diving. If you don't have a dive skin and need a lubricant to assist in getting into your wetsuit, we recommend KY Jelly because it's water soluble and it works.
We recommend you bring your own mask so it fits your face properly. We also recommend you bring your own mask defogger. In Galapagos, we do not dive with snorkels. Strong currents can catch them and cause mask leak. We recommend pocket snorkels if you wish to have one while diving.
Dive computers are mandatory equipment and available to rent if you don’t have one.
We provide the following:
- We provide Dive alerts and surface marker buoys (SMBs) which are mandatory as per the National Park regulations. Basic SMBs are available though you are encouraged to bring your own. We provide the standard dive alert which does not fit all BCDs. Please check your BC model prior to arrival and bring your own dive alert if a standard won’t fit.
- We provide Nautilus Lifelines.
- We provide tanks, weights and weight belts. Tanks are AL80 (11.1 litre - Catalina S80) with INT/yoke valve. Each tank is convertible to DIN. 2 AL100s (13.2 litres - Catalina C100) are available to rent at $60 per week with advance notification. No soft /pellet weights are available. Each weight (plomo in Ecuador) weighs approximately 2 kilos/4.5 pounds.
- We provide Nitrox Analyzers for shared use. Our mix is 32%. You must analyze your tank before each dive and sign off on our Nitrox sheet to confirm your analysis.
- We provide a slender underwater aluminum noisemaker as a piece of safety equipment. The size easily fits inside your wetsuit sleeve and has a wrist lanyard. It is only to be used should you require assistance underwater. It is not to be used for sightings. A noisemaker for sighting purposes is only to be used by the dive guides. Because it is only used by guides, everyone does seek out the sound which is why it's a useful safety device.
- Please note that while we do provide the equipment list above gratis, if you lose or damage any of our gear, there will be a replacement fee imposed. You can find the list of prices under rental gear in the FAQs.
Please note that while we will have some tools and replacement parts onboard, we cannot guarantee that we will have parts that work with all equipment. Please bring your own replacement parts: spare computer batteries, extra masks/straps, O rings, etc.
If you have questions about specific gear, we're happy to answer.
Yes, we do. A full kit rental is $250. Rental includes BC, Regulator, Wetsuit, Fins & Booties, Mask. Computer rental is $75.
We provide DA1 Dive Alerts, basic SMBs and Nautilus Lifeline at no charge. Diver will be responsible for replacement costs if equipment is lost or damaged.
Yes, bring your torch! There are 2 sites where night dives are permitted. One is at Wolf July - December and the other is at Cabo Marshall January - June. We also have a small swim through at Wolf which is so much more beautiful with a torch.
1 dive guide for 8 divers. We have 2 dive guides and 16 divers.
Yes you can. We can arrange this for you with advance notification. The cost is $1750 for the week.
Spacious
Social Areas
The social areas have ample spaces to spend time and relax, whether enjoying a glass of good wine.
MATRIMONIAL CABIN
Comfortable first class cabins
Convertible bed
Panoramic windows
Eco style decoration
20 square meters cabins
These type of cabins are equipped with private bathroom, hot/cold water, air conditioning, hair dryer, towel dryer, internal phone, safe box, closet and speaker.



TWIN CABINS
Convertible bed
Panoramic windows
Eco style decoration
22 square meters cabins
These type of cabins are equipped with private bathroom, hot/cold water, air conditioning, hair dryer, towel dryer, internal phone, safe box, closet and speaker.



Calipso Yacht RATES 2023
Per person
8 days |
---|
$6185 USD |
INCLUDE:
NOT INCLUDE:
-
-
($20) Per person and recompression chamber fee ($35) Per Person. -
Regulator, Wetsuit, Fins & Booties, Mask* -
-
equipment is damaged:$50 for dive alert,$40 for SMB,
$250 for Nautilus Lifeline,$75 for ditched weight belt -
-
-
- Diving Insurance and personal insurance.
-
and an admin fee of 5%. -
Facts & Questions
- First Aid Kits and AED
- Large Oxygen Bottles and 3 Oxygen Kits – 1 for each panga
- Life Jackets with and 2 Life Boats
- Nautilus Lifelines, Dive Alerts, SMBs, Noisemakers
- Foruno Radar
- Foruno Sonar
- VHF Radio
- EPIRB Radio Beacon
- GPS Antenna
- Searchlight and Horn
- Bilge Pump Alarm
- Sprinkler System in all cabins and interior spaces
- Fire Alarm System and Extinguishers
- Smoke and Temperature Detectors
- CO2 Bank (150 Kg)
- Fire Hoses
You will not go hungry onboard. We provide a Continental buffet prior to your first dive, then a full breakfast after the dive. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served buffet style for all you can eat. We serve international and Ecuadorian dishes prepared with fresh local produce and seafood. There is a snack and hot beverage after each dive. Fruits, candies and snacks are available all day.
Of course. We can accommodate virtually any dietary requests (vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, etc) as long as you submit them to us in a timely manner. Your requests will be included on your Diver Booking form due 90 days prior to arrival.
Only juice & soft drinks are included. Self-serve water, coffee and tea are available 24 hours a day.
Wine, beer and liquor are available at the bar for an extra charge. You may bring your own bottles onboard. Corkage fees are $10 for wine and $15 for liquors. Alcohol prices vary by brand. Glasses of wine: $6-$7. Bottles of wine: $30-$55. Beer: $4.50-$6. Cocktails: $5 -$12.
Please remember that there is no drinking and diving in Galapagos. Once you have a drink, you are done diving for the day. While we realize it’s pleasant to have wine with dinner or to relax with a beverage in the evening, please bear in mind that evenings are early and so are mornings. You want to remain well hydrated for diving.
There are 11 crew members: Captain, first mate, sailor, chef, chef’s assistant, engineer, machinist/electrician, cabin boy, waiter/bar man and 2 dive guides.
In Galapagos, on all cruises – dive or naturalist, the recommendation is 10% of the cost of your departure rate. That is shared by 11 crew members
Yes, we have satellite wi-fi. It is included in our introductory rates until further notice.