fourthelementadventures.com

Transcription

1 MAGIC IN THE GALAPAGOS. Whale sharks, huge schools of hammerheads, playful sea lions, curious sea turtles, mantas, many different species of sharks and much more. Join Anders Salesjö on an unforgettable adventure to the magical Galapagos islands. We promise a big smile on your face. A world-class experience above & below the surface The most spectacular pelagic diving on the planet Dive with hundreds of hammerhead sharks Dive famous sites at Darwin and Wolf Comfortable stay on Galapagos Master UW-Photo workshop with Anders Salesjö

2 The Galapagos dream This package includes a one week liveaboard trip on the diving vessel Galapagos Master. If you feel that one week in the Galapagos is too short, you can choose to extend your stay with additional days on the island of San Cristobal, or perhaps combine your experience with Ecuador, or Peru visiting Machu Picchu. Additional information regarding extensions will be provided when the flight becomes available, approximately 10 months before the trips departure date. The mythical Galapagos Islands offers superb diving for those seeking spectacular scenery and great animals below the surface. You will most certainly encounter five different shark species including large pregnant female whale sharks, great schools of multi horned hammerhead sharks, vast amounts of white tip reef sharks, the Galapagos shark and the silk shark. If luck is on your side, you may also encounter the black fin and the tiger shark. Rays are also plenty here, among them the spotted eagle, manta, mobula and stingrays. But there are more than rays and sharks. Seeing curious sea lions and sea turtles up close is something that you will experience on many dives. Various species of dolphins and sunfish are not very uncommon either. All of the above mentioned creatures may be experienced elsewhere, however the Galapagos offers many other unique wildlife experiences. See marine iguanas below the surface, the famous elephant turtles, wild penguins, and many unique species of birds. The Galapagos is a dream for everyone who wants to experience wildlife in such multitude. Galapagos Islands The Galapagos Islands consists of 19 islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, approximately 1000 km west of Ecuador s mainland. Practically all of the islands are classified as a national park and around the islands exists a large sanctuary for the marine life. More than 90% of the land and ocean area is protected. There are no land predators, which has made the animals fearless. Due to this, you are able to approach the animals quite closely, providing excellent opportunities to capture great pictures. During your visit, you will soon realize that the area has not changed much since Charles Darwin discovered the islands back in Thanks to the islands being located where three great current streams meet, the worlds greatest collection of species above and below the water exists here.

3 Galapagos Master - your liveaboard The very popular company Worldwide Dive and Sail has in recent years become world leading when it comes to liveaboard diving. Their fleet is known to maintain a high standard and is considered by many to be among the absolute best operators on the market. The men behind Worldwide Dive and Sail, Jan and Frank van der Linde, have now decided to establish their business in the Galapagos. However, the trademark Siren Fleet sailboats are not preferable in this location. For this reason they started a new company called Master Liveaboard. Your boat, the Galapagos Master, is the first of a series of liveaboard boats under the Master Liveaboard name. On board the Galapagos Master there is room for a total of 16 divers divided into nine spacious and modern cabins. Just as Worldwide Dive and Sail, Master Liveaboard focuses extra on underwater photographers and their special needs. At the stern there is an extensive area for your camera, with ample space for you to work in between dives. There are plenty of outlets of American sockets, plus dry storage boxes where you can store your extra ports and lenses. In the roomy salon is a big plasma-tv for everybody to gather and learn more about the wildlife, and to enjoy each others pictures.

4 Travel to and from the Galapagos Because of the long trip, and with international and domestic flights, we recommend a couple of nights at a hotel between the international and domestic segments in case of flight and/ or luggage delays. For the connection to the Galapagos, we highly recommend two nights in Quito and one night on the return trip. Flights will be available approximately 10 months prior to the departure date. International and domestic flights, including the hotel nights with transfer, is approximately 18 20,000 SEK per person depending on the departure airport and the flight rate at the time of booking. Please contact us before you book your flight, just to make sure that you have the correct connection. Extensions to this base package can be added. Please contact us for suggestions including tours in Ecuador and Peru.

5 Anders Salesjö I have been interested in the marine animals and plant life for as long as I can remember. My first aquarium I got at the age of six was the first of many that I have had over the years. At the age of 12 I joined Skövde's Sport diver club and my interest for diving and life under the waters surface got stronger and stronger. A career as a marine biologist was pretty obvious, even as a young teenager. During my biology studies at Gothenburg University, I would take pauses to focus on my diving and worked as an instructor both the Sweden and in tropical waters. After my studies were finished, I taught courses about Sweden's marine fauna at Tjärnös marine biology laboratory. Sweden s biggest fish nerd After several years of working with different laboratories, I finally found my dream job in Lysekil on Sweden's west coast - a full time job teaching marine biology and diving at Gullmarsgymnasiet (high school). The great interest in the underwater world has followed Anders through life. In the spring of 2013 the Swedish people could follow him in the Swedish TV show "Fantasterna" on TV4. In this quiz show, Anders competed against four other participants who were very knowledgeable in the subject Swedish fish. For example, participants were asked to determine the species of fish while blindfolded, and also needed to distinguish species from mixed bone remains. The challenges were tough, but Anders went to the finals and won the show. Deserving UW-photographer Anders curiosity about our marine life has led him into photography as a way of spreading knowledge about this fantastic environment that we have. In his opinion, this is the best way to keep it safe. Through the years he has won both the Swedish and Nordic underwater photo championships and has represented Sweden at the world championships. Since 2006 Anders is a member of Naturfotograferna/N. He is passionate about communicating their knowledge and experiences from the underwater world to others. In addition to his regular job at Gullmarsgymnasiet in Lysekil, he is a popular speaker at lectures, course leader, expedition leader and article writer. Do you want to see examples of images or know more about Anders then visit the website undervattensbilder.se.

6 During May to November pregnant female whale sharks gather by Darwin on their way to birth their offspring. Marine biologist and UW-photo workshop with Anders Salesjö During the trip, expedition leader Anders Salesjö will have some shorter lectures where you will learn more about the underwater world, as well as get tips on camera settings before the dives. There will be no longer theory sessions, as the idea of this trip is to spend most of the time in the water. During the trip you will have lectures about the following subjects: Galapagos reef fish Sharks of Galapagos Dolphins of Galapagos Sea lions and other pinnipeds Sea turtles The sea iguana and its relatives The photographers' best shots from the trip Target Audience This trip is perfect for the person that wants a luxurious and relaxing dive holiday combined with great food and fantastic service. Diving in the Galapagos can be challenging, even for the experienced diver. Currents can be strong at many dive sites, and visibility may diminish due to both the currents and an influx of nutrients. We highly recommend our guests have training beyond beginner level and a minimum experience of 50 dives and a PADI Advanced certificate or similar, preferably in similar conditions.

7 YOUR GALAPAGOS ADVENTURE DAY BY DAY Saturday October 28 We recommend that you arrival today to Quito, Ecuador and spend at least 2 nights in a hotel in Quito. This is to to provide extra time in case of any flight or baggage delays. If your flight is delayed, you may miss the boat s departure, as it cannot wait. Sunday October 29 Free day in Quito on your own. Monday October 30 Check out from the hotel in Quito, go to Quito Airport for departure to San Cristobal, Galapagos. At San Cristobal airport you will be picked up by staff of the Galapagos Master and transferred to the boat, followed by an introduction of how everything works on board. The boat will then head to Isla Lobos, a site famous for its sea lions, where you will do a check-dive. You will also have the chance to witness marine iguanas and sea turtles. Tuesday October 31 In the morning you will do 2 dives at Punta Carrion and Baltra North East, followed by an afternoon land tour of North Seymour Island, before cruising north during the evening. Wednesday - Friday November 1-3 During these days you will be diving on and around the northernmost islands, Wolf and Darwin Island. Saturday November 4 The boat will head to the island Isabela where you will dive around Punta Vicente Roca. Sunday November 5 During the morning you will dive at Cousin Rock, followed by an afternoon dive at Los Gemelos and a visit to Darwin Station in Puerto Ayora.

8 YOUR GALAPAGOS ADVENTURE DAY BY DAY Monday November 6 - Tuesday November 7 A morning visit to the Interpretation Centre on San Cristóbal Island followed by check-out and payment of your equipment rental, bar tab, merchandise from the ships souvenir shop, etc. This is also the time to give a gratuity tip to the staff if you wish. Transfer to your flight back to the mainland to Quito, Ecuador (unless you have extended your stay in the Galapagos). We recommend a night in Quito, Ecuador after the liveaboard stay, should there be any unforeseen delays with the boat. Please note! Please note that the itinerary is only a preliminary plan. Activities can change, or may need to be exchanged, in the case of adverse weather conditions or other unexpected incidents. Accommodation can also change due to availability.

9 Dive sites around Galapagos Isla Lobos, San Cristobal The area is full with curious sea lion pups that will approach you to play. It is also common with green turtles, and of course plenty of reef fishes. If you are lucky enough, you will be able to witness manta rays here. Kicker Rock (Leon Dormido), San Cristobal Kickers Rock is a spectacular, well documented, cliff formation with steep walls rising up from the ocean. The underwater wildlife here is amazing; hammerhead sharks, Galapagos sharks, and white tip reef sharks are all common here. It is also usual to see sea turtles and mottled eagle rays. The current here is relatively weak, however since the location is exposed, it is common with strong swells that will pull you back and forth below the surface. Punta Carron This reef on the north of Santa Cruz is a perfect beginning to experience the Galapagos underwater world. The reef has an average depth of around 15 metres, with a soft to moderately strong current on the site. The current pulls in an abundance of wildlife. You can find everything from sea lions to white tip reef sharks and with a little luck, you will be experience hammerheadand Galapagos sharks as well. Wolf Island The diving at Wolf Island and Darwin Island are really the main attraction of this whole trip. They are situated more than 100 kilometres northwest of Isabela Island and the bigger islands of Galapagos, but it is worth the trip to get here. These islands are considered among the best diving sites in the world! Wolf Island was named after the German geologist Theodor Wolf. On this site you will find everything you have dreamt of seeing below the surface! Mass schools of hammerhead sharks, Galapagos sharks, sea lions, rays, turtles, and dolphins, and hopefully even whale sharks. The rich wildlife is thanks to the moderate to strong current, so don t forget your reef hook and gloves!

10 Wolf Island is also an unforgettable site above water. It is practically impossible to go on land, but this volcanic island is host to a multitude of sea bird colonies, primarily gannets, frigate birds, pelicans and gulls. Darwin Island This island is considered among many as the world s best diving site. You will have the possibility to dive with dolphins, spotted eagle rays, moray eels, manta rays, great schools of hammerhead, Galapagos, and silk sharks. From May to November pregnant female whale sharks gather by Darwin on their way to birth their offspring. Whale sharks have the capacity to measure as much as metres long! Just as Wolf Island, the strong currents pull in an abundance of wildlife, and for that reason you will be doing drift dives, where the boat crew will pick you up when you reach the surface. As the island has vertical walls, disembarkation is not possible. However, from the boat you will be able to see many endemic bird species including the Galapagos penguin, as well as the red footed- and Nazca gannet. Douglas Cape This wall dive has an average depth of 20 metres and is located on the north western side of the island Fernandina. Although the location is widely known for its marine iguanas, you will have plenty else to see as well. Curious sea lions and fur seals will fight for your attention, while a number of penguins will pass by with great speed. Punta Vicente Roca Isabela is the largest island of the group. On the north western side is the dive site Punta Vicente Roca which is formed from the residue of a volcanic crater, with two ridges that have a sheltered bay. The Cromwell current creates fantastic conditions for seeing wildlife, which in combination with the sheltered bay, makes it one of the favourite dive sites in the Galapagos. Play with sea lions, observe sea turtles, sunfish, blowfish, and marlins, and for the lucky ones, the Galapagos bullhead shark. If you enjoy macro, you will find frogfish, electric rays, sea horses and red-lipped batfish. On land you can enjoy the Galapagos penguins, marine iguanas, and the Galapagos cormorant, a bird that has lost the ability to fly, but makes up for it with its excellent swimming capabilities.

11 Roca Redonda Roca Redonda is situated just north west of the island Isabela and is the tip of an underwater volcano rising almost 3000 metres from the seabed. Several eruptions may be observed on the island and in the surrounding water. There are also caves inhabited by different types of seabirds. During the dive you will be able to see hammerhead sharks, shoals of surgeon fish, jacks, barracudas, mantas and large sunfish. If the current and weather allow it, diving on the southeast side of the island is possible. There are multiple fumaroles (volcanic gas emissions) at depths of approximately metres where you are able to see gas bubbles rising from the bottom towards the surface. Please be aware that during the period between June-December the current, especially the treacherous undercurrent, may be powerful enough to endanger diving safety. The experienced diving guides and the boat captain will make the final decision whether to dive or not. Cape Marshall Located by the north eastern beach of Isabela, below the 1707 metre high volcano Wolf, is Cape Marshall. This area offers drift dives on amazing reefs and volcanic walls decorated with black corals. Mantas, Galapagos bullhead sharks, gold lined tang, sunfish, sea lions, large shoals of wrasse, yellow fin tunas, white tip reef sharks, and several species of rays are potential companions at this exhilarating site. The possibility to snorkel with sea lions in a natural salt-water pool will be available between dives. Cousin s Rock Cousin s Rock is located outside of the eastern coast of Santiago (north of Bartolme). The cliff rises barely 10 metres above the sea, and as the southern part is a large boulder, they form a small canal. This offers a mixed diving environment with coral covered cliffs, which houses plenty of exciting macro-life. Here it is a combination of life, from tropical fishes to larger animals, as you can also find sea lions, sea turtles, eagle rays, reef sharks and mantas. Even though there are large quantities of large animals, it might also be the best diving spot to put on your macro lens if you have one. You will find a variety of corals including black, hard and fan corals, large hydroids, beautiful sponges and much more. Among the stunning cliffs you will find various hawkfish, nudibranchs, sea horses, squids. Keep your wide-angle lens on if you do not want to miss anything. Large animals are always lurking around on every dive.

12 ABOUT THE ADVENTURE Date Destination October 30 - November 6, 2017 (liveaboard only) Galapagos - Ecuador - Pacific Ocean Included in the price Group transfer San Cristobal airport - Galapagos Master r/t 7 nights in shared double en suite cabin on Galapagos Master Diving with guide, 12 L tank, weights and belt, up to 3-4 dives a day, totally dives 2 land excursions in Galapagos All meals and drinks (excl. Alcohol) on the boat Workshop with Anders Salesjö Not included in the price Flight to/from San Cristobal, Galapagos Galapagos National Park Tax (payable on arrival at San Cristobal Airport: USD 100) Hyperbaric Chamber Fee (payable onboard Galapagos Master: USD 35) Ingala Transfer Card (payable on arrival at Guayaquil/Quito Airport: USD 10) Transfer and hotel nights in Ecuador (before and after your stay in the Galapagos) Optional extension in San Cristobal, Lima, Machu Picchu etc. Other activities, dive equipment, nitrox, alcohol, drinks and meals not specified above Tips for guides and crew Price per person SEK How can I pay for my trip? You can pay by bank transfer or our online payment system. We accept only Visa and MasterCard. Contact us if you would like to pay in another currency. Do not make the currency exchange without our permission. Please note that all extra payment fees must be paid by the customer. How much do I pay and when? When you have accepted the offer from Fourth Element Adventures, you will receive a booking confirmation within one to two workdays. To confirm your spot, a deposit of 350 USD is required within 7 days of the booking date. This trip does not include the international flight. Please double check with us about what date and time you need to arrive/depart to your destination before booking the flight yourself and then send us your flight schedule. The final trip payment should be in Exposure Expeditions account a minimum of 14 days prior to your departure date. Contact Fourth Element Adventures -

13 ABOUT THE ADVENTURE Extras Equipment rental Dive equipment is available for rent. 12 L tank, weights and belt are included in the price. All dive equipment and gases need to be pre-ordered through Fourth Element and will be paid locally on the boat. You should also be diving with dive computer and surface marker buoy (SMB). If you do not have this, you can rent it. Please ask us for an updated price list. Important Your passport must be whole and valid for more than six months after your arrival back home. Please note that you need to apply for an ESTA if you are flying through, or to the US, and do not hold an American or Canadian passport. The application must be done online via: esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/ and a fee is incurred which is not included in the price of this trip. The application must be done a minimum of 72 hours before arrival to the US. Please also read this new rules for ESTA for those of you who has visited Syria, Irak, Iran or Sudan: sweden.usembassy.gov/vwpchanges.html All divers must have a dive certificate, dive logbook and proof of dive insurance with them on their dive trip. For this trip we recommend all divers to be certified PADI Advanced Open Water Divers or equivalent and have a minimum of 50 logged dives. If you have not been diving within one year of your departure we strongly recommend that you complete a scuba review course. Please make sure that you have a valid cancellation and travel insurance which includes scuba diving. If you do not have travel insurance or need a complement, we strongly recommend you to purchase a diving insurance such as DAN or similar, diversalertnetwork.org. Due to ever increasing baggage restrictions on flights, overweight and extra baggage must be reported to, and accepted by the flight company. Pricing and baggage allowance varies between flight companies. Please note that Fourth Element Adventures and Exposure Expeditions is not responsible for baggage being denied pre-departure, or at the time of check-in. This trip has been arranged together with Exposure Expeditions! We reserve the right for price changes due to currency fluctuations. When you book your trip you accept Exposure Expeditions terms and conditions: exposureexpeditions.com/en/my-trip/termsconditions. The given information that Exposure Expeditions has in its written information (i.e. the trips content, amount of dives, diving at a special location) is provided under the pretence of optimal conditions (i.e. political/ governmental decisions, weather, etc). The dive leader or boat captain in charge of the trip, always has the right to change the contents of the trip due to weather, political decisions, or other acts that lie outside of their control that can affect the customers or ships safety. In this situation, the customer has no right to compensation or refund.

14 Information about Galapagos and the expeditionen Insurance To get permission to dive in the Galapagos you are required to show a paper copy of proving that you have a valid dive insurance. Please note that this is not the same as a regular health insurance. If you do not have a diving insurance already, you can go to Divers Alert Network, DAN: daneurope.org SMB, gloves and reef hook There will be moderate to strong currents during several of our dives which is often a must for us to get the rich wildlife that we want. You must have your own SMB as a security if you would get away from the group. To handle the current, it helps to have protective gloves and a so-called reef hook. Ear problems As most of us will be in the water for many hours daily, it is easy to get problems with you ears. Everybody should bring preventive treatment against external auditory canal inflammation, extern otit. A good non-prescribed preventative medicine for this is Otinova. If you often have concerns, you should also have eye drops for the treatment of an ensuing inflammation such as Terracortril with polymyxin B. This medication is prescribed, but is generally easy to get if you explain why you need it to your doctor. Note that external ear canal inflammation has nothing to do with equalising. If you often have a problem to equalise it might be better to ask your doctor for decongestant medication such as Rinexin. Note that these are recommendations only. Speak to your medical provider for the best information concerning yourself. Climate The water temperature will vary greatly from place to place depending on the currents, but we can expect temperatures between degrees. A good quality double wetsuit with gloves and hood are therefore preferable. As for clothes above the surface, you will spend most of the time in shorts and a t-shirt. The temperature during the day is about 21C. In the evenings it can get colder, down to 15 degrees. A warm sweater, hat and warm socks is appropriate to bring. Electrical sockets On the liveaboard boat Galapagos Master and also ashore on the Galapagos and Ecuador, the sockets are of US style with plugs consisting of two blades and 120 volts. Currency The currency in the Galapagos and in all of Ecuador is US dollars. Most major hotels, restaurants and shops accept credit cards. Tips Different countries have different cultures. Here in Europe, there are normally no larger sums in tips, while in other parts of the world it is the main part of the salary. In Ecuador, it is customary to give a tip. It is voluntary to pay gratuities to staff on the boat. A guideline is to pay about 10% of the liveaboard cost (approximately 4000 SEK). Gratuities for the crew and guides is given as a single sum when we check out of the boat. The money is left in an envelope to the captain, who is responsible for distribution among the staff. Cameras and Lenses Most of us probably want to document the journey with different types of cameras. Wide-angle and normal lenses from 10.5 mm to about 50 mm, are best for use under the surface. You will hardly use your macro lens, but there are some motives for this if you are a keen macro photographer. To photograph birds and other animals on land, it is best to bring some form of tele optics with longer focal length. Dive bag While onshore, it is easier if you have a bag for your snorkelling equipment. A good, cheap and lightweight alternative is an IKEA shopping bag.